Baseball reached a new level of absurdity this week. That in itself is quite a statement, as the sport of baseball has always been associated with showmen and promotions. Think of the promotions of Bill Veek that spanned four decades or think of the time when the St. Louis Browns sent 3'7" tall Eddie Gaedel to the plate.
This week, MLB announced that for two days in the middle of the 2025 season, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (yes, that's our AA franchise) would be renamed the "Bathtub Donkeys". It appears that this designation is meant to celebrate an arcane blue law that is still on the New York books since the 1800s that prohibits donkeys from sleeping in bathtubs.
Is the law real? Yes - a legal search will confirm it. Is there a reason to celebrate that? Apparently, MLB and the new owners of the Binghamton franchise Diamond Baseball Holdings thought there was.
Promotions are always very creative - find ways to gain the public's interest so one has an audience to sell to. However, in this case it is hard to imagine that an audience that thirsts for outdated legal quirks would also enjoy watching athletic competitions.
The owners or some combination of their sponsors will have to fund new uniforms, the advertising, and even the creation of a new logo, a monogrammed towel, and a lettermark - all of which can be found on MiLB.com.
At this point I have to say that in my opinion, the money spend on this kind of tomfoolery will not have a good return on investment. It would be better spent on players' salaries, better food/lodging for MiLB players, or even more baseballs. The most recent collective bargaining agreement gave better salaries and benefits to minor league players, but it is still far from a great wage to live on - these guys go through real hardship to pursue their dreams.
Are you with me, or am I over-reacting?
8 comments:
It sure seems silly. But I do not run a ballclub. I think minor leaguers should be paid more - but I do not pay the owners' bills. I think MLB teams should throw in a few million (more?) to help boost their minor leaguers' salaries. It is basically, as is, baseball's way of saying, most of you will never make the majors. You are in essence "sparring partners" for the relatively few who will someday make the majors, to aid their development. If you want to sign on for that, fine, but you won't be paid much. There are, as we see, always enough players to fill all roster spots, even at meager wages.
If you were really a realist as a young player, if you are not in the top 50 prospects after a year in the minors, especially as a hitter, then why continue to do it? For pitchers, so many pitchers are needed in the majors that your chances as a pitcher of at least briefly reaching the big leagues are not negligible, but hitters?
Look at Luke Ritter who, other than his high Ks, had a very solid AAA year in 2024, but has generated NO TALK this off season. He is behind so many, his only chance seems to be a tremendous rash of injuries causing his call up. And a Stearns may just go out and sign or trade for another hitter with some MLB experience.
I imagine if it is fun to play, and you have a Plan B for your life, perhaps as a college oor minor league coach, perhaps concurrently, then playing competitive ball at low pay can be a fun thing to do. But if you're a Luke Ritter and hoping for this as your Plan A? It is a choice.
Seems like a jackass move to me
I'm in favor of paying minor league players more and providing them with better facilities. Trouble is how to reconcile that with most team owners barely getting by or probably losing money.
Perfect!
Yeah, seems pretty stupid to me, but there are a lot of misplaced dollars in this current society.
A lot of minor league teams are not owned by the major league team. Binghamton is not owned by the Mets. If the owners want to do "stupid" or "crazy" stunts to sell more tickets, go ahead.
Now who is paying for the promotional event? The Mets? The owners? Will the cost of doing this promotional event cost more than the additional tickets sold and vendor sales?
Raised my kids in Glens Falls, NY. They did these "crazy" promotional events all the time. The kids loved the event. The game? Not as much as dad. (Got to see a few good players working their way up like a pitcher with the last name of Smoltz when in the Tiger system). Now I am living outside of Savannah. The "crazy" game of baseball played by the Savannah Bananas is sold out nearly every game. Not the same as major league affiliate game. But is does create an interest in the game which I believe carries over to the affiliated teams.
I say - "Let's go Donkeys"!!!!
Jessie Winker has resigned for 2025. Pete needs to get on board if he intends to come back.
The above said, I still believe that our minor league players need better pay and facilities. Just think that these are and apple and orange thing.
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