My post today is more of a plug than it is any original thought. I regularly listen to the Baseball American podcast, which I will honestly say is super dense and boring for the most part, unless you are the most devout of baseball fan. But it is also one of the few podcasts that covers prospects and the minor leagues in great detail and BA has an industry-wide reputation as the best at what they do, so in terms of content it is great. They had a guest on a couple of weeks ago, Jeremy Wolf, who founded More Than Baseball, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting minor league players and advocating for their rights and proper living conditions.
I was made a little bit aware of what sort of hurdles these players have to jump to make a living during the MiLB contraction last year, and I've always known that they do not make very much money, but this podcast and organization really bring these things to light to the casual fan that may not know that much about it. Unless a player has some sort of signing bonus or major league contract they are playing on with the 40-man roster, most minor leaguers make well below poverty wages, on average under $15,000 per year. On top of that, they have to supply basically everything except transportation to games - housing, equipment, some meals, etc. They also do not get paid during spring training or "extended spring," which explains the push for MLB teams to essentially replace Rookie level ball with the AZ and FL summer camp leagues. For years I've used the cop-out of "I'm not going to feel sorry for somebody that plays a game for a living," but I had no idea that the situation was that bad. This issue will certainly be at the forefront of the players' union negotiations with the upcoming CBA , and if it's not something is majorly wrong.
UPDATE: Given the dramatic rise of Covid-19 cases due to the Delta variant and the general lawlessness in Texas, Erik and I have made the difficult decision that our pending Tour 2021 trip to the new Rangers ballpark this week will have to once again be postponed. Instead, we have decided to return to Cooperstown! Read all about our trip next week.
touch with baseball when his childhood heroes Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Jim Gantner retired but the Great Home Run Chase of 1998 reignited his passion. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Erik became involved with the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. With this group Erik traveled to Portland, OR and Baltimore, MD to work on construction projects and help the group raise $25,000 to partially sponsor a house in Milwaukee. Also at UWM, Erik met Peter Nagel. The two attended their first Brewers game together during Opening Weekend 2003. Despite their failure to ignite the coals at their first tailgate, the two had a blast and were soon making weekly trips to the ballpark. Erik has gone on to several colleges and changed careers several times, and has moved all the way out to New Hampshire, but has always stayed true to his baseball roots by holding part-time stadium usher jobs. To this day he looks back fondly on his incredible cross-country journey.
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