"Cockroaches, car camping, poverty wages: Why are minor-leaguers living in squalor?"

[Mass Haas]

Athletic subscribers, detailed full article linked below:

 

Please don't copy and paste any additional text from the article, thanks. I likely should not have included even these snippets, but the issue is so important.

 

The Athletic is awesome altogether, Will Sammon, the Crew's Athletic beat guy, is a fantastic read. Their introductory subscriber offers are incredible.

 

Cockroaches, car camping, poverty wages: Why are minor-leaguers living in squalor?

Brittany Ghiroli, The Athletic

 

Nashville RHP Luke Barker among those willing to comment on the record.

 

Several players on the Brewers’ Triple-A roster in Nashville piled into a small one-bedroom apartment thinking they struck gold within their budget: instead they found a roach infestation.

 

“It’s not just a Brewers thing or a one-level thing,” said Nashville Sounds pitcher Luke Barker. “This is a systematic thing where it’s seen as OK to let these guys be in unlivable situations. It starts with the salary, but the lack of any help with housing makes it even worse.”

 

Added Barker: “A logical mind can say, it might not seem like a lot of money to fix this, but nobody is making (the teams) do it. That’s the real problem. MLB is not going to do something unless they have to do something.”

 

“With us having no representation, they are allowed to do whatever they want and it’s kind of up to them to find it in the goodness of their hearts to change,” Barker said. “They don’t want to change it. They have no incentive to.”

 

***

 

We've had several threads on MiLB salary issues over the years, but now the housing issue is coming to a head, it seems.

 

No celebration, however, until a thorough MLB-wide solution is in place.

 

Several clubs have stepped up, as detailed within. Brewers are not listed as a club that has, although we should wait to see if there is any response from the organization.

 

Time to step up, Mark A.!

[Austin Tatious]

Thanks Mass. It's infuriating. You don't need to make them wealthy, but you can pay them an acceptable wage, plus pay for their housing. Let a man have a one bedroom apartment, or two share a two bedroom.

 

The MLBPA could also push for this. Other than the bonus babies, most of them probably came up this way.

 

If the minor league teams are going to claim their cash flow doesn't allow more (and I have no idea on that), they shouldn't be in it alone. There is a nexus to the MLB teams. The major league franchise has rights over the players, which is the smoking gun against their argument that the local teams are in it alone. With the money in MLB, they can subsidize the minors with the proverbial change in their cushions.

 

Does the average MLB fan, who sinks his or her hard earned money into MLB streaming, merchandise, ticket prices, concessions, parking etc., want the future players to be treated like this? That's the fan's money that provides the revenue. Ownership and the MLBPA mustn't forget where the cash comes from, and with humility fix this problem.

[sveumrules]

Yeah, the crux of the issue seems to be that improving wages & living conditions for minor leaguers is going to require some degree of collaboration between the owners & the player's union...and we know how that usually ends up.

[homer]

I fail to see how taking shortcuts on housing and food is going to improve performance on the field.

[jerichoholicninja]

I fail to see how taking shortcuts on housing and food is going to improve performance on the field.

 

This is what I don't get either. Pay is whatever. If they don't like it there are tens of thousands of young men out there who would take their spot for less. But if organizations want their minor leaguers to perform at the their best and develop to their full potential providing excellent nutrition and adequate housing seems like a no brainer and well worth the cost.

[Lathund]

I suspect some of it is the owners very well knowing the benefits of proper food/housing. But if everyone is ignoring it, then noone loses out by not having it. If one team provides it, and it confers a competitive advantage, then other teams will need to follow suit. And in the end it's an even playing field again, only the owners are taking in slightly less profits. So there's not much incentive to do it from an owner point of view. And these are the people who lobbied congress hard to get an exemption so they could pay minor leaguers below minimum wage, they're not going to lift a finger to improve conditions in the minors. The owners know exactly how bad things are, and they're totally fine with it.

