Two days ago, Major League Baseball announced to cease all activities of spring training and to push back the start of the season with two weeks. Not nice but regarding the problems the coronavirus is causing, the move is understandable. For Major Leaguers it will have no financial consequences. Minor Leaguers, on the other hand, are facing a real problem that can be traced back to the owners’ greed.
MLB organizations want Minor Leaguers to stay in shape so they can take off as soon as the season starts. But as many training facilities are closing down because of the virus, they have nowhere to go. All they are asking for is a bit of support of MLB organizations but that is nowhere to be seen.
Since Minor Leaguers are not paid for their services during Spring Training the suspension of the season has a major impact on their finances. So these players need to look for a job but who will hire them, knowing they may be gone in a couple of weeks?
They are also denied unemployment benefits because they are officially under contract. Bills need to be paid but still, MLB owners are looking the other way. In real life, several employers have decided to give their employees paid sick leave when they are hit by the coronavirus. Wouldn’t it be nice if the MLB owners would show their human face and decide to pay their Minor Leaguers their salary so they can try to make ends meet?
After the plan to contract 42 minor league clubs, after the unwillingness to stop the season in the first place, after the refusal to punish the Astros players because it would hurt the Astros product otherwise, the greed by the MLB owners is appalling once again. Every time when you think, the MLB owners can’t get any lower, they hit a new low. Aren’t you sick and tired of them already?
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