• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

Mariners Pay MiLB'ers, & Cut 30.

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
 

Duders

IDK - IDC - IDGAF
4,252
1,631
173
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Location
WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Well, that news kind of sucks but is understandable. Pro ball player's lives have been turned upside down and I really feel sorry for them. This Covid-19 has pretty much messed up EVERYTHING in America, not to mention the rest of the World. None of us have ever experienced anything like this in our lifetime. It has been so strange not having ball games to watch and the thought of games potentially being played in empty stadiums is just plain ludicrous. I don't quite understand/agree with Carlos being dumped. I guess I just wonder how long it is going to take for the Mariners to build a new, younger and winning team. Baseball is going to have a rough road ahead I think. It almost feels unreal with what is going on. I just hope someday soon things will start to get back on track...not just with Baseball, but with EVERYTHING. :hope:
 

jerseyhawksfan79

Well-Known Member
15,199
4,571
293
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 42,273.33
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3

Sucks for the ones that got cut but at least they're paying the rest for the remainder of the season. I heard Oakland will stop paying their minor league players on May 31. Not sure if that's true or not.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Sucks for the ones that got cut but at least they're paying the rest for the remainder of the season. I heard Oakland will stop paying their minor league players on May 31. Not sure if that's true or not.

Totally agree. The A's want taxpayers to pay their players in the form of unemployment or whatnot. The A's in particular are a disgrace.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Well, that news kind of sucks but is understandable. Pro ball player's lives have been turned upside down and I really feel sorry for them. This Covid-19 has pretty much messed up EVERYTHING in America, not to mention the rest of the World. None of us have ever experienced anything like this in our lifetime. It has been so strange not having ball games to watch and the thought of games potentially being played in empty stadiums is just plain ludicrous. I don't quite understand/agree with Carlos being dumped. I guess I just wonder how long it is going to take for the Mariners to build a new, younger and winning team. Baseball is going to have a rough road ahead I think. It almost feels unreal with what is going on. I just hope someday soon things will start to get back on track...not just with Baseball, but with EVERYTHING. :hope:

The only argument I have, and have mentioned it before, is that the billionaire owners started the movement of cutting back on minor leaguers before this crisis and now are using the crises to hide their dirty work. I read somewhere that the cutting of minors will save the billionaires about $1M per year. That may seem like a lot to us, but it is peanuts to these guys and it is just going to bite them in the ass down the road when athletes decide to go different routes in place of baseball. This also will only divide the have's and the have-nots of baseball which is already at a crises level. Luckily for me my Mariners have already braced me for nonexistent major league level baseball over the last 19 years.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
How a forward thinking baseball man did it at the dawn of pro baseball:

by Pat Doyle (Minor League Baseball History, A Look Back)

During the game's early days, minor league teams were independent of their big brothers. Most players reached the big leagues only after their minor league owner received compensation for them in dollars and/or players. Thus, future Hall-of-Famer Lefty Grove would play five seasons and win 108 games for the International League's Baltimore Orioles before moving up to begin his Hall-of-Fame career with the Philadelphia A's. Leftywas far from alone in waiting for a deal to be made and, for some players, the deal and a major league career never came.

Over the years, occasional attempts were made to correct this situation. Charles Somers, owner of Cleveland's American League team from 1910 to 1915, purchased the Waterbury Frolickers of the Eastern Association prior to World War I. Somers, who is better known for having Cleveland's nickname changed from the Naps to the Indians, abandoned the effort due to financial strains caused by the war.


Within a few years after the war, the idea would resurface and would eventually succeed, thanks to the genius of Wesley Branch Rickey. His success in establishing the farm system was but one part of the mix that paved his road to Cooperstown. His other accomplishments included sponsoring Jackie Robinson's journey through baseball's racial color barrier, using the bonus baby system to launch a championship team in Pittsburgh, and forcing major league baseball's expansion in the 1960's.

The Browns recognized his organizational talents, however, and in 1916 he was named the team's vice-president and business manager (general manager in today's terms). One season of improved team play could not ease a difficult relationship between Rickey and owner Phil Ball, and an offer from the cross-town Cardinals was accepted by Rickey. Despite legal threats from Ball, Rickey prevailed in the courts and became president and field manager of the debt-ridden and artistically woebegone Cardinals in 1919.

