Down On The Farm

[seattlefan75]

I also think at the lower levels it also consists of a lot of guys who are trying to make the majors but might not have a realistic shot.

One of my best friend's brother was a projected first round pick but then had Tommy John and fell to the 10th round or so. He struggled in two years in the minors and made it to high A but eventually decided to give up baseball because he was merely living off of his signing bonus since they don't get paid shit in the minors.

If I had to speculate, the level of competition between A and AA is probably the biggest jump. High A and low A probably weed out a lot of people like in the example above.

So AAA is just a team of guys that will be brought up to the majors if need be

 

[wazzu31]

What is the real difference between the levels of minor leagues before I thought you pretty much needed to show you can make it past AAA as the last stop before making it to the majors. From what I understand AA and below is all development and mentoring and AAA is where you put players that are prospects that you intend to bring to the majors that season or players you plan to bring up if your starter at the major league level gets hurt.

AA is where the most MLB caliber star prospects generally are. AAA is more of the caliber of guys who can be brought up and down between the roster as filler guys. That is where the term AAAA guy came from where he is too good for AAA but not good enough for the MLB. Another way of putting it is A and AA ball is where the guys are with high ceilings but are inconsistent with their games, AAA is for guys with low ceilings or guys who are blocked at the MLB level and the organization wants to work on trade value as most AAA ballparks are very hitter friendly.

 

[seattlefan75]

one thing i do find odd about aaa as far as fillers being used there is that the organization called up an 18 year old player and the little at bats he got he has hit well.

Robert Perez Stats, Highlights, Bio | Tacoma Rainiers Stats

I wonder what the profile on him is

 

[seahawksfan234]

So AAA is just a team of guys that will be brought up to the majors if need be

With certain players, yes. Those AAAA players linger there for the reason you specified, but for the guys who could be legitimate MLB players it's the last obstacle to hurdle before going to the bigs.

It's somewhat player dependent IMO.

 

[seahawksfan234]

one thing i do find odd about aaa as far as fillers being used there is that the organization called up an 18 year old player and the little at bats he got he has hit well.

Robert Perez Stats, Highlights, Bio | Tacoma Rainiers Stats

I wonder what the profile on him is

I heard about Robert Perez hitting really well in AAA before I even knew who he was. Aside from the fact that he's an 18 year old who was sent to AAA because of an emergency shortage of outfielders or something - I don't really remember the reason - I know nothing about him.

Looking at his stats it looks like he has mostly played in the outfield in his career but has also spent some time at first.

Really interesting situation with him, especially considering that for some reason he's hitting much better in Tacoma than he was in the Dominican Summer League. Could be just be a hot streak, who knows. Would be nice if he surprises us and we suddenly have another good prospect.

 

[seahawksfan234]

AA is where the most MLB caliber star prospects generally are. AAA is more of the caliber of guys who can be brought up and down between the roster as filler guys. That is where the term AAAA guy came from where he is too good for AAA but not good enough for the MLB. Another way of putting it is A and AA ball is where the guys are with high ceilings but are inconsistent with their games, AAA is for guys with low ceilings or guys who are blocked at the MLB level and the organization wants to work on trade value as most AAA ballparks are very hitter friendly.

Yeah I'd say that's pretty accurate and I somewhat said the same thing in another post. I would say that a lot of guys get weeded out between A and AA. It was purely an anecdotal example, but my friend's brother for example could've continued playing high A and working on his pitching. He realized that even if he improved, he would just linger in the minors making minimum wage living off of his signing bonus so he decided he would be better off starting a career outside of baseball.

I probably posted about this at some point, but I read an article about the life of minor league players and it fucking sucks. They get paid jack shit and the guys who didn't receive a signing bonus normally have to work second jobs during the offseason.

 

[wazzu31]

Yeah I'd say that's pretty accurate and I somewhat said the same thing in another post. I would say that a lot of guys get weeded out between A and AA. It was purely an anecdotal example, but my friend's brother for example could've continued playing high A and working on his pitching. He realized that even if he improved, he would just linger in the minors making minimum wage living off of his signing bonus so he decided he would be better off starting a career outside of baseball.

