2019 Airing of Major League Baseball Grievances
December 23rd marks the unofficial holiday of Festivus. The holiday became popular in the late 1990s as a result of the tv sitcom Seinfeld. As such, the tradition of Festivus begins with the Airing of Grievances. While the state of Major League Baseball heading into 2020 seems positive, there are still some negatives within the league.
Minor League Situation
There have been various talks about Major League Baseball’s affiliation with Minor League Baseball. There have been rumors swirling about reducing the number of total teams. Regardless of the reason, there has been plenty of backlash regarding this decision. Fans, owners and even politicians have voiced their concerns about cutting 42 teams. While Major League Baseball saw a decline in attendance in 2019, the Minors saw a 2.6 percent increase in 2019. The past couple of months have shown that Minor League Baseball means a lot to the communities, and hopefully, Major League Baseball understands that.
Minor League Salaries
In 2020, Major League Baseball has decided to increase the league minimum from $555,000 to $563,500. Although this is great for young stars like Pete Alonso or Cavan Biggio; some Minor League Players are making less than $8,500 a season (the raise in MLB League Minimum).
It’s worth noting that anyone earning below $12,490 is considered below the poverty line in the United States as of 2019. Which is half of an average Single-A player’s salary. Meanwhile, Triple-A players outside of the 40-man roster are earning an average of $15,000. Thankfully, there are teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, who have raised minor league salaries internally. Unfortunately, other teams have not followed their move to their extent.
The Unwritten Rules
Every year, Major League Baseball unveils a campaign before the postseason. Before the 2018 Postseason, the campaign focused on rewriting the rules, otherwise known as “Let the Kids Play.” At the beginning of the 2019 season, Major League Baseball doubled down on this promise. While the campaign is a good idea, in theory; baseball culture comes doesn’t seem to reflect that just yet.
In 2019, 27 Major League pitchers were ejected. Whether it be following a bat flip or igniting a bench-clearing brawl. While carrying a bat to first base may be a bit excessive; throwing a ninety mile per hour fastball in an attempt to injure a player is. It is everyone’s responsibility to act respectably, whether it be to show emotion or not being reactive. The 2019 campaign of “We Play Loud” shows promise for the direction of Major League Baseball, hopefully, they can make the game fun for people of all ages.
Scheduling Conflicts
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Compared to the other three Major Sports, Major League Baseball does a poor job in showcasing events bigger than their games. Neither of the other three sports has games going on during their Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and yet baseball does. The NBA has its Hall of Fame ceremony six weeks before the regular season starts. The NFL Hall of Fame induction happens in August starting the first pre-season game of the season. Like baseball, hockey has its Hall of Fame induction during the season.
However, their induction is done in the afternoon so no games will be played at that time. As baseball plays every day, it’s hard to bring the national attention of their local team. The ceremony in Cooperstown is great; but games shouldn’t play during the induction ceremony. Baseball ensures that there is a Saturday afternoon primetime game by moving other games later into the day, but don’t do that for the induction ceremony.
Major League Baseball Draft
Similar to the induction ceremony, Major League Baseball has its draft during the middle of the season. As the only of the four leagues to do this, they face the problem of having games while the draft is going on. While there are fewer games on draft night, there are still a few games still going on. The draft gives fans the chance to get a glimpse of their future from the players they choose. Major League Baseball has made some changes to their draft starting in 2020; yet every team is playing on June 10, 2020. If Major League Baseball can give these events the attention they are due, it could be easier to grow the game. No longer should fans choose between watching their team play or to watch the draft or see their hero give a Hall of Fame speech.
Major League Baseball in Montreal
During the 2019 season, Major League Baseball played regular-season games in Monterrey, London, Tokyo, Williamsport, and Omaha. The 2020 Regular season plans to go back to Williamsport, London, and Monterrey with the addition of Puerto Rico and the Field of Dreams in Iowa. Yet Montreal has yet to host a Major League series. Every year, the Blue Jays ensure they play their final two Spring Training games in La Belle Province and it’s usually with a sizable crowd.
With expansion talks on hold, Montreal has shown a willingness to host its first Major League series since 2004, but Major League Baseball has not awarded them one. Even when Hurricanes Harvey and Irma hit in 2017, Montreal was willing to host two series on short notice. However, Major League Baseball decided to play those games elsewhere. Montreal wants more than just a couple of Spring Training games a year. The reason Major League Baseball hosts series abroad is to grow the game. Baseball in Montreal allows the city and the province to grow the game to a whole new generation of fans, and it should be something Major League Baseball should consider in 2021.
Final Thoughts
Overall, baseball is a great sport, but there are still a few noticeable blemishes within the game. While this past off-season has given reasons to grow the game positively, there are still issues and concerns that need addressing. Wishing you a safe and Happy Festivus.