During his years as field manager, Rickey had learned that winning teams need money, since minor league players were auctioned off to the highest major league bidder. As general manager, he found that the Cardinals were doomed to mediocrity as long as they could not afford to purchase players like the wealthier teams. In 1919 he shelled out $10,000 of borrowed money to purchase pitcher Jesse Haines from Kansas City, and the deal was a bonanza for the next 18 years. It was also the last time the Cardinals would buy a player during the Rickey era.

That same year, Rickey came up with a plan to develop players through a chain of Cardinal-owned teams in various levels of minor leagues. The funds needed to make the plan work were realized when the Cardinals were purchased in 1920 by wealthy automobile dealer Sam Breadon. And the final link came as a new National Association Agreement was struck in 1921, allowing major league franchises to own minor-league teams.

Rickey quickly went to work and the Cardinals bought 18% of Texas League's Houston Buffaloes and then acquired working control of Ft. Smith of the Western Association. In 1921, they purchased the Syracuse Stars of the International League. The first stage was complete, and the second, that of stocking the teams with promising players, followed.

A quick and inexpensive means of finding players was developed as the Cardinals sponsored tryout camps, using the team's popularity in the midwest and south to attract young men with dreams of playing baseball. Success came quickly as three players with considerable talent, Ray Blades, Clarence 'Heinie' Mueller, and Jim Bottomley, were signed to make their way up the chain. Others would follow, and winning baseball would come with them. In 1926, the Cardinals won their first World Series, and their pennant-winning season would be repeated in 1928, 1930, 1931, and 1942. Even after Rickey left St. Louis following the 1942 season, his farm system continued to produce Cardinal pennants in 1943, 1944, and 1946. Not only was the team winning, but they were becoming wealthy as he sold players who were of no use to him or who made their contribution and had become replaceable. Thus, Johnny Mize brought over $50,000, a washed-up Dizzy Dean went for $185,000 and two players, and on and on.


Along the way, Rickey was not without opposition. Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis represented the most powerful challenge. The objective side of the commissioner viewed the success of the Cardinals as a threat to the integrity of the game. The controlling side of the man took offense at Rickey's personal success, particularly when Landis' baseball salary of $40,000 was almost $10,000 short of Rickey's. The prevailing side of the commissioner is subject to debate.

In the late 1930's, Landis' fury was visited upon the Cardinals, Yankees, and Tigers and their perceived violations of the letter and spirit of baseball's rules. By 1938, Rickey's Cardinals owned not only individual teams but backed entire leagues, such as Arkansas-Missouri and Nebraska State Leagues. To level the playing field, Landis ordered 74 Cardinal farmhands to be given their free agency and imposed similar penalties on other teams.

Never known for docile submissiveness, Rickey regrouped quickly and set out to rebuild his empire. By 1940, the Cardinals owned 32 teams and had working agreements with 8 others, resulting in control of over 800 players. Mr. Rickey's farm was alive and well.

His personal relationship with Breadon soured, however, and in 1942 he moved on to become general manager of the Dodgers, where another successful farm system produced the Hodges, Sniders, and Furillos of another era. As in St. Louis, Rickey traded aging talent for apparent mediocrity and acquired Preacher Roe, Billy Cox, Andy Pafko, and others to supplement the home grown talent.

Inevitably, another falling out would occur, this time with Dodgers president Walter O'Malley. Rickey found himself out of work for a short time before joining the Pirates and raising another Phoenix from the ashes.

After leaving the Pirates in 1955, he continued to impact the game in various roles, including his participation in planning a proposed third major league, the Continental League. While delivering a speech celebrating his induction into the Missouri Hall of Fame on November 13, 1965, he suffered a heart attack. His ensuing unconsiousness lasted until December 9, when he died in Boone County Hospital in Columbia, MO.

The impact of Branch Rickey towers above even the most celebrated of baseball figures. Known in equal parts for being a genius, tightwad, saint, hypocrite, innovator, and poacher, Rickey left a mark on the game which stands alone.