I probably posted about this at some point, but I read an article about the life of minor league players and it fucking sucks. They get paid jack shit and the guys who didn't receive a signing bonus normally have to work second jobs during the offseason.

Ya, but to say it sucks I think is a little overreach. In Everett and Tacoma most of the guys who don’t have signing bonuses or have a realistic shot at the bigs do get an offseason job. But at least in my limited experience of Everett and Tacoma it is rather easy to find a decent paying job in the offseason. Not sure if you are meaning this way but I guess it’s a pet peeve of mine when people talk about playing in the minors is like living off welfare, much like how I dislike people saying college athletes need to get paid because people portray them as on welfare.

 

[seattlefan75]

So if AA is an important mile stone for prospects shouldnt we be excited about our AA arkansas team? They are in first place and they have some very good players atleast by the numbers. Darren McCaughan has been killing it in the minors and Justin Dunn has been very good.

I guess there is some grain of salt here because Joey Curletta lead the team in homer runs last year in AA and he is looking average right now in AAA. I am just a fan I am sure scouts know what to look for when bringing up players to the majors

 

[seahawksfan234]

Ya, but to say it sucks I think is a little overreach. In Everett and Tacoma most of the guys who don’t have signing bonuses or have a realistic shot at the bigs do get an offseason job. But at least in my limited experience of Everett and Tacoma it is rather easy to find a decent paying job in the offseason. Not sure if you are meaning this way but I guess it’s a pet peeve of mine when people talk about playing in the minors is like living off welfare, much like how I dislike people saying college athletes need to get paid because people portray them as on welfare.

This was the article I read, but it's behind a pay block. I'll just highlight an example of what I mean.

‘I can't afford to play this game’: Minor-leaguers open...

"Players are not paid during spring training. From February until late March, the only money reaching the players’ hands is for meals.

While the process varies slightly from team to team, the amount of meal money you receive is dependent upon whether you’re starting spring training in big league camp, or if you fall under the early-March minor league report dates. The teams will generally provide breakfast and lunch at the complex, leaving you on your own for dinner, which, as a minor leaguer gives you around $20-30 a day for food.

If you’re held over into extended spring training, this financial situation continues until you’re added to an active roster.

If your next stop lands in short-season, you’re looking at June for your next paycheck.

“If you stay in extended, you don’t get paid,” an AL West Low A player said. “So, I went all the way through March, April and May to mid-June with getting $20 a day.”"

Players in AAA make $2,150 per month their first year, AA $1,700 per month, high A and low A make $1,160 per month.

I don't think that college athletes should be paid because of the fact that an athletic scholarship alone covers all of your living expenses (at UW that's $16,000 a year which is around $1,800 a month over 9 months) which is more than a AA player will make.

Poverty line for a person of one is $12,490. I could be spoiled and just used to the absurd living costs of Seattle, but I really couldn't imagine trying to make ends meet making only $1,160 per month.

 

[wazzu31]

This was the article I read, but it's behind a pay block. I'll just highlight an example of what I mean.

‘I can't afford to play this game’: Minor-leaguers open...

"Players are not paid during spring training. From February until late March, the only money reaching the players’ hands is for meals.

While the process varies slightly from team to team, the amount of meal money you receive is dependent upon whether you’re starting spring training in big league camp, or if you fall under the early-March minor league report dates. The teams will generally provide breakfast and lunch at the complex, leaving you on your own for dinner, which, as a minor leaguer gives you around $20-30 a day for food.

If you’re held over into extended spring training, this financial situation continues until you’re added to an active roster.

If your next stop lands in short-season, you’re looking at June for your next paycheck.

“If you stay in extended, you don’t get paid,” an AL West Low A player said. “So, I went all the way through March, April and May to mid-June with getting $20 a day.”"

Players in AAA make $2,150 per month their first year, AA $1,700 per month, high A and low A make $1,160 per month.

I don't think that college athletes should be paid because of the fact that an athletic scholarship alone covers all of your living expenses (at UW that's $16,000 a year which is around $1,800 a month over 9 months) which is more than a AA player will make.

