Because of travel difficulties, the Nats have all but abandoned Fresno as a legitimate place to keep fringe major league players whom they could need on short notice https://t.co/smoGYO8Z3B— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) August 6, 2019
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 6 August 2019 16:46 (five years ago) link
lol, no shit...?
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 6 August 2019 17:06 (five years ago) link
sadly, these guys aren't available either:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_Islanders
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 6 August 2019 17:07 (five years ago) link
!!!
Major league affiliationsPrevious ... Washington Senators (1965–1967)...
...
Washington Senators (1965–1967)
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 6 August 2019 17:08 (five years ago) link
i don't know if being in double-a when they should otherwise be in triple-a affects players' salaries. maybe if they're on the 40-man it doesn't matter?
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 6 August 2019 17:13 (five years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/WOANMjF.jpg
what is even the point
― mookieproof, Thursday, 8 August 2019 16:37 (five years ago) link
Fan dies during taco-eating contest at Fresno Grizzlies baseball game https://t.co/7G1GqkkYfN— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) August 14, 2019
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 14 August 2019 19:05 (five years ago) link
i guess he died doing what he loved
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 14 August 2019 19:13 (five years ago) link
still a grisly end
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 14 August 2019 19:32 (five years ago) link
if you're going to die in a taco-eating contest, it would be nice to at least do it in the privacy of one's own bathtub
― Karl Malone, Wednesday, 14 August 2019 19:33 (five years ago) link
Harvey in Vegas
https://nypost.com/2019/08/18/matt-harvey-was-really-nervous-for-his-minor-league-start/
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 19 August 2019 14:47 (five years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/MgdHshb.jpg
morbs might need one of these jerseys
― mookieproof, Thursday, 29 August 2019 14:56 (five years ago) link
we have a Game 141 today: scranton/wilkes-barre (NYY) and syracuse (NYM) are playing a one-game tiebreaker for the international league north title
mets are up 6-0 in the third with ervin santana on the mound
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 3 September 2019 17:56 (five years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/JM5LfgO.png
pretty crazy game tbh
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 3 September 2019 20:22 (five years ago) link
#fuckthemercyrule
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 3 September 2019 20:26 (five years ago) link
scranton won, 14-13. erstwhile brewers playoff hero erik kratz delivered the go-ahead two-run double in the eighth
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 3 September 2019 21:00 (five years ago) link
wow awesome.
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 3 September 2019 21:46 (five years ago) link
Brooklyn Cyclones one win away from NY Penn League flag, and i am pondering whether to invest in $5 tickets tonight or (if nec) tom'w
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 9 September 2019 17:15 (five years ago) link
Travis Sawchik: are minor leagues necessary?
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/do-we-even-need-minor-league-baseball/
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 10 September 2019 15:13 (five years ago) link
from a certain standpoint this is otm. certainly juan soto and casey mize don't need minor league baseball. and triple-a has never really been necessary -- it's more of a holding pen for the older replacement-level guys you need when someone gets hurt. the sheer number of transactions shifting players where they're needed seems to be rising all the time.
but i doubt that decreasing the footprint of the game is likely to have a good impact on its popularity. fewer (public) teams would present fewer opportunities, probably fewer draft rounds, and less of a reason for people to even try playing pro baseball. future kyler murrays aren't going to be any more attracted by spending development time in eternal spring training than they are by spending it in the minors.
also, minor league baseball draws 40m people a year; for reference, the nba and nhl draw in the low 20s. obviously the revenues are much smaller, but there's still money to be made as long as you can pay the players nothing and con municipalities into building ballparks.
most of that money goes to the minor league team owners, though, only a few of which are the MLB teams, and there's nothing MLB owners hate more than money they don't get a cut of. anyway the current Professional Baseball Agreement between MLB and the minors runs through 2020; could be interesting to see what happens then
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 01:40 (five years ago) link
https://deadspin.com/maybe-you-just-like-watching-baseball-games-1838013774
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 14:29 (five years ago) link
i think there's a difference between "they're not necessary" and "it's a good idea to have them in some form"
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 14:47 (five years ago) link
Sometimes baseball provides its own soundtrack. Here is the final out of the 2019 NYPL Championship Series, as heard if you were with us in park. Speakers on.... pic.twitter.com/7LxKtwSkR0— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) September 11, 2019
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 15:15 (five years ago) link
ever wanted to be a league president?