The farm systems of yesteryear, which enforced uniformity of style, technique, and attitude throughout an organization, have given way to a collection of working agreements which provide players with opportunities to make their way to the majors in a less demanding, and often less effective, fashion. For those who have an interest in the empires created by Rickey and others, reviewing the players and teams that comprised the organizations provides an enjoyable diversion.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Updated Cut List:

As we reported yesterday, the Mariners announced they were committed to paying their minor leaguers through August, but would be doing so at the expense of multiple players’ careers.

Mariners reportedly cut ~50 minor leaguers, commit to weekly $400 stipend for remaining MiLB players, add cuts to non-baseball ops staff[/paste:font]
Today more names are trickling out; we will be updating this list until it’s complete. All listings are drawn from one of two sources: an official transaction listing, or an announcement from the player via social media. We’ve arranged the transactions by level and provided some basic info on each player below:

Pacific Coast League (Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers):
LHP Manny Bañuelos - Bañuelos, a former top prospect in the Yankees system, was signed as a free agent by the Mariners prior to spring training this year. He was Joe’s pick for an intriguing fringe prospect to watch through spring training as a potential long reliever or opener-type.

RHP Darin Gillies - Gillies, one of the longest-tenured Mariners minor leaguers, announced his release on social media yesterday.
Darin Gillies

✔@Gillies15


Thank you @Mariners org for an incredible 5 yrs. The relationships made with my teammates & staff are what I will ultimately cherish the most! The opportunity to live out my dream is something I’ll always be thankful for! We will see what’s next, a lot of fight left

Texas League (Double-A Arkansas Travelers):
OF/1B Nick Zammarelli III - This one caused me genuine pain to type. Nicky Three Sticks has long been a site favorite and was the first player in the Elon University-to-Seattle pipeline. He is also close friends with Jake Fraley, Justin Dunn, and the rest of the group that was together at Arkansas this past season and a foundational part in helping set the culture for the group that’s coming to Seattle soon, so his influence will be felt long after he has left the organization. We wish him the best. #NickyFreeAgent


3B Mitch Nay - Nay was drafted as a comp round pick back in 2012 by Toronto and was getting a solid look in spring training with Seattle before things shut down.

California League (Advanced-A Modesto Nuts):
OF Eliezer Alvarez - Alvarez is only 25, but he’s a long-time veteran of the minors, having been signed by St. Louis back in 2011. The Mariners signed him to a minor-league contract prior to the 2020 season.

South Atlantic League (A- West Virginia Power):
LF Ryan Ramiz - A 2018 23rd-rounder from the magical town of Neptune, NJ, Ramiz spent all of 2019 with the West Virginia Power, where he slashed .230/.327/.340, which doesn’t look that great on its face but was actually right in the middle of the pack for a Power team that really struggled with hitting.

Northwest League (Short-A Everett Aquasox):
SS Utah Jones - Jones was a 2019 29th-rounder the Mariners used primarily as a multi-level fill-in player, bouncing him from Everett to Texas to West Virginia. That might not sound impressive until you remember that was essentially the role Penn Murfee played his first year in the organization before settling into a role and eventually working his way up to a star turn in the Arizona Fall League and for Team USA this fall. Jones hasn’t showed up on the transaction wire yet.
Having something you’ve worked your entire life for possibly come to an end, without even getting a chance to prove yourself, is a sickening feeling


Rookie League (AZL, DSL):
OF Luis Veloz - Tall, athletic, projectable, and fast, Veloz was listed as MLB Pipeline’s 25th-best international prospect in the 2016 class and the Mariners signed him to a significant bonus (600K). Unfortunately, Veloz struggled in his first year stateside after two middling years of production in the DSL. A team, especially one that’s thin on outfielders, might want to take a chance on the raw potential in Veloz’s 6’4” frame, especially as he’s just 20 years old.

RF Cesar Trejo - A 2018 17th-rounder, Trejo had a rough beginning to his pro career when he missed most of his first pro season with an injury. The Mariners sent him straight to West Virginia, where he struggled, then re-assigned him to extended spring training and then eventually the AZL, but he was never quite able to get his footing under him in 2019.
 

Duders

IDK - IDC - IDGAF
4,252
1,631
173
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Location
WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Updated Cut List:

As we reported yesterday, the Mariners announced they were committed to paying their minor leaguers through August, but would be doing so at the expense of multiple players’ careers.

