Sen. Bernie Sanders met Monday with Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, continuing his push against an MLB proposal that could threaten the Vermont Lake Monsters’ future in Burlington.
Sanders sharply criticized the plan late last month, and said he hoped that the MLB and Minor League Baseball could resolve their differences while maintaining baseball in the 42 cities that are under threat.
“As mayor, I helped bring Minor League baseball to Burlington, know how important it is to the people of our community and will do everything I can to maintain that vital community activity,” Sanders said.
Under the MLB’s proposal, the Lake Monsters would be one of 42 teams that lose their major league affiliation. While the franchise would be invited to join a “dream league” of undrafted and released players, minor league officials do not believe that league would be financially feasible.
The minor league teams themselves would have to pay for player and coaching salaries under the plan, which are currently paid by the major league affiliate.
MLB argues that changes are needed to improve working conditions and facility quality for minor league players and proposed the plan as part of negotiations with Minor League Baseball as their agreement expires after the 2020 season.
Sanders said Manfred maintained during their meeting that MLB was committed to good faith negotiations that would maintain baseball in the 42 cities in question while addressing the concerns about facilities, working conditions and wages for minor league players.
“While these issues must be addressed through negotiations between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball, I and other members of Congress will be carefully monitoring the progress of negotiations on behalf of fans,” Sanders said.
Major League Baseball released a statement following the meeting that said the meeting between Manfred and Sanders had been productive.
MLB understands the importance of baseball in communities across the country, the statement said. But the league also believes it has an obligation to ensure that public money spent on minor league stadiums is done so prudently, the league said.
“MLB also must ensure that minor league players have safe playing facilities suitable for the development of professional baseball players, are not subjected to unreasonable travel demands, are provided with compensation and working conditions appropriate for elite athletes, and have a realistic opportunity of making the Major Leagues,” the statement read.
MLB believes a solution that works for all stakeholders can be reached, according to its statement.
In his letter to Manfred that preceded the meeting, Sanders wrote that the proposal would do “irreparable harm” to the sport.
“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,” Sanders wrote. “Not only would your extreme proposal destroy thousands of jobs and devastate local economies, it would be terrible for baseball.”
Sanders and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., have both suggested that the government reconsider the MLB’s antitrust exemption if the proposal moves forward.
The fact that Sanders was able to quickly schedule the meeting with Manfred reflects his higher profile as a Demnocratic presidential candidate, CNN Washington correspondent Ryan Nobles wrote on Twitter.
“Does anyone think Sen. @BernieSanders of 2014 would’ve had the political sway to earn an audience this quickly with the Commissioner of Baseball for an issue like this?” he tweeted. “Aside from his advocacy, this meeting demonstrates how politically powerful he has become.”
