Tim Pahuta Joins 32 MILB players to Sue over Wages

[osfan83]

Potential Minor League players need to think about the end game. If they are successful at making MLB pay more, the end result will be fewer minor league jobs. No need for single A teams, and maybe even AA. Just draft your players from college who are ready...or lean on the independent leagues for talent.

[berettafan]

Potential Minor League players need to think about the end game. If they are successful at making MLB pay more, the end result will be fewer minor league jobs. No need for single A teams, and maybe even AA. Just draft your players from college who are ready...or lean on the independent leagues for talent.

Doubt it. Possibly a FEW less positions in MiLB but when ONE guy in the Majors could subsidize the increase for a clubs entire minor league system and STILL be a millionaire several times over I don't think a reasonable salary for MiLB would destroy the entire system.

Not to mention MiLB positions are most definitely not and end game. They represent a significant sacrifice in both income (for many, not all) and the years in which the ROW is building their careers. It is not easy to come out of minors and reinvent yourself in a new career.

[weams]

I'm absolutely stunned by this....

These minor league clubs are professional clubs, right? And these guys only derive income for playing for them, right? So they are professional athletes and should at bare minimum be getting minimum wage.

But the kicker for me is that the big league players are paid such outrageously obscene amounts of money, so there is absolutely no excuse why some of this money doesn't filter down through their affiliates to ensure a good quality of life.

And if this is commonplace across the game, then a club bucking the trend and paying their minor leaguers well, would by default obtain a competitive advantage against rivals as they would become a more attractive farm system to develop within. Unless there is some sort of cartel going on which would prevent this.

I am still just flabbergasted at this...

For the most part they are getting far more than minimum wage. And remember, these are not the draftees that have gotten good signing bonuses. For the most part they are guys who can play some baseball to augment the teams potential major leaguers. The have a chance to play ball when they are young. If suddenly something clicks for them they have the chance to make the majors and make ungodly sums of money. If they are not advanced to the point that they can see a light in the tunnel they still have five years of their twenties to pursue a different career path. If they were a college player, they have their degree paid for with scholarships and do not have 150 thousand dollars in student debt hanging over them. It's not that bad a life for a twenty something male.

[Ohfan67]

Do most interns get paid at all?

There were several recent court cases about this. Several companies had to pony up big dollars because they were using "interns" as basically just free or incredibly cheap labor. An internship has to be education focused as a result.

[Ohfan67]

I think as long as all minor league players are making minimum wage or above and getting some expenses covered then MLB is safe. MiLB will probably be seen as a seasonal or part-time job. Heck, MiLB players are relatively rich compared to the average musician! There are many risky careers with low financial rewards and low probability of success. Now if the average compensation works out to something like $2 an hour, then MLB may be forced to do something. Regardless, I certainly wouldn't cry for ownership if they were forced to spend a couple of extra million dollars per organization on the lowest compensated MiLB players.

[weams]

Not all people can play major league baseball. No matter how much they practice.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/09/malcolm_gladwell_s_10_000_hour_rule_for_deliberate_practice_is_wrong_genes.single.html

[weams]

I think as long as all minor league players are making minimum wage or above and getting some expenses covered then MLB is safe. MiLB will probably be seen as a seasonal or part-time job. Heck, MiLB players are relatively rich compared to the average musician! There are many risky careers with low financial rewards and low probability of success. Now if the average compensation works out to something like $2 an hour, then MLB may be forced to do something. Regardless, I certainly wouldn't cry for ownership if they were forced to spend a couple of extra million dollars per organization on the lowest compensated MiLB players.

The minor league model makes it possible to have moderately profitable organizations in places like Harrisburg Pennsylvania.

[MdSooner]

Well for one thing we have a Federal minimum wage in the US. Seems about right to me.

Tell waiters and waitresses about that minimun wage.

[weams]

Tell waiters and waitresses about that minimun wage.

Commission sales people are required to work as many hours as it takes to cover whatever minimum wage they are fronted. Now, if they are not successful, it will be a short career. But they are not compensated on time spent. They fill out a sheet for forty hours at minimum wage, and work however long it takes to sell the products to cover that. It can be good. Or bad. Some bartenders make hundreds a shift. Some get stiffed and still have to do all the clean up and shut done procedures. It's not like they can leave the place dirty if they don't make enough.

[MdSooner]

For the most part they are getting far more than minimum wage. And remember, these are not the draftees that have gotten good signing bonuses. For the most part they are guys who can play some baseball to augment the teams potential major leaguers. The have a chance to play ball when they are young. If suddenly something clicks for them they have the chance to make the majors and make ungodly sums of money. If they are not advanced to the point that they can see a light in the tunnel they still have five years of their twenties to pursue a different career path. If they were a college player, they have their degree paid for with scholarships and do not have 150 thousand dollars in student debt hanging over them. It's not that bad a life for a twenty something male.

The only thing Ill say about this post is college baseball players do not get their school paid for. Schools are only allowed to give 12.6 'ships (or something like that) per yr. It barely covers the cost of books

[weams]

The only thing Ill say about this post is college baseball players do not get their school paid for. Schools are only allowed to give 12.6 'ships (or something like that) per yr. It barely covers the cost of books

Let me clarify. Christian Walker did not get his school paid for?

