Explain Why Minor League Owners Should Not Have To Pay Minor Baseball Players

The pay of minor league baseball players are viewed differently by different groups of people. The owners, some fans, and minor league players who made it to the major leagues say their pay should not be changed. However, those who are career minor leaguers and other fans say that their pay should be increased. There is a bill that might be passed by Congress that will exempt their pay from minimum wage rights. The Major League owners should not have to pay their minor league players more money because that would add to the team’s payroll and their positions are viewed as an apprenticeship.

The owners of major league organizations should not be forced to pay all of their players more money because their positions are viewed as an apprenticeship.

In the article “Congress' 'Save America's Pastime Act' Would Allow Teams to Pay Minor-Leaguers Less than Minimum Wage,” Mike Axlsa explains the payroll that the teams should follow to add the $300 per player. He writes, “At any given moment during the season, there are about 4,500 players on minor-league rosters. Paying each of them an extra $300 per month would equal another $8.1 million total for the season. That's about one-third of what the Atlanta Braves will pay Adrian Gonzalez to play for the New York Mets this season” (Axlsa). He goes on saying that there have been multiple lawsuits trying to get their pay up but it has not succeeded. Axlsa even claims that MLB teams do not care for their minor leaguers well being. In the article, “Federal Budget Bill Could Affect Minor Leaguers’ Pay,” David Waldstein disproves that by explaining that organizations give out $25,000 in bonuses per year to about sixty of each organization’s players. He says, “Teams also pay lucrative signing bonuses to many, though not all, minor leaguers. According to M.L.B.’s 2016 figures, about 1,850 players received bonuses of at least $50,000,” (Waldstein). If the organizations did not care for their players, why would they give them

He writes, “Minor Leaguers are not required to be paid minimum wage or have other basic protections even part-timers at fast food restaurants are entitled,” (Calcaterra). He goes on saying that the owners are greedy and the players will go on strike for better pay. But, in the article, “Baseball’s minor leaguers pursue their dreams below the poverty line” Kent Babb and Jorge Castillo quote a former minor leaguer, Wilmer Difo, who was in the minor leagues for seven years before getting his short shot in the MLB. Babb and Castillo quote Difo saying, “In reality, I just wanted a chance,” (qtd in Babb and Castillo). Difo also says that many minor leaguers don’t make it to the major leagues but they all say it is worth what they