[jerichoholicninja]

I suspect some of it is the owners very well knowing the benefits of proper food/housing. But if everyone is ignoring it, then noone loses out by not having it. If one team provides it, and it confers a competitive advantage, then other teams will need to follow suit. And in the end it's an even playing field again, only the owners are taking in slightly less profits. So there's not much incentive to do it from an owner point of view. And these are the people who lobbied congress hard to get an exemption so they could pay minor leaguers below minimum wage, they're not going to lift a finger to improve conditions in the minors. The owners know exactly how bad things are, and they're totally fine with it.

 

The owners are also the ones who started hiring scores of math whizzes and computer nerds when they saw it gave them an advantage. Now every organization does it. Like you said, all it takes is one team to do it and reap the benefits then everyone else will follow suit.

[folly412]

What do guys even do when they're promoted/demoted between minor league levels? Like live out of their car or splurge for a hotel while they hope to find a month-to-month apartment probably with furniture during the few hours a day they're not at the park during the 50% of the time they're in town?

 

Noticed a big advertisement at the Mudcats stadium for a new housing development going up, "Be Muddy's Neighbor!"

Why wouldn't the organization make an investment for four or five of those? It would run $2M, in a market that appreciated well prior to this year's craziness and will continue to go up in value, and that alone could hold 20+ players comfortably.

[Mass Haas]

What do guys even do when they're promoted/demoted between minor league levels?

 

June 8, 2021 RHP Justin Bullock assigned to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from Carolina Mudcats.

July 27, 2021 RHP Justin Bullock assigned to Biloxi Shuckers from Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

 

Three states, less than two months.

 

Guessing you show up and simply say where can I squeeze in. Room for another air mattress?

[Austin Tatious]

There’s an ex Phillies pitcher who will pay a minor leaguer an up front amount of money in exchange for something like 10% of the player’s career earnings. So, say he gives a kid a $1 M, then the kid becomes Tatis, do the math. Of course, he will only “invest” in a player where he likes the probabilities.

 

This kind of setup is another red flag for the baseball establishment.

[folly412]

There’s an ex Phillies pitcher who will pay a minor leaguer an up front amount of money in exchange for something like 10% of the player’s career earnings. So, say he gives a kid a $1 M, then the kid becomes Tatis, do the math. Of course, he will only “invest” in a player where he likes the probabilities.

 

This kind of setup is another red flag for the baseball establishment.

 

And the argument of using signing bonuses wisely to get you through the minors goes away when you get the Cubs signing draft picks with slot values of $263,700 for $1,000 because he's a college senior and has no other options.

[nate82]

The draft really needs to change from a bonus structure to a salary structure. This will hurt small market teams the most but it will help the players out more in the long run especially since none of the teams are willing to improve the minors at all.

[MrTPlush]

It’s a supply versus demand thing. The demand for a chance at the MLB far exceeds the supply of spots on MLB rosters. Why doesn’t the MLB spend millions on housing? Well, easy, they don’t have to. They already get what they need. Spending all that money isn’t going to improve their rosters.

 

Opportunity costs something. Millions of people go to college and take out loans for housing and even food. At some point there is a lot of complaining, but guess what, they still get on the bus to go play baseball. If it is so bad then quit, thousands of people will happy replace you. As long as that is the case there is little reason to change the system. Until these players with nearly zero shot at the MLB start quitting and suddenly rosters aren’t getting filled it won’t make much difference.

 

I will say, some of the food they provide is kind of pathetic.

[DuWayne Steurer]

That's the excuse in a lot of industries. "Someone else will gladly take that (crappy) spot." It's a poor excuse (and to be fair TPlush, I'm not attributing it to you). Baseball can get away with letting MiLB players live in poverty and what almost amounts to squalor because someone else will, if given the chance. That's an absolutely pathetic reason/excuse or whatever else you want to call it.

 

"here's your bread sandwich with a ketchup packet, eat it and like it or quit if you don't".

 

MLB doesn't make money off of minor league baseball, but MiLB sets a foundation that MLB would find tough to exist without.

 

I'll stop short of saying "something has to change", but something definitely should. Whether or not it will obviously remains to be seen.

