MLB to Small Town America: Drop Dead

Planet Money (NPR podcast) had a similar episode, where a couple minor league players had former a collective of some sorts, through their agents. Basically, they all pledged a small percentage of their future earnings, because while it was unlikely that any individual player of the group would make the majors, the odds were that at least one of them would have a 5+ year career and make millions. Income pools, listenable here.

 

Kind of a mini-union.

I could see some factions within the MLBPA being strongly in favor of this, others wanting to kill it with fire.

 

For every minor-leaguer living hand-to-mouth in some ratty-ass apartment ... how many others are out there stocking shelves or studying double-entry bookkeeping and wishing like hell they could trade their left nut for that roster spot and one of those beds?

 

I would think teams would see providing housing and better food as an investment in their minor leaguers’ development. Players who get proper rest and nutrition likely would be more effective on the field and less susceptible to injuries.

 

During the actual seasons, there are damn few days off in the minors, so its not like you have a lot of days to sit around and enjoy your palatial living arrangements. Of course sleeping in a car or on an inflatable mattress in a room with 4 other guys isn't exactly optimal, but I'd guess a dorm type arrangement would usually work.

 

I think there's plenty of range between "sleeping with four other dudes on cots" vs. "individual luxury townhouses." Especially since most minor league teams aren't exactly Orange County - you're talking places like Worcester, MA. Given how god damn cheap some individual owners are, you could also have it just come from the national pot of television money, so that it isn't coming from the pocket of an owner.

 

When you have absolutely no idea how minor league baseball works.

Yankees were ‘embarrassed’ by Staten Island team’s Pizza Rat promotion

https://nypost.com/2022/01/01/yankees-embarrassed-by-pizza-rat-promotion/

 

A 60-70 year tradition. Read Bill Veeck's books "Veeck, as in Wreck" and "The Hustler's Handbook," for much much more on the Yankees' historical attitudes toward promotion.

Veeck famously said that over the years, the Yankees' most successful promotions have been funeral ceremonies for terminally ill guys.

 

What's embarrassing is having a baseball executive who can't spell "disdain" correctly.

 

Bump!

 

LOL