Major League Baseball issued a strong statement Thursday, condemning a proposal that would impose salary limits for minor league baseball.
SB Nation’s Grant Brisbee provided a look:
It is a response to the Save America’s Pastime Act being pushed in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The MLBPA also issued a statement:
The bill would alter the Fair Labor Standards Act to lock in current wages and keep minor league baseball players from receiving guaranteed minimum wages or overtime pay. The season runs for roughly five months, and players would only be subject to earnings during this time period.
Several in the media lashed out at MLB for its aggressive statement, including CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa and the Boston Herald‘s Jason Mastrodonato:
Tyler Palmer, who played for the Los Angeles Angels’ Single-A affiliate Inland Empire 66ers last season, also criticized the statement:
Hardball Talk’s Bill Baer noted the league does not treat its minor leaguers well enough to justify this type of an outburst.
“Because minor league players aren’t protected by a union, they’re not guaranteed a safety net when they lose their jobs,” Baer wrote. “No pension, no healthcare, no nothing. MLB’s stance on paying minor leaguers, which it calls ‘impractical,’ is unconscionable.”
Baer cited Adam Dembowitz of Crashburn Alley, a site Baer is a member of, who pointed out MLB’s lack of wages aimed toward the minor leagues:
According to ESPN.com’s Tony Blengino, a minor league player makes roughly $1,000 per month in wages.
It appears this bill is losing steam, as Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos withdrew her support after initially sponsoring it.
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