MLB to pay minor-leaguers through Spring Training

First and foremost, STAY HOME!

The new “Safer at Home” order has gone into affect, meaning that everyone in the state of California will be asked to stay home if they’re able to. Obviously, there are some exceptions, but if you’re able to, please try and stay home.

Watch some movies, spend time with family, interact with Dodgers fans in the comments section ... but please don’t go out.

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With so much negativity going on right now, minor-leaguers received some good news yesterday, as the MLB announced a league-wide initiative for minor-league players to receive compensation between now and the scheduled start of their season.

The MLB will continue to work with all 30 Clubs on the development of an industry-wide plan for compensation beyond April 8.

The base allowance eligible minor leaguers will receive through April 8 is $400 a week ($57.14 per day), according to a memo MLB sent to clubs today. Individual teams may pay above that amount if they choose.

Here’s the full statement from the MLB.

`Since last week, Major League Baseball has been engaged in a variety of discussions with stakeholders to identify ways to blunt the wide-ranging impact of the national emergency resulting from the global coronavirus pandemic. As those conversations continue, MLB is announcing today a league-wide initiative that will create a level of uniform compensation for Minor League players, covering the period between now and the originally scheduled start of the minor league season. MLB is taking this initial step today because of the effects of the season’s postponement on Minor League players and their families. MLB intends to continue working with all 30 Clubs to identify additional ways to support those players as a result of the delayed 2020 season. Each player who is under a Minor League Uniform Player Contract will receive a lump sum equal to the allowances that would have been paid through April 8th. The exceptions to this plan are non-40-man-roster players who are already receiving Major League allowances; players who are currently receiving housing, food or other services from Clubs; and players who were not participating in, or expected to participate in, Minor League Spring Training. MLB remains in communication with Clubs on the development of an industry-wide plan for Minor League player compensation from April 9th through the beginning of the coming season. MLB takes the community impact of this crisis seriously. We will continue to monitor ongoing events and undertake the precautions and best practices recommended by public health experts to protect fans, players and ballpark workers, and we urge all baseball fans to follow suit. MLB extends its best wishes to all the individuals and communities who have been impacted by the coronavirus.`In the last several days, MLB has announced a joint, $1M MLB-MLBPA fund to speed food assistance to those impacted by the crisis and a 30-Club, $30M effort to support ballpark workers. Individual Clubs will continue to announce more details surrounding support for their local communities and players are coming together to urge fans to take this crisis seriously.

Other news

• With the start of the season unknown and in doubt, the Red Sox announced that Chris Sale would undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. Sale had just resumed his throwing program Monday after being shut down for two weeks when the pain came back. He’ll be out now until late 2021 or the start of the 2022 season.

This was going to be the first year of the five-year contract worth $145 million.

• If anyone out there has any questions in regards to service time, hopefully this will help a little

• Some news regarding Justin Turner and his foundation