https://www.teamworkonline.com/baseball-jobs/northwestleague/northwest-league/administration-general-management/northwest-league-president-1964379
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 8 October 2019 15:06 (four years ago) link
5 balls, 2 strikes, walls are made of glue, 460 feet away except for one HR circle (also covered with glue) that's in the middle of center field, only weird or funny players allowed, no water or refreshments allowed for anyone in the stadium
― It is my great honor to post on this messageboard! (Karl Malone), Tuesday, 8 October 2019 15:42 (four years ago) link
oh, and anyone who plays in the league gets a MLB contract with the yankees stipulating that they must appear in at least five games
Two of Independent Professional Baseball’s oldest and most established Leagues are pleased to announce that they will join forces. Beginning with the 2020 season, five former members of the Can-Am League will merge into the Frontier League.Members of the Frontier League and the new teams from the Can-Am League will make up the 14-team circuit. The New Jersey Jackals, Quebec Capitales, Rockland Boulders, Sussex County Miners and Trois-Rivieres Aigles will play in the Can-Am Division. The Washington Wild Things and Lake Erie Crushers will join the Division as well. The seven remaining teams, the Evansville Otters, Florence Freedom, Gateway Grizzlies, Joliet Slammers, Schaumburg Boomers, Southern Illinois Miners and the Windy City ThunderBolts, will compete in the Midwestern Division.
Members of the Frontier League and the new teams from the Can-Am League will make up the 14-team circuit. The New Jersey Jackals, Quebec Capitales, Rockland Boulders, Sussex County Miners and Trois-Rivieres Aigles will play in the Can-Am Division. The Washington Wild Things and Lake Erie Crushers will join the Division as well. The seven remaining teams, the Evansville Otters, Florence Freedom, Gateway Grizzlies, Joliet Slammers, Schaumburg Boomers, Southern Illinois Miners and the Windy City ThunderBolts, will compete in the Midwestern Division.
http://frontierleague.com/2019/10/16/frontier-league-can-am-league-to-join-forces
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 16 October 2019 16:35 (four years ago) link
wau. this would completely change minor league baseball, which has been in a reasonably steady state for 60 years
An MLB proposal to Minor League Baseball would eliminate 42 minor league teams, reorganize the minors geographically and move the draft back to August@jjcoop36 has the full story https://t.co/2m2EbccoXS— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) October 18, 2019
― mookieproof, Friday, 18 October 2019 18:24 (four years ago) link
http://www.fieldofschemes.com/2019/11/18/15466/mlbs-minor-league-hit-list-would-kill-42-teams-that-cities-spent-hundreds-of-millions-on-stadiums-for
― mookieproof, Monday, 18 November 2019 18:24 (four years ago) link
nice little antitrust exemption you got there
In a response to MLB's MiLB proposal, 105 US Representatives sent a letter today to Commissioner Rob Manfred and all 30 MLB teams. pic.twitter.com/GSStK8NTwg— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) November 19, 2019
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 19 November 2019 21:15 (four years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EJ2IBmkWwAAhE2b?format=jpg&name=small
― mookieproof, Thursday, 21 November 2019 17:50 (four years ago) link
we can all be legends
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 21 November 2019 18:31 (four years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EKQiDFIWoAEYa2X?format=jpg&name=small
apparently the most notable thing about worcester, massachusetts is that the smiley face was designed there
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 26 November 2019 16:33 (four years ago) link
fact: the smiley face was invented when forrest gump washed mud off his face on a blank t-shirt while he was running across america because he didn't know how else to confront the pain of losing jenny once again
― Peaceful Warrior I Poser (Karl Malone), Tuesday, 26 November 2019 17:02 (four years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EK4GPcDXsAACkCM?format=jpg&name=small
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 3 December 2019 17:03 (four years ago) link
Get your tickets now to see Cole's inevitable rehab appearance with the @TrentonThunder in the 2020 Eastern League Playoffs 😂 https://t.co/NVLAwxWw4P— New Hampshire Fisher Cats (@FisherCats) December 11, 2019
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 11 December 2019 15:55 (four years ago) link
fuckin ouch
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 11 December 2019 23:08 (four years ago) link
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-12-12/skelton-bernie-sanders-minor-league-baseball-california
...Sanders, who grew up a Dodgers fan in Brooklyn before the team moved to Los Angeles, was the mayor of Burlington, Vt., in 1984 when the town landed the Vermont Lake Monsters. Now they’re on the MLB strike list. The senator is on a crusade about it and has more than 100 members of Congress with him, including Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), the House minority leader.That’s a unique political alliance between a self-described democratic socialist and an unwavering supporter of President Trump.In Burlington, Sanders told Shaikin, “What I saw with my own eyes is what minor league baseball does to a community. It is especially gratifying to see kids go out to the ballgames, families able to afford the relatively low price of tickets, and kids get autographs from players. There’s just a huge amount of excitement and community spirit….“Major league owners have got to understand that this is not just a profit-making business. This is something that millions and millions of people, and kids, think about, pay attention to and feel strongly about.”
That’s a unique political alliance between a self-described democratic socialist and an unwavering supporter of President Trump.
In Burlington, Sanders told Shaikin, “What I saw with my own eyes is what minor league baseball does to a community. It is especially gratifying to see kids go out to the ballgames, families able to afford the relatively low price of tickets, and kids get autographs from players. There’s just a huge amount of excitement and community spirit….
“Major league owners have got to understand that this is not just a profit-making business. This is something that millions and millions of people, and kids, think about, pay attention to and feel strongly about.”
