We’ve seen the reports that 1,000 minor league players will be released here over the next week. We’ve also seen major push back against teams like the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics for their decisions to furlough employees during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s one of the major backstories as MLB and its players attempt to hash out an agreement to begin a season that was suspended back in March.
What we’re seeing could also have wide-ranging implications on the sport moving forward. According to J.J. Cooper of Baseball America, this could ultimately impact which teams are able to acquire talent moving forward.
It starts with the scouting department and front office. But that’s in no way the extent of it.
Looking at it through the above-mentioned lens, this makes perfect sense. Part of recruiting a player has to be the organization itself. Billionaires in Southern California and Northern California furloughing employees when keeping them on wouldn’t impact their bottom line a whole lot is not a great look.
On the other hand, a team like the Minnesota Twins keeping all of its minor league players and paying their stipends through the end of August is a good look.
Baseball will have changed significantly once it returns from the ongoing work stoppage. How much it changes will depend heavily on the league, its teams and the players. That’s for sure.