[clancyphile]

That's the excuse in a lot of industries. "Someone else will gladly take that (crappy) spot." It's a poor excuse (and to be fair TPlush, I'm not attributing it to you). Baseball can get away with letting MiLB players live in poverty and what almost amounts to squalor because someone else will, if given the chance. That's an absolutely pathetic reason/excuse or whatever else you want to call it.

 

"here's your bread sandwich with a ketchup packet, eat it and like it or quit if you don't".

 

MLB doesn't make money off of minor league baseball, but MiLB sets a foundation that MLB would find tough to exist without.

 

I'll stop short of saying "something has to change", but something definitely should. Whether or not it will obviously remains to be seen.

 

Actually, I'll say something slightly different:

Some things have to change.

 

Better salaries for the players

Better housing arrangements

Better handling of food/etc.

 

I think a minimum salary at the Rookie level should be $30,000.

Full-season low-A: $36,000

Full-season high-A: $42,000

AA: $48,000

AAA: $60,000

 

To pay that is $7,380,000 a year. Or just under 75% of what Avisail Garcia makes this year.

 

And how hard would it be to rent out a block of apartments near the home field? For about $180,000 a month for 7 months is a grand total of about $1.26 million.

 

They provide per diems for food on the road... assume $50 a day for 14 weeks, that comes to another $294,000. Heck, for just under $600,000, they could provide that per diem the whole season.

 

A total of $9,228,000 a year. Honestly, I bet it would do more for the Brewers than signing an Avisail Garcia type each year. Think of the better conditions resulting in at least two or three more prospects signing in a draft class each year, a few more sticking around to keep trying, and at least one more a year making it to the majors.

 

Why should a prospect like Tyrone Taylor have to get an offseason job at FedEx? Isn't that just asking for a non-baseball injury to take out a prospect for a year - or more? Take that out of the equation.

[djoctagone]

mlb continues to push to keep minor leaguers in poverty . . .

[clancyphile]

mlb continues to push to keep minor leaguers in poverty . . .

 

That is a bunch of bull.

[jerichoholicninja]

I agree the reasoning is bull and it sucks but no players are paid in spring training. Joe Schmo 18 year old in rookie ball who'll never advance higher than A ball is being paid as much as his team's prize free agent who just signed for 9 figures.

[JimH5]

I understand teams wishing to be frugal when it comes to players they consider to be background extras for their real prospects. Most minor leaguers are never going to sniff the majors, so money spent on minor leagues might be considered inefficient.

 

But there should be a basic minimum level when it comes to housing and nutrition. I think teams should provide something like a college dormitory for their minor league teams.

 

Since the players are locked by contract to teams, unable to leave for better conditions, teams do have an obligation to do better--even if the only benefit is to eliminate stories like these.

[djoctagone]

 

[clancyphile]

13 hours ago, djoctagone said:

 

Seriously... it doesn't make sense to lowball the minor-leaguers.

Put it this way, the better pay/food/etc. might get you an extra two or three players each year. More prospects knocking at the door can be assets that either directly help a team or can be traded for someone.

[Opening Day]

On 3/16/2022 at 1:05 PM, clancyphile said:

Seriously... it doesn't make sense to lowball the minor-leaguers.

Put it this way, the better pay/food/etc. might get you an extra two or three players each year. More prospects knocking at the door can be assets that either directly help a team or can be traded for someone.

I agree it doesn’t make any sense,   If you understand the importance of nutrition, which I’m sure the Brewers organization does, it make sense to supply your future with good meals.   Having players live in comfort, perhaps in apartments with fitness centers, would also be beneficial to health and well being.  The Brewers carry a $130 million payroll and are an organization that relies on development from within the system.   You’d think it would be worth it to do whatever you could to nurture that cheap talent coming up through the system.  

I don’t see why they couldn’t operate a small apartment building in their minor league cities.  Is that allowed?  It could be optional at a reduced rate to the players even, with a training table.

if you can’t sign high level FAs, do whatever you can to develop prospects.

