Jayslam: Unionize the Minors Edition (Chicago Cubs (55-73) vs. Toronto Blue Hays (68-58))
Sure, the Blue Jays got swept in three games, a team that I dedicated multiple paragraphs to mocking for their incompetence. Certainly, it was one of, if not the most pitiful offensive showings of the season. Yeah, the 1992 World Series anniversary celebration deserved better. Yes, the fact that this team doesn’t seem to have a mode between “look dominant for five or so games at a time” and “look like absolute dogshit insistent upon killing the good vibes established by the previous five or so games”. No, the streakiness isn’t the most encouraging thing going into September when the Blue Jays have yet to separate themselves from the pack and definitively claim a playoff spot. Yes, I’m getting tired of getting on my pulpit and saying “all hope is not lost” every time this happens when I, myself, feel like hammered shit about it.
But amidst all that, it was still a good weekend for baseball. Because after a long, arduous battle, amidst a unionization wave sweeping North America, minor league baseball players will finally be organizing collectively.
On Sunday night, The Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), which represents players on MLB 40-man rosters, sent out authorization cards to minor league ballplayers asking them to formally declare that they want the MLBPA to represent them as their union.
The poor treatment of minor leaguers has been a sore subject for baseball in the last decade or so. During the lockout, I wrote an article for Fightback in which I said the following:
Before a ballplayer can even hope of achieving a payday on the level of Scherzer’s, and assuming they’re one of the fraction of players who are signed out of high school or college (where they are not compensated for their play), they must work their way through the minor leagues—where players who are not signed to large signing bonuses are paid weekly salaries adding up to less than minimum wage—and are not paid at all during the off-season, during which they often take a second job that prevents them from devoting their undivided attention to honing their craft and preparing for the upcoming season.
While some teams do provide higher wages and housing, the situation is overall dire, as Major League owners don’t want pesky living wages cutting into their profits (even if those higher living standards would be beneficial for player development). Comissioner Rob Manfred has gone so far as to “reject the premise” (whatever that means) that minor leaguers don’t make a living wage.
Asked if minor-league pay remains low because owners cannot afford to pay the players more or because they simply do not want to, Manfred responded thusly:
“Look, I kind of reject the premise of the question that minor league players are not paid a living wage,” he said. “I think that we've made real strides in the last three years in terms of what minor league players are paid—even putting to one side the signing bonuses that many of them have already received. They received housing, which obviously is another form of compensation. So, you know, I just reject the question. I don't know what else to say.”
The authorization cards sent out by the MLBPA will be used by the union to demonstrate the the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that there is enough support to hold a formal union representation election. Should MLB decide to recognize the MLBPA as the union for minor leaguers, an election wouldn’t be necessary, but given MLB’s tenor on developments thus far (no comments all around!), that seems unlikely.
Evan Drellich’s article for The Athletic on the situation describes the process that will unfold.
“For the MLBPA to represent minor leaguers, 30 percent of players in the bargaining unit would need to sign authorization cards. If that number is reached, then a vote to unionize could be held, and the approval of 50 percent of minor leaguers would be needed to formally establish their union.”
With these developments, the Advocates for Minor Leaguers organization will suspend operations, with its staff accepting new roles with the MLBPA.
The MLBPA has a reputation as the strongest union in North American professional sports, and while they’ve taken some hits in the previous years without much change to the economic structure of the game, this is a terrific step. With the minor leaguers brought into the fold, this permits both “player factions” to move as a united front to make gains for the benefit of players and the sport, no matter the level.
MLB likes to throw its weight around in labour negotiations, and they reap all the benefits of being owners under capitalism, but the merger makes it all the easier for ballplayers to apply leverage, which ultimately they hold all of. Baseball is only baseball because of its players. The more power in their hands, the better.
Fuck every single owner, and every single bootlicker who comes out against this. Collective labour action is good and cool. Job well done on all fronts.
Onwards to nationalization! Player and concession worker control over the means of footlong hot dog production! Let’s go!
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SCOREBOARD WATCHING
Well, it could’ve gone worse, I suppose.
Fresh off the Julio Rodríguez megadeal, the Mariners took three games out of four from the Cleveland Guardians, who now find themselves with a more tenuous two-game lead over the Minnesota Twins, who gained some serious ground with their sweep of the Giants. Minnesota will begin a three game home series against the Boston Red Sox, the Mariners will play three games in Detroit against the lowly Tigers, and the Guardians will play host to the Orioles, who squeaked out two wins out of three games in Houston.
On the topic of the AL Central, the White Sox continue to fade into irrelevancy, getting swept in three games by the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team whose name I’m not sure I’ve typed once in the past calendar year. Finally, after dropping two of three to the Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays will head south to Miami for a clash of accursed Florida teams.
TRANSACTIONS
LOL sure why the fuck not?
(In all seriousness, with September roster expansion coming up, and with Jackie Bradley Jr. getting more run out there than I certainly anticipated, Zimmer may take the spot of a clearly hobbled Teoscar Hernández for now, but will likely be kept around with the extra spot come September as a pure pinch runner and defensive sub. Just do not give him a single plate appearance, please and thank you.)
BEST BIRDS
Hitter: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (4)
Honourable Mentions: Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman
Pitcher: Alek Manoah (15)
Best Bird Standings:
Hitters:
Matt Chapman- 7
George Springer- 5
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.- 5
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.- 4
Santiago Espinal- 4
Teoscar Hernández- 4
Alejandro Kirk- 3
Bo Bichette- 3
Danny Jansen- 2
Whit Merrifield- 1
Cavan Biggio- 1
Zack Collins - 1
Pitchers:
Alek Manoah- 15
Kevin Gausman- 9
Ross Stripling- 5
José Berríos- 4
Yusei Kikuchi- 4
Anthony Bass- 2
David Phelps- 1
Jordan Romano- 1
SCHEDULE/PROBABLE PITCHERS
Monday, August 29 (7 p.m. EST/5 p.m. MST)
Javier Assad (One start, 0.00 ERA, 4.63 FIP, 15.0 K%, 20.0 BB%)
José Berríos (5.28 ERA, 4.84 FIP, 21.2 K%, 5.7 BB%)
Tuesday, August 30 (7 p.m. EST/5 p.m. MST)
Marcus Stroman (4.10 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 20.9 K%, 6.7 BB%)
Kevin Gausman (3.15 ERA, 2.01 FIP, 27.7 K%, 3.9 BB%)
Wednesday, August 31 (7 p.m. EST/5 p.m. MST)
Luke Farrell (presumptive, 3.86 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 15.6 K%, 3.1 BB%)
Mitch White (4.24 ERA, 3.81 FIP, 19.1 K%, 8.0 BB%)
THE OPPOSITION
Pythagorean Record: 55-73
Last 10 games: 4-6
Best (Healthy) Players in this Series:
Nico Hoerner, Shortstop, .293/.341/.413, 111 wRC+
Ian Happ, Outfield, .279/.352/.462, 127 wRC+
Willson Contreras, Catcher, .242/.349/.461, 129 wRC+
Christopher Morel, Super Utility, .249/.313/.442, 110 wRC+
Marcus Stroman, Starting Pitcher, 4.10 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 20.9 K%, 6.7 BB%