US Reps Send Firm Letter to Rob Manfred in Response to Proposal to Cut Minor League Baseball

It's rare to see Democrats and Republicans on the same page, but a bipartisan group of 105 US Representatives sent a stern letter to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred regarding the radical proposal that would eliminate 42 teams from the minor leagues this week.

This one should leave a mark.

The letter urges Manfred and MLB to reconsider this proposal, and if they don't, the letter reads that “the long-term support Congress has always afforded our national pastime on a wide variety of legislative initiatives” would be put at risk.

It also points out how it “would devastate our communities, their bond purchasers, and other stakeholders,” while also getting rid of something that does “provide affordable, family-friendly entertainment, support scores of allied businesses, employ thousands of individuals, donate millions in charitable funds, and connect our communities to Major League Baseball.”

MLB wants to make sweeping changes to minor league baseball so they can improve the facilities and reduce team travel for these players. That's great, but can't they do that without removing the livelihood of hordes of small-town employees and fans?

Most of the country lives too far away from MLB teams, so minor league baseball serves as a great backup plan for a small-to-middle income family. It brings more people closer to baseball -- which Manfred should want -- but this new plan would do the exact opposite under the guise of "helping players". This Monkey's Paw scenario should never come to pass.