Senator Bernie Sanders sent Major League Baseball a letter accusing the league of “greed,” for their plan to shutter 42 Minor League teams.
The Vermont senator and 2020 Democrat presidential candidate lashed out Monday at the massive changes planned for the league in a letter sent to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.
“Shutting down 25 percent of Minor League Baseball teams, as you have proposed, would be an absolute disaster for baseball fans, workers and communities throughout the country,” the Sen. insisted. “Not only would your extreme proposal destroy thousands of jobs and devastate local economies, it would be terrible for baseball.”
Sanders also attacked the billionaire owners for the low pay rates that minor league players make and called for the league to pay the players a “living wage.”
“Let’s be clear, ” he wrote going on the attack. “Your proposal to slash the number of minor league teams has nothing to do with what is good for baseball, but it has everything to do with greed.”
The proposal would cut 42 teams, mostly from rookie leagues, and bring the league down to 118 teams. A new limit of 150 players in a minor league system would also be set, shortening the MLB Draft to only 20 rounds.
In another tweet, the Sen. also posted his proclamation that shutting down teams would be a “disaster for baseball.”
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