Poverty line for a person of one is $12,490. I could be spoiled and just used to the absurd living costs of Seattle, but I really couldn't imagine trying to make ends meet making only $1,160 per month.

I will disagree with the minors because all of the minor leagues sponsors are more than willing to help players out with jobs. To me it is essentially the same thing as college athletics except instead of school you can go do minimal work and not be broke. It’s all about creating a budget. And ya, a little disconnect is I think you are equating it to Seattle or any metropolitan city but look at 99% of minor league affiliates are in smaller towns where with a teammate the amount of salary is doable.

Obviously it isn’t the most ideal monetary situation but they are in the minor leagues much like college athletes are in college and are not anywhere near the top of their field. But between the ages of 18-22 it’s hard for me to feel terrible when 99% of the guys playing aren’t the reason fans show up and to me, playing a game at that ages beats most kids at that age who don’t make much more at their crappy part time job but have to have several roommates and don’t get the free benefits that college athletes or minor league athletes do. Obviously talking cream of the crop college athletes get shafted playing college in the USA but all of them have the option to skip college and go play overseas or in football they can go to Canada. But these are just my personal feelings on that subject.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I will disagree with the minors because all of the minor leagues sponsors are more than willing to help players out with jobs. To me it is essentially the same thing as college athletics except instead of school you can go do minimal work and not be broke. It’s all about creating a budget. And ya, a little disconnect is I think you are equating it to Seattle or any metropolitan city but look at 99% of minor league affiliates are in smaller towns where with a teammate the amount of salary is doable.

Obviously it isn’t the most ideal monetary situation but they are in the minor leagues much like college athletes are in college and are not anywhere near the top of their field. But between the ages of 18-22 it’s hard for me to feel terrible when 99% of the guys playing aren’t the reason fans show up and to me, playing a game at that ages beats most kids at that age who don’t make much more at their crappy part time job but have to have several roommates and don’t get the free benefits that college athletes or minor league athletes do. Obviously talking cream of the crop college athletes get shafted playing college in the USA but all of them have the option to skip college and go play overseas or in football they can go to Canada. But these are just my personal feelings on that subject.

Fair enough, to a certain agree we'll have to agree to disagree on the minor league issue. My biggest point is that I could understand why someone would give up baseball if they don't have a realistic shot of making the major leagues. A lot of this is prefaced on that article and the experience of my friend's brother, he graduated from Stanford with a good degree and the time he spent playing minor league baseball was putting a big gap in his resume which stunted his professional development.

I definitely agree with you on college athletes though, mostly because when I was in college with the amount I received from scholarships and loans to match the cost of attendance + tuition I was able to live quite comfortably and was actually able to save up money. Pretty sure I averaged around $800 to spend freely on whatever I wanted after paying tuition, buying books and paying for my frat (which included 3 meals a day). Rest assured that money was spent wisely on booze and coffee.

 

[seahawksfan234]

@wazzu31 Our banter probably consists of 50% of the posts on the Mariners board

 

[wazzu31]

Fair enough, to a certain agree we'll have to agree to disagree on the minor league issue. My biggest point is that I could understand why someone would give up baseball if they don't have a realistic shot of making the major leagues. A lot of this is prefaced on that article and the experience of my friend's brother, he graduated from Stanford with a good degree and the time he spent playing minor league baseball was putting a big gap in his resume which stunted his professional development.

I definitely agree with you on college athletes though, mostly because when I was in college with the amount I received from scholarships and loans to match the cost of attendance + tuition I was able to live quite comfortably and was actually able to save up money. Pretty sure I averaged around $800 to spend freely on whatever I wanted after paying tuition, buying books and paying for my frat (which included 3 meals a day). Rest assured that money was spent wisely on booze and coffee.

I agree with your first paragraph. My only thing was minor leaguers just like college athletes crying poverty. I can understand the Stanford/minor league thing. Without question you have to love baseball if you get a degree from any prestigious university and choose the bus leagues.