[weams]

Types of Baseball Scholarships

Like all college athletics, baseball is regulated by the three national collegiate sports associations. The NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA set the rules by which baseball can be played at the college level. They also regulate the number of scholarships that colleges can offer as recruitment incentives for potential players. Unlike football and basketball, however, baseball is an equivalency sport. This gives coaches a bit more leeway in how they award scholarships, and often coaches will divide their allotted full tuition scholarships into a greater number of partial tuition awards. In this way they can attract a greater number of top players to their teams.

Full and partial scholarships are the norm for baseball players at the college level, and they can be hard to win. That being said, high school baseball players who want to play on a college team should also consider walk-on scholarships. These are in essence general academic scholarships that can get the student to the college they desire, where they can then try out for the team. Many well known professional ball players used walk-on scholarships to make their name in college baseball.

NCAA Baseball

For more than a hundred years the National Collegiate Athletics Association has been regulating competition sports at the college level. The NCAA regulates playing seasons, and sets the rules of conduct for players and coaches at all member schools. It also closely regulates the number of scholarships that any NCAA college or university can offer when recruiting players.

NCAA Division I

There are 297 colleges and universities participating in NCAA Division I baseball. Each school is allotted 11.7 full ride scholarships for its team. Because baseball is a designated equivalency sport, coaches are able to divide their 11 + scholarships into awards for up to 30 players. NCAA Division I baseball attracts only the very best, and it is not unusual for players to be pinched by the big leagues before they enter college. Consequently, students hoping to win a baseball scholarship to an NCAA college or university may be subject to last minute award notifications.

NCAA Division I Colleges

NCAA Division II

There are 242 schools participating in NCAA Division II baseball. Each school is allotted 9 full tuition scholarships per team. Partial tuition scholarships are common in Division II, as they allow coaches more flexibility in building a full roster.

NCAA Division II Colleges

NCAA Division III

NCAA Division III baseball consists of 408 programs at colleges and universities across the country. Division III schools are restricted from offering any baseball scholarships as a recruiting incentive. However, general athletic grants and academic scholarships may be offered by some schools as a way of bringing talented players to their campuses. In essence, these are walk-on scholarships and students will have to try out for the baseball team after they have been admitted to the college.

NCAA Division III Colleges

NAIA Baseball

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) represents smaller colleges and private universities throughout the country. While these schools may not have the high profile of their NCAA counterparts, they are home to some impressive college level baseball teams.

NAIA baseball consists of 214 member schools across the country. Each school is restricted to 12 full ride scholarships for its baseball program. These may be full or partial scholarships, administered as the coaching team sees fit. Students with strong academic backgrounds, who also excel on the baseball field, may qualify for a general grant or scholarship which will not count against the school’s 12 scholarship limit. Again, these are in essence walk-on scholarships and students will have to try out for the baseball team after they have been accepted to the college in question.

NAIA Colleges

NJCAA Baseball

The National Junior College Athletics Association regulates baseball at the junior college and community college levels. While junior colleges often get overlooked when students think about sports, NJCAA member schools are home to some of the most impressive college baseball teams in the country. Like the NCAA and NAIA, the NJCAA regulates all aspects of baseball at the junior college level, including the availability of scholarships.

NJCAA Division I

NJCAA Division I baseball consists of 188 teams from junior colleges across the country. Each school is limited to 24 full ride scholarships to cover all expenses including tuition, books, registration fees and housing. Partial scholarships are not allowed.

NJCAA Division I Schools

NJCAA Division II

NJCAA Division II baseball includes 130 two-year colleges around the country. Each school is limited to 24 baseball scholarships. These scholarships can only cover tuition, and can not extend to housing or other expenses. Partial scholarships are not available.

http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/sports/baseball.htm

[MdSooner]

Commission sales people are required to work as many hours as it takes to cover whatever minimum wage they are fronted. Now, if they are not successful, it will be a short career. But they are not compensated on time spent. They fill out a sheet for forty hours at minimum wage, and work however long it takes to sell the products to cover that. It can be good. Or bad. Some bartenders make hundreds a shift. Some get stiffed and still have to do all the clean up and shut done procedures. It's not like they can leave the place dirty if they don't make enough.

I do not think this is correct. MY boys are waiters (and putting them thru college).

They make 2.50 an hour plus whatever tips they get. That is it

[ChipTait]

He says that during his years in the minors, when he racked up 112 career home runs in nine seasons, he lived on an air mattress with three other men in a two-bedroom apartment. Today, Pahuta, who is part of the wage lawsuit, lives with his parents. He?s 31.

That must have been a mighty big air mattress if four guys were living on it. Wow!

[weams]

I do not think this is correct. MY boys are waiters (and putting them thru college).

They make 2.50 an hour plus whatever tips they get. That is it

I was not stating that applied to waiters. My mistake in quoting the post to make it think that it did. Supposedly your son's average five dollars in tips per hour. Should they not, they do have a right to a grievance.