MLB to Small Town America: Drop Dead

Collegiate leagues can't find enough host families because of COVID. But that pales in comparison to how shoddily MLB is treating minor league players this season. Several teams have slept in locker rooms and floors of hotels because they can't find or afford rent. And many players have complained about the quality of or even lack of food provided.

But, hey, nobody goes to the games to see the players.

Red Sox give minor leaguers help, housing situation still tough

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Remember how the culling of the minor leagues over the winter was supposed to result in livable salaries for the players?

 

A friend of mine loves baseball so much that she'll drive an hour to go to a wood bat league game. I wouldn't. Anyway, apparently the Norwich team in whatever league it's in now is drawing a couple hundred — as long as they have 75-cent hot dogs. I don't see how the model is sustainable long term. Did the contracted clubs' owners get any compensation for having their teams ripped away? I'm guessing not.

 

The MLB teams ran analyses that showed of all the players they had under contract in the minors, only about 10 percent would make the majors at all, even for a 10-day call up, so essentially they want to identify that 10 percent as fast as they can and wash their hands of everybody else.

 

At least the fun-loving spirit of the minors still exists in some places.



Are these the worst uniforms ever?

 

It's Dollar Dog and beer night at the Indians' Class A team's games right down the street every Tuesday night. They start right when my work shift ends, so I can get there by the bottom of the first. Everyone else has the same idea, cuz I'm always in line for at least an inning.

 

My buddy loves telling a story about going to an Expos game where it was $1 tickets and $1 dog night (or similar low prices) and people would come in to just buy some hot dogs and not stay for the game.

 

One year the L.A. Aztecs in the NASL had a July 4 game that included a fireworks show at the Rose Bowl. The game drew 5,000. Afterward, the crowd swelled to 50,000+ for fireworks.

 

Back in the 70s, the Charlie Finley A's were world champs and didn't draw. Except on Monday nights, which were half-price nights. EVERYTHING was half-price. So you could buy a bleacher seat for a buck and then do dollar beers all game long. So while the rest of the stands were a third to a half-full as usual, the right and left field bleachers were jammed.

 

It amazes me. MLB teams probably have 150 players each in the minors now. Paying them $50,000 a year would cost $7,500,000. A rounding error on one contract.

 

I went to an Expos game in the 90s when it was $5 a ticket and $1 for hotdogs. Which, with the exchange rate at the time, was equivalent to about $3.40 American for the ticket and 68 cents for the hot dog.

And I sat in the lower deck because the Expos had most of the upper deck closed off. The view was a little obstructed because we (future wife and I) were far back in right field under the upper deck, but we could see most of the game.

One of the better bargains I’ve seen.

 

When I was at school in Montreal (early 90s), bleached seats were a buck. with subway fare and a late dinner at the fabled Montreal Pool Room, a decent night out was about $7.