My main thing with college athletes is they live better lives than 90% of students. Sure their stipend looks bad on paper but it doesn’t care into account all the stuff they get over other students, mostly is free food, free gear, free access to a medical staff and free gym access, I’m sure there is more. That was the major selling point when I was recruited because baseball for guys with my level didn’t get full scholarships or technical partial scholarships but there were so many more resources I had than the normal incoming freshman. I’ve always looked at is at athletics are just a spectated internship just like law students and medical students. I get that it’s not a fair system, but there is no real fair system because there is a huge elephant in the room about revenue sports getting paid “their cut” and that is Title IX.

 

[wazzu31]

@wazzu31 Our banter probably consists of 50% of the posts on the Mariners board

Lol ya well the franchise kind of has let the team boards turned into a whatever we want. There is so many times you can bash Dipoto and Servais.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I agree with your first paragraph. My only thing was minor leaguers just like college athletes crying poverty. I can understand the Stanford/minor league thing. Without question you have to love baseball if you get a degree from any prestigious university and choose the bus leagues.

My main thing with college athletes is they live better lives than 90% of students. Sure their stipend looks bad on paper but it doesn’t care into account all the stuff they get over other students, mostly is free food, free gear, free access to a medical staff and free gym access, I’m sure there is more. That was the major selling point when I was recruited because baseball for guys with my level didn’t get full scholarships or technical partial scholarships but there were so many more resources I had than the normal incoming freshman. I’ve always looked at is at athletics are just a spectated internship just like law students and medical students. I get that it’s not a fair system, but there is no real fair system because there is a huge elephant in the room about revenue sports getting paid “their cut” and that is Title IX.

No kidding. I also don't think it looks all that bad on paper, but that's just getting into the minutiae. As I mentioned I made due and lived pretty comfortably off what I received from grants/scholarships and loans. I'm far from cheap but I was able to budget so that at the end of the quarter I still had enough left over to roll over those savings to the next quarter.

I would've killed for the opportunity to play college football even without an athletic scholarship. I just wasn't good enough to even consider attempting a walk on lol.

 

[wazzu31]

No kidding. I also don't think it looks all that bad on paper, but that's just getting into the minutiae. As I mentioned I made due and lived pretty comfortably off what I received from grants/scholarships and loans. I'm far from cheap but I was able to budget so that at the end of the quarter I still had enough left over to roll over those savings to the next quarter.

I would've killed for the opportunity to play college football even without an athletic scholarship. I just wasn't good enough to even consider attempting a walk on lol.

Well learning how to budget is a huge problem with our nations HS’s or Secondary schools. Outside of Title IX, that is another elephant in the room when it comes to college or for that matter every single individual who lives in any civilized society. That is one part where public education has failed students, but it is more complex as parents are a reason and so are the American demand for athletic excellence. Every star HS athlete in our state (so I’m just guessing since there are states more sports centric) will give essential passes to students who really shouldn’t just because of athletics. But athletics as a whole is an issue in our country and your university in particular raised my awareness on a sports in general. I still love all athletics but there is a massive dirty side that gives athletes a pass that the average student doesn’t get.

Your last sentence is why there is a huge disconnect with fans and athletes when it comes to nearly every aspect of athletics. Most fans will always side with owners or universities over the players as most care about the name on the front as opposed to the back. Realistically how many times can you remember fans siding on the side of the players in any strike or negotiation in recent times? It’s almost always the greedy players because 99% of fans would play in their spot for a fraction of what they are demanding.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Man this dude has been a nightmare so far

 

[Anointed One]

Man this dude has been a nightmare so far

Seems like everything the Mariners touch - turns to shit

 

[seahawksfan234]

Man this dude has been a nightmare so far

Yikes. I know some scouts had concerns regarding him and it's starting to look like they might've been right. Looks like it may be a while before we see him ready for the majors.

Rather concerning considering that Erik Swanson got shelled during his MLB starts.

I'm not rooting against James Paxton, but he hasn't exactly been great for the Yankees with a 4.04 ERA and apparently is dealing with a knee injury.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Probably the right move to send Shed Long down with Dee Gordon back. He's better off getting regular ABs in AAA than playing a bench role with the Mariners. Hopefully J.P. Crawford continues to build on his strong start.