Mariners reportedly cut ~50 minor leaguers, commit to weekly $400 stipend for remaining MiLB players, add cuts to non-baseball ops staff[/paste:font]
Today more names are trickling out; we will be updating this list until it’s complete. All listings are drawn from one of two sources: an official transaction listing, or an announcement from the player via social media. We’ve arranged the transactions by level and provided some basic info on each player below:

Pacific Coast League (Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers):
LHP Manny Bañuelos - Bañuelos, a former top prospect in the Yankees system, was signed as a free agent by the Mariners prior to spring training this year. He was Joe’s pick for an intriguing fringe prospect to watch through spring training as a potential long reliever or opener-type.

RHP Darin Gillies - Gillies, one of the longest-tenured Mariners minor leaguers, announced his release on social media yesterday.
Darin Gillies

✔@Gillies15


Thank you @Mariners org for an incredible 5 yrs. The relationships made with my teammates & staff are what I will ultimately cherish the most! The opportunity to live out my dream is something I’ll always be thankful for! We will see what’s next, a lot of fight left

Texas League (Double-A Arkansas Travelers):
OF/1B Nick Zammarelli III - This one caused me genuine pain to type. Nicky Three Sticks has long been a site favorite and was the first player in the Elon University-to-Seattle pipeline. He is also close friends with Jake Fraley, Justin Dunn, and the rest of the group that was together at Arkansas this past season and a foundational part in helping set the culture for the group that’s coming to Seattle soon, so his influence will be felt long after he has left the organization. We wish him the best. #NickyFreeAgent


3B Mitch Nay - Nay was drafted as a comp round pick back in 2012 by Toronto and was getting a solid look in spring training with Seattle before things shut down.

California League (Advanced-A Modesto Nuts):
OF Eliezer Alvarez - Alvarez is only 25, but he’s a long-time veteran of the minors, having been signed by St. Louis back in 2011. The Mariners signed him to a minor-league contract prior to the 2020 season.

South Atlantic League (A- West Virginia Power):
LF Ryan Ramiz - A 2018 23rd-rounder from the magical town of Neptune, NJ, Ramiz spent all of 2019 with the West Virginia Power, where he slashed .230/.327/.340, which doesn’t look that great on its face but was actually right in the middle of the pack for a Power team that really struggled with hitting.

Northwest League (Short-A Everett Aquasox):
SS Utah Jones - Jones was a 2019 29th-rounder the Mariners used primarily as a multi-level fill-in player, bouncing him from Everett to Texas to West Virginia. That might not sound impressive until you remember that was essentially the role Penn Murfee played his first year in the organization before settling into a role and eventually working his way up to a star turn in the Arizona Fall League and for Team USA this fall. Jones hasn’t showed up on the transaction wire yet.
Having something you’ve worked your entire life for possibly come to an end, without even getting a chance to prove yourself, is a sickening feeling


Rookie League (AZL, DSL):
OF Luis Veloz - Tall, athletic, projectable, and fast, Veloz was listed as MLB Pipeline’s 25th-best international prospect in the 2016 class and the Mariners signed him to a significant bonus (600K). Unfortunately, Veloz struggled in his first year stateside after two middling years of production in the DSL. A team, especially one that’s thin on outfielders, might want to take a chance on the raw potential in Veloz’s 6’4” frame, especially as he’s just 20 years old.

RF Cesar Trejo - A 2018 17th-rounder, Trejo had a rough beginning to his pro career when he missed most of his first pro season with an injury. The Mariners sent him straight to West Virginia, where he struggled, then re-assigned him to extended spring training and then eventually the AZL, but he was never quite able to get his footing under him in 2019.
Hey NWinAZ- I for one really appreciate and enjoy your informative posts keeping me pretty much up to date as to what is going on with the M's organization. Not really sure :noidea: why I just keep hanging on through all the disappointing seasons :L but I guess I must be one of those "eternal optimists" :thumb: in spite of my dishing management :crazy::doh::gaah: every chance I get. :pound: :D. Thank You!!
 

wazzu31

Never go full Husky
23,734
6,644
533
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Location
Sumner
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3

Makes sense since you corrected me on the minor leaguers not being apart of the MLBPA. My issue right now is, the MLBPA is the exact opposite of every union in the world, which is why they are the most powerful, but saying that it hurts the possible union members more than it protects the lowest on the totem pole of the union. Owners are the “bad guys” in this scenario but the MLBPA IMO are picking the wrong time to play moral labor principles.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Makes sense since you corrected me on the minor leaguers not being apart of the MLBPA. My issue right now is, the MLBPA is the exact opposite of every union in the world, which is why they are the most powerful, but saying that it hurts the possible union members more than it protects the lowest on the totem pole of the union. Owners are the “bad guys” in this scenario but the MLBPA IMO are picking the wrong time to play moral labor principles.

