Oakland A’s minor leaguers paying to play

The Oakland A’s have already come under fire for their treatment of their minor leaguers several times over the past few years. They had attempted to cut the pay of those players during the pandemic, only to reverse course due to public backlash. Then there was the fiasco of the horrendous food that they were serving their minor leaguers, which also improved due to public pressure.

Once again, the A’s penny pinching ways are back in the news. This time, it is because their players on the Stockton Ports are actually losing money for the privilege of playing minor league ball in their organization.

Oakland A’s continue poor treatment of minor leaguers

While the A’s do provide housing and a per diem for food when players are on the road, that is not the case at home. The players have to stay in the team hotel, and the charges are more than those players make.

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This does not have to be the case. Other teams, such as the Astros for instance, cover housing whether on the road or at home. The A’s could easily do the same, especially as these players have to come from wherever their hometowns are to Stockton when they are assigned to the Ports. The A’s simply just choose not to.

It is not because ownership cannot afford to. John Fisher is one of the wealthier owners in the game. The costs that would be associated with covering for housing for the A’s minor leagues when at home would likely be found between the cushions of his couch. But Fisher needs to save every penny he possibly can, even if that includes the players paying for the privilege of being part of the organization.

Fisher is not just ignoring the minors. The team refuses to spend money in free agency, and more often than not, will not sign their players to a long term extension. The A’s focus on a seemingly never ending line of prospects and low cost players that they hope will be enough to contend.

With that strategy, one would think that the A’s would realize how important it is to invest in the minors. Those players are literally the lifeblood of their organization. Instead, they have to find any possible way to save money, even if that includes the players paying to play.

The Oakland A’s are under fire for how they treat their minor leaguers once again. This time, the players in Stockton are paying to play.