Oakland Deciding to Stop Paying Minor Leaguers is Disgraceful When You Consider Athletics Owner's Net Worth
By Jerry Trotta
In a truly shocking decision (that we also should've seen coming), the Oakland Athletics informed minor leaguer players on Tuesday that their $400 weekly stipends will be terminated starting on June 1. ESPN insider Jeff Passan did a little math to try to justify the settlement, and his findings are egregious.
Assuming that a club has 200 players in its farm system, paying each $400 per week through the months of June, July and August would cost over $5,000 per player. Distributing that between all players would cost the Athletics a little more than $1 million.
Folks, team owner John Fisher is reportedly worth $2 billion. He probably has $1 million lying around on his night stand.
Just some rough math. Say there are 200 players in a minor league system. Paying each $400/week for July, July and August is $5,200 per player. To pay every minor leaguer would have cost the Oakland A's a hair over $1 million.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 27, 2020
Owner John Fisher is worth an estimated $2 billion.
By no means is Fisher one of the richest owners in MLB, but he's certainly in the second or third tier behind the big fish. Oakland being the first team to tell minor leaguers that their stipends will be ceased is indefensible, and that's being generous.
Unfortunately, Fisher's cold-blooded verdict can be added to the laundry list of examples that proves owners are attempting to salvage every penny they own amid their financial dispute with players.
Minor leaguers aren't normally compensated during the offseason. However, after the 2020 campaign was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, players were issued $400 weekly stipends to help them get through the suspension. Once again...not "rich vs. rich" over here! Pennies in ownership's pocket! No one's hoarding $400 stipends.
The Oakland A's informed minor league players today that they would not continue paying them $400 a week after the end of the month, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 27, 2020
Other decisions from organizations should arrive in the coming days. A bad sign to start, though.
The public deserves some sort of explanation from A's ownership. It's the least he could do.