No doubt these billionaires are the #1 bad guy in this mess. They want the public to feel bad for them with these economic losses while making billions over the years. No sympathy from me....ever for these guys.

I will never understand the sellout of the MLB union on its future members MiLB. This whole things makes my head itch trying to figure it out. Cutting off your pipeline to save what again???? I mean they are literally doing this to save approximately $80K per month ($400 per week X 50 players). I hope some smart billionaire scoops in and starts a new minor league and pushes the majors for higher rookie deals hitting these sob's in the pocketbook.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Hey NWinAZ- I for one really appreciate and enjoy your informative posts keeping me pretty much up to date as to what is going on with the M's organization. Not really sure :noidea: why I just keep hanging on through all the disappointing seasons :L but I guess I must be one of those "eternal optimists" :thumb: in spite of my dishing management :crazy::doh::gaah: every chance I get. :pound: :D. Thank You!!

I always enjoy your enthusiasm for the Mariners and this board. I really do. I wish I still had that in me.

Thank you for the kind words. It seems this board is a lot friendlier than the real world right now. The hate and stupid that goes on in this country is just mind numbing to me which pushes me back to wanted baseball again even if it is bad Mariners baseball.

To you and all others on here: :suds:
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
 

wazzu31

Never go full Husky
23,734
6,644
533
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Location
Sumner
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
No doubt these billionaires are the #1 bad guy in this mess. They want the public to feel bad for them with these economic losses while making billions over the years. No sympathy from me....ever for these guys.

I will never understand the sellout of the MLB union on its future members MiLB. This whole things makes my head itch trying to figure it out. Cutting off your pipeline to save what again???? I mean they are literally doing this to save approximately $80K per month ($400 per week X 50 players). I hope some smart billionaire scoops in and starts a new minor league and pushes the majors for higher rookie deals hitting these sob's in the pocketbook.

Owners are the bad guys because they don’t want to lose that much money. But unfortunately, sports is one area where a union while great, doesn’t have the ultimate say. The fans do, and there isn’t a way the fans can show their displeasure of the owners without hurting the players.

The MLBPA has always been looking out for the more wealthy players though. That’s why they are pissed that it is now their turn to make boatloads of guaranteed money and the GM’s aren’t playing that game anymore. Especially with how the Covid stuff is and the uncertainty. The XFL decided to go bankrupt and they had the cash flow and infrastructure to ride this pandemic out.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
The XFL decided to go bankrupt and they had the cash flow and infrastructure to ride this pandemic out.

You are talking about one of the greatest shysters of all time with McMahon.
 

wazzu31

Never go full Husky
23,734
6,644
533
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Location
Sumner
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
You are talking about one of the greatest shysters of all time with McMahon.

Say what you will about the guy, but he built a hell of a business and is one of the few guys who embarrassed the Department of Justice in court. I was mostly saying he had the money and infrastructure to make it work. It would take a crap load of money just to start another professional baseball league let alone the absolute headache of trying to recruit players away from the minors. Maybe something like winter ball where it is all in one central location but then it’d be hard to generate revenue or even get players when playing in the minors then winter ball is generally your ticket to the bigs.
 

NWinAZ

#SeaUsTreadWater
18,361
6,016
533
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Location
SW WA
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Sucks for the ones that got cut but at least they're paying the rest for the remainder of the season. I heard Oakland will stop paying their minor league players on May 31. Not sure if that's true or not.

This just in:

 

GNG

What Me Worry?
94,596
16,740
1,033
Joined
Jun 25, 2014
Location
Wisconsin
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I guess the players want to sit out the season.
 
Top