By: Greg Levinsky<\/p>\n
Professional baseball players in America are overpaid. This statement is undoubtedly truthful for an exclusive group of 750 that compete at the game\u2019s highest level; nevertheless, over 5,500 minor league baseball players earn unlivable salaries each year.<\/p>\n
Most minor leaguers make below the $11,880 American poverty line for a single person, thus demonstrating a paradox to the first statement of this piece. Taking into account a spouse and children whom they likely will not see regularly for at least seven months of the year, the lifestyle nor salary is desirable.<\/p>\n
The sole motive for continuing to play Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is to advance to Major League Baseball (MLB).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a long time, it\u2019s definitely a grind,\u201d said a minor leaguer who asked to remain anonymous. \u201cI still love playing baseball and as long I have the opportunity I\u2019m going to keep fighting and grinding.\u201d<\/p>\n
Undoubtedly, the game\u2019s best players make too much money. According to USA Today, the average MLB player makes $4.4 million a year. There are 71 players in the MLB set to make over $15 million during the 2017 campaign. For example, Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw is set to receive $33 million, roughly one million dollars per time he plays.<\/p>\n
A $30,000 pay raise for all 250 players in an MLB team\u2019s farm system would cost a mere $7.5 million, according to Ted Berg in his recent article. This amount is less than what 165 individual players will earn in 2017.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never knew that,\u201d the anonymous player said. \u201cThat\u2019s not a lot of money to them. They make so much money year in and year out, I don\u2019t think that would make any of them broke.\u201d<\/p>\n
One on hand, major leaguers get the chance to go to salary arbitration hearings against their own teams. The highest level athletes at their sport are unionized and can negotiate their salaries. Lucrative endorsement deals do not even factor into these overpaying MLB contracts.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, most minor leaguers players are unable to negotiate their contracts and fall under scaled payments.<\/p>\n
After being drafted, minor leaguers sign a seven year contract with their parent club. \u201cWe would go up $100 every year starting with $1,100 [a month],\u201d said Peter Hissey, who spent seven seasons in the Boston Red Sox system before retiring after the 2015 season. His maximum salary was $1,600 a month.<\/p>\n
The MiLB regular season runs from April until September. Despite being under control of their parent teams during the offseason and spring training, minor league players only receive this abysmal pay during these six months. If they make the playoffs? No extra pay either. Report to spring training early? Live in a luxurious college-style dorm.<\/p>\n
The \u201coffseason,\u201d or lack thereof, is spent not only in spring training, but often in fall and winter leagues to help train for the next season. The life of an MiLB player is unglamorous.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe money is in the back hand,\u201d Hissey was told, meaning that once he reached the Red Sox he\u2019d receive a sufficient stipend. Now 27, Hissey is enrolled as an undergraduate freshman at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s prestigious Wharton School.<\/p>\n