[clancyphile]

9 hours ago, Opening Day said:

I agree it doesn’t make any sense,   If you understand the importance of nutrition, which I’m sure the Brewers organization does, it make sense to supply your future with good meals.   Having players live in comfort, perhaps in apartments with fitness centers, would also be beneficial to health and well being.  The Brewers carry a $130 million payroll and are an organization that relies on development from within the system.   You’d think it would be worth it to do whatever you could to nurture that cheap talent coming up through the system.  

I don’t see why they couldn’t operate a small apartment building in their minor league cities.  Is that allowed?  It could be optional at a reduced rate to the players even, with a training table.

if you can’t sign high level FAs, do whatever you can to develop prospects.

In fact, the Brewers should be building up a larger farm system. If I were Attanasio/Stearns, I'd be investing far more into the farm system and scouting, and would have fought against the culling of minor-league teams that took place.

It still boggles my mind that they're really missing this chance.

[nate82]

The only way to get a true professional minor league system is to completely drop the current one and build a new one.  The new minor league system will be based on geographic region where all of the R-AAA will be housed.  Preferably this would all be in one city or one or two states.  

The goal would be to make a complex kind of like an Olympic training area.  It would suck for the current fans of the A-AAA teams to lose those teams but in the long run for the minor league players this would be the best option.  I just don't see teams spending $10m+ in 5 plus cities when the return on investment wouldn't be all that high.  It would make more financial sense to have the teams all in one general area.  

A central place to have all the minors would be ideal for this as a team could build all the housing and amenities that it would need in one area.  I think the Brewers kind of have this as they could put their minor league teams in either Wisconsin or in Nashville.  Though I would caution against Nashville as that is more than likely going to be a MLB team city at some point once expansion happens.  MLB is not going to want to have a AAA team where an expansion team is going to be located at as it could hurt ticket sales for the MLB team which is what MLB only cares about.  

Another option would be Carolina as the Brewers already have an ownership stake in that team.  This probably makes the most sense here for the Brewers to build a complex here.  The biggest issue would then be the moving out of Wisconsin which would be a public relations nightmare.  I could see the Brewers doing this as it makes some financial sense as they are already invested in this area.  Putting the complex in Carolina would then allow the Brewers to build it out and move everything but the R team and the spring training site to Carolina.  

This would then solve for the minor league living conditions but would change the makeup of minor league baseball.  

[clancyphile]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:17 PM, nate82 said:

The only way to get a true professional minor league system is to completely drop the current one and build a new one.  The new minor league system will be based on geographic region where all of the R-AAA will be housed.  Preferably this would all be in one city or one or two states.  

The goal would be to make a complex kind of like an Olympic training area.  It would suck for the current fans of the A-AAA teams to lose those teams but in the long run for the minor league players this would be the best option.  I just don't see teams spending $10m+ in 5 plus cities when the return on investment wouldn't be all that high.  It would make more financial sense to have the teams all in one general area.  

A central place to have all the minors would be ideal for this as a team could build all the housing and amenities that it would need in one area.  I think the Brewers kind of have this as they could put their minor league teams in either Wisconsin or in Nashville.  Though I would caution against Nashville as that is more than likely going to be a MLB team city at some point once expansion happens.  MLB is not going to want to have a AAA team where an expansion team is going to be located at as it could hurt ticket sales for the MLB team which is what MLB only cares about.  

Another option would be Carolina as the Brewers already have an ownership stake in that team.  This probably makes the most sense here for the Brewers to build a complex here.  The biggest issue would then be the moving out of Wisconsin which would be a public relations nightmare.  I could see the Brewers doing this as it makes some financial sense as they are already invested in this area.  Putting the complex in Carolina would then allow the Brewers to build it out and move everything but the R team and the spring training site to Carolina.  

This would then solve for the minor league living conditions but would change the makeup of minor league baseball.  

Which cities might get MLB teams?

I can see Las Vegas, Nashville, and Charlotte as sure bets. Portland (Oregon), Indianapolis, New Orleans, Memphis, and Buffalo could be other options, along with a return to Montreal. Outside options could be Jacksonville, San Jose, and Vancouver (British Columbia).