Better Minor League Pay Is a Good Investment

[South Side Hit Men]

Solid two articles in Baseball Prospectus relative to how a relatively small investment in Minor League players and facilities can pay off significantly in terms of their improved player progression for an organization.

Created this thread because the second article released today is free to all.

First article (paywall): https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/69444/baseball-therapy-better-minor-league-pay-is-a-good-investment/

Free article: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/69545/baseball-therapy-minor-league-conditions-anticipating-objections/

Quote

Last week in this space, I made the #GoryMath and business case that MLB organizations spending money to improve conditions for minor leaguers is a sound and solid investment. It will make a team better on the field for having done it and do so at a cost-per-win rate that is better than most other ways that teams try to improve themselves. It’s not cost-prohibitive, with a fairly robust package of improvements checking in around “a few million dollars” in new net spending (the final score would depend a lot on what exactly a team did, but that’s the correct order of magnitude) and data that we have from the odd natural experiment that is the draft bonus system shows us that low-bonus players bleed away value that high-bonus players don’t on their journey through the minors. The effect doesn’t wipe low-bonus players off the map. Some still make the majors and contribute, but the data show that they could have done more than that. The effect is exactly what we would expect based on the study of how the types of conditions that minor leaguers experience (food and housing insecurity, likely partial sleep deprivation) affect people in general.

Would like to see the Sox step up here, especially with the shift to drafting more high school prospects who will spend more time in the system. It’s would be a nice legacy for Jerry to start this effort, can pay off for his sons financially.

 

[ptatc]

3 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Solid two articles in Baseball Prospectus relative to how a relatively small investment in Minor League players and facilities can pay off significantly in terms of their improved player progression for an organization.

Created this thread because the second article released today is free to all.

First article (paywall): https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/69444/baseball-therapy-better-minor-league-pay-is-a-good-investment/

Free article: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/69545/baseball-therapy-minor-league-conditions-anticipating-objections/

Would like to see the Sox step up here, especially with the shift to drafting more high school prospects who will spend more time in the system. It’s would be a nice legacy for Jerry to start this effort, can pay off for his sons financially.

 

It's all well and good. I don't this as anyone's priority with the CBA negotiations coming up. How would it look for negotiations with the union if the owners just upped the MiLB money? The union would say that if they had extra money for that, they can surely make more concessions to the more important MLB players.

Again, I'm not saying it isn't a good idea, its just poor timing and won't happen now.

[bmags]

Our dear @NorthSideSox72 wrote an article like this years ago

[South Side Hit Men]

18 hours ago, bmags said:

Our dear @NorthSideSox72 wrote an article like this years ago

Link? Couldn't find it, would love to read. Much obliged.

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?/search/&q=minor league&author=NorthSideSox72&search_and_or=or&sortby=relevancy

21 hours ago, ptatc said:

It's all well and good. I don't this as anyone's priority with the CBA negotiations coming up. How would it look for negotiations with the union if the owners just upped the MiLB money? The union would say that if they had extra money for that, they can surely make more concessions to the more important MLB players.

Again, I'm not saying it isn't a good idea, its just poor timing and won't happen now.

$2M-$3M per team is a few percentage points at most in the current CBA negotiations.

The owners support less baseball (minor leagues contracted, MLB games blacked out, lockouts be it COVID/CBA), rendering the regular season competitively meaningless (expanded 14-16+ team playoffs). They also support shittier baseball. Cancerous parasites on fans, players and taxpayers.

It is in the Players Union's short and long term interest to fight for their current and future membership. They should fight for a $40k-$60K AAA salary ($30k-$40K for A/AA) and improved working conditions at the minor league level, attempt to organize the minor league level so the owners don't contract the entire minors and just run development at the Arizona/Florida (and perhaps local/Schaumburg) facilities.

[Quin]

20 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Link? Couldn't find it, would love to read. Much obliged.

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?/search/&q=minor league&author=NorthSideSox72&search_and_or=or&sortby=relevancy

$2M-$3M per team is a few percentage points at most in the current CBA negotiations.

The owners support less baseball (minor leagues contracted, MLB games blacked out, lockouts be it COVID/CBA), rendering the regular season competitively meaningless (expanded 14-16+ team playoffs). They also support shittier baseball. Cancerous parasites on fans, players and taxpayers.

It is in the Players Union's short and long term interest to fight for their current and future membership. They should fight for a $40k-$60K AAA salary ($30k-$40K for A/AA) and improved working conditions at the minor league level, attempt to organize the minor league level so the owners don't contract the entire minors and just run development at the Arizona/Florida (and perhaps local/Schaumburg) facilities.

In 2015 he was banging this drum. I've been flabbergasted since, because it's so obvious.

http://www.futuresox.com/2015/10/26/why-investing-more-in-minor-league-salaries-is-smart-baseball-business/

[ptatc]

52 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Link? Couldn't find it, would love to read. Much obliged.

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?/search/&q=minor league&author=NorthSideSox72&search_and_or=or&sortby=relevancy

$2M-$3M per team is a few percentage points at most in the current CBA negotiations.

The owners support less baseball (minor leagues contracted, MLB games blacked out, lockouts be it COVID/CBA), rendering the regular season competitively meaningless (expanded 14-16+ team playoffs). They also support shittier baseball. Cancerous parasites on fans, players and taxpayers.

It is in the Players Union's short and long term interest to fight for their current and future membership. They should fight for a $40k-$60K AAA salary ($30k-$40K for A/AA) and improved working conditions at the minor league level, attempt to organize the minor league level so the owners don't contract the entire minors and just run development at the Arizona/Florida (and perhaps local/Schaumburg) facilities.

The union will not fight for non-members. They would be doing a disservice to their current membership if they make concessions to the owners for non-members. It may even be illegal.

It's not about the amount of money the owners would put towards the minors. It's more the fact that it gives the union more bargaining point if they owners do it.

Again, I'm not disagreeing that it should be done. I just don't see it happening now when there appears to be a very hostile environment for the new CBA. Once the CBA gets done they may be able to work something out.

[southsider2k5]

Here's the thing, this shouldn't be a big thing.  If MLB owners were smart, they would view these funds as an investment in the future.  They need to realize that they are pushing kids out of baseball, and they are getting sub-optimal returns on their investments because they are going so cheap here.  If they were to invest in nutrition and a even a minimal amount in housing to keep these kids in sound situations, the return would be much bigger.

[BamaDoc]

20 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Here's the thing, this shouldn't be a big thing.  If MLB owners were smart, they would view these funds as an investment in the future.  They need to realize that they are pushing kids out of baseball, and they are getting sub-optimal returns on their investments because they are going so cheap here.  If they were to invest in nutrition and a even a minimal amount in housing to keep these kids in sound situations, the return would be much bigger.

Totally agree.  If we took the lead, you also would have your pick of minor league free agents which could serve two fold.  Your prospects might develop in a winning environment and they have better teammates to serve as examples of how to be a professional.

I would also argue for DSL to have english classes and assimilation(cultural) classes to help them better acclimate to the US.  I know Sox do a GED program which is cool.

[Superstar Lamar]

I don't know why owners wouldn't buy up cheap land in these secondary cities and build a dorm type situation to house players, including cafeteria.  They could maintain control of their players nutrition, sleep and activities.  The land would also probably increase in value over time.