― Peaceful Warrior I Poser (Karl Malone), Friday, 13 December 2019 19:55 (four years ago) link
saw someone claiming that the dodgers leaving brooklyn was the foundational event of bernie's politics lol
meanwhile, #beef
MLB deputy commish Halem offers detailed look — photos, internal MiLB email — into MLB’s beef with minors. Says 42-team hit list is inaccurate. The owners: ‘The problem with them, there is what they say publicly, and what they say privately is different.’https://t.co/Yrc1ofcihM— Michael Silverman (@MikeSilvermanBB) December 11, 2019
― mookieproof, Friday, 13 December 2019 20:23 (four years ago) link
https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/12/14/major-league-baseball-threatens-to-walk-away-from-minor-league-baseball-entirely/
― mookieproof, Saturday, 14 December 2019 16:46 (four years ago) link
I can’t even understand how baseball would work without a minor league system.
― FRAUDULENT STEAKS (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 14 December 2019 22:47 (four years ago) link
i think manfred's saying mlb clubs would... like... sell their current teams and buy up a few unaffiliated feeder teams? or something?
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 14 December 2019 23:19 (four years ago) link
manfred's background is in labor relations, and he seems to be treating MiLB like a union he's trying to break
i imagine the atlantic league and american association would be thrilled to get affiliated players, then there are the current minor league teams that big league clubs outright own, plus they could run more games out of the spring complexes. and once MiLB is broken, they can pick off the more desirable current minor league teams (durham, columbus, etc) and offer them a shittier deal
god knows the us government loves breaking unions, but the fallout from this would affect so many districts that i think congress might actually do something about it
the money involved in all this is minuscule for a $10b/year industry, but the story of modern america is that the extremely wealthy would rather watch society burn than part with any money at all, so
― mookieproof, Saturday, 14 December 2019 23:54 (four years ago) link
look out, Worcester
http://www.fieldofschemes.com/2020/01/13/15657/worcester-adds-20m-more-in-tax-money-to-baseball-stadium-because-it-forgot-how-gravity-works/
(pick a glitzy new 2020 thread title, mook)
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 13 January 2020 17:09 (four years ago) link
Last Friday, Jake Seiner and Ben Walker of the Associated Press reported that Major League Baseball has opted to raise minor league player pay to, at minimum, $4,800 dollars a year. As usual, the change was announced unilaterally: minor league players are not unionized and cannot help but accept this compensation. Specifically, MLB decided to set minimum pay levels (not including spring training, which is unpaid, and not starting until the 2021 season) at:
$400/week ($4,800 for a three-month season) for Rookie or short-season (up from $290/$3,480)$500/week ($10,000 for a five-month season) for Class A (up from $290/$5,800)$600/week ($12,000 for a five-month season) for Double-A (up from $350/$7,000)$700/week ($14,000 for a five-month season) for Triple-A (up from $502/$10,040)
Assuming that players work an eight-hour workday five days a week (which is an assumption you’d make only if you both knew nothing about how long minor leaguers work and also were feeling extremely generous towards the league), the new pay scale works out to an hourly minimum wage of $10, $12.50, $15, and $17.50, respectively. Assuming even 50 hours a week puts everybody below $15 an hour; 60 hours a week puts everyone below $12. And all of the scenarios assume either that players are independently wealthy or that they’ll fit their year-round conditioning and training in around finding some other way to make money seven or nine months out of the year.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/minor-leaguers-to-be-paid-more-not-enough/
― But guess what? Nobody gives a toot!😂 (Karl Malone), Tuesday, 18 February 2020 20:45 (four years ago) link
only the truly desperate or insane need apply
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Tuesday, 18 February 2020 21:16 (four years ago) link
in no way do I mean this in approval of this terrible system... but honestly I'd be a much happier person right now if I was playing minor league baseball for $10/hr
― Suggest Banshee (Hadrian VIII), Tuesday, 18 February 2020 21:31 (four years ago) link
the fact that it won't start until next season makes it look expressly like 'look what we can do if we save money by contracting a quarter of the minors'
good three part fangraphage on that from last week btw:https://blogs.fangraphs.com/untangling-a-minor-league-mess-part-ihttps://blogs.fangraphs.com/untangling-a-minor-league-mess-part-iihttps://blogs.fangraphs.com/untangling-a-minor-league-mess-part-iii
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 18 February 2020 21:56 (four years ago) link
i think this could inspire a new 2020 thread title mook
I suppose this is on-brand given the low player salaries: Minor League Baseball announced a sponsorship deal making Stauffer's the "official frozen prepared meals" of MiLB.— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) February 24, 2020
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 25 February 2020 16:58 (four years ago) link
https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-season-without-baseball-could-be-crushing-blow-for-minor-leagues-11586430020?mod=djemMTIPOFF_h
― mookieproof, Friday, 10 April 2020 15:09 (four years ago) link