By Michael Heilman

As you’ve probably read or seen in the news or social media, Major League Baseball wants to eliminate 42 minor league baseball teams. In an article published by The New York Times, which you can read here, it lists all of the teams that would be eliminated in minor league baseball. The teams that MLB wants to get rid of play in Short-Single A, Advance-A, Rookie Leagues, and some Double-A. These teams are associated with major league teams and used as a farm system to nurture young player’s talents.

Major League Baseball claims it wants to improve the working conditions and facilities in the minor leagues. They want to cut the MLB Draft from 40 rounds to 20 rounds, and anyone who does not get drafted would play in a “Dream League,” a league that would be operated by Major League Baseball.

If the MLB wants to cut the draft in half, they need to have a plan. Teams each year waste their time picking players who have already committed to playing college baseball and have no intention of signing with a team after they are drafted. All 30 teams have lost a few players each year to these circumstances. Players who are not drafted high up on the scale choose to play college baseball to develop their skills, get much needed playing time, and receive coaching that will enable them to become better players and re-enter the draft to earn a higher draft spot. Most importantly, they receive an education, one that should they have or don’t have a major league career they have a degree for which to pursue a career.

For these 42 teams that could be at jeopardy and their fans, being affiliated with a major league team is essential. It gives the fans a close-up view of possible future major league players. Seeing them play in their hometowns means a lot, and those teams have quite a following. The teams in these small towns don’t have an MLB team close by. Tickets for the smaller venues are much more affordable for a family of four. This is one reason why these smaller teams have such a large fan base. Like lemonade and apple pie these teams have become a way of life in the small towns, where friends and family gather for a day of fun. They celebrate each player’s accomplishments and rise to the major leagues. Taking that away takes away a piece of the hometown heart.

If MLB officially gets rid of these teams, play will continue. These teams won’t fade away, they will continue to be a part of these home towns. These teams will find a new league to play in, like the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, American Association, Frontier League, or create a new league with these teams.

For the fans whose teams are on the list of possible extinction, keep supporting your organizations, attend the games, buy the gear, show your support. Major League Baseball expenses are getting out of control; they are looking to cut costs elsewhere to save money. MLB will never admit that they have a payroll problem. Players’ salaries are increasing every year, as seen by all 30 teams raising ticket prices to the point that fans can’t afford to attend MLB games. This shows as MLB attendance was down 1.62% in 2019, 4% in 2018, and down for the fourth year in a row since 2016. If they inserted a salary cap to control all 30 team’s payroll and not this so-called luxury tax, there wouldn’t even be a discussion to eliminate 42 teams. MLB desperately needs a salary cap. It’s not the 42 hometown teams’ fault; it’s Major League Baseball.