With the ongoing updates on the proposed changes from Major League Baseball, a bunch of players all through the small leagues could be without employments inside a year.
The independent leagues, of which there are eight the nation over, could be a possibility for those players influenced by the potential changes.
The MLB has considered rolling out some general improvements to proficient baseball toward the finish of the 2020 season. Reports of MLB cutting ties with 42 of its small league teams emerged during October.
Throughout the end of the week, a New York Times report released the list of groups that could lose their association.
For those 42 teams that would be evacuated under the proposition, MLB recommends making a “Dream League.” This MLB-MiLB joint endeavor would look like free alliances one might say. Clubs in the Dream League could fill their groups with undrafted players. The players who go undrafted would have the alternative of heading off to the Dream League or to the independent leagues.
The York Revolution, an independent team in the Atlantic League, has conveyed players who have proficient experience from season to season. Mark Mason, York Revolution Field Manager and Director of Player Personnel, doesn’t see the Atlantic League being influenced in a major way if the MLB rolls out the improvements.
“If all of this does end up happening, I think most players who do not have much experience playing professionally will go to other independent leagues,” Mason said. “The Atlantic League tends to carry players who have had experience in the majors or extensive trips in the minors.”
Eric Menzer, President of the York Revolution accepts that autonomous alliances could be the correct move for players, if the proposition goes through.
“If one or more currently affiliated teams lose its affiliation, that provides an interesting opportunity to come join a team in the Atlantic League or any other independent league,” Menzer said.
Not at all like other independent leagues, the Atlantic League doesn’t have characterizations for its list restrictions.
“We can sign any player, regardless of their age or level of experience,” Mason said.
In chatting with different administrators from various independent leagues, Mason heard a great deal of worries on where supervisors would get players from.
“From a recruiting standpoint, I don’t think we will face any turmoil, but other leagues could certainly face some,” he said. “With other leagues dealing with younger players and having classification levels, some managers could have some difficulties finding players.
Independent Leagues like the Frontier League have specific player eligibility limitations and different classifications that each team has to abide by.
“I think that players will take advantage of the Independent Leagues if this proposal goes through and it will be interesting to see how everything plays out,” Mason said.
In his present job as leader of an independent team, Menzer comprehends that there are a few difficulties being free.
“There are advantages and disadvantages of not being affiliated,” he said.
Free classes pay their very own players and the MLB doesn’t. “I would say that is a disadvantage because that is something MLB does not have to deal with,” Menzer said.
Being independent does gives you full control of how you can run your group and choices can be made whenever.
“We play to win so we have the ability to hire and fire our own players at any point during the season,” Menzer said. “There aMy job is to maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages.”
On the idea of a potential development of current autonomous associations if the proposition were to pass, Menzer accepts there could be a plausibility.
“I don’ think you can look at the situation and say that there is anything but a possibility that there could be more independent teams in the leagues,” he said. “I think that this whole situation is not going to turn out the way it’s sitting right now, there is a lot of negotiation to be done.”
