Independent Professional Baseball Players: Why They Play For SuchLittle Money

If you have attended an independent professional baseball game then you knowthat the level of play is equivalent to different levels of the regular“affiliated” Minor Leagues. What is not known by many fans, however, is howlittle money many of the independent baseball players make.

Unlike many jobs across North America, independent baseball players do nothave a union or company department like Human Resources. They can be releasedalmost at any time, for almost any reason, and there is usually nothing intheir contracts which guarantees any sort of payment after players retire. Whentold all about this, many fans say, “Why would these players do that?!?”

Here are a few of the reasons:

A genuine love of the game: Many players in independent baseball believethat they have been overlooked by the Major League teams’ scouting departments.They genuinely believe that they deserve a chance to be in an “affiliated” farmteam with one of the Major League organizations; and they truly love playingbaseball. Many fans whom have attended independent baseball games comment onthe hustle and passion of the players. A player who believes that he wasoverlooked may play with a “chip on his shoulder” in order to prove that hebelongs with a Major League-affiliated farm team.

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A need to be closer to home: Often, there are a few guys in each independentleague who genuinely belong in a higher level of baseball. For whatever reason,however, they need to be closer to home with a less-grueling travel schedule.Sometimes players just started a family, others need to help out with a sickfamily member, and others need the support of friends and family in order to becomfortable with playing at the professional level.

A desire to continue his career in baseball: Many players will play in anindependent baseball league in order to gain credibility for his post-playingcareer. Certain players want to manage or coach in professional baseball,others want to coach at the college level, and others want to transition to thefront office of a professional sports team after they retire.

A need for camaraderie: If you have ever watched any documentary about “lifein the minors” then you know that the players love playing baseball, enjoycrazy antics with their teammates, playing cards in the clubhouse, and thechance to develop lifelong friends especially on those long bus trips! If aplayer is good enough to be considered professional then many will take theopportunity to play in the independent leagues because he knows how competitivethe demand is. Other players from around the continent are more than willing totake his spot, so he knows that he part of an elite level of baseball eventhough it is considered to be independent of the affiliated organizations.

A chance to rebuild his career: Sometimes an extremely talented player endsup in an independent league due to an injury, salary cap move, or simply due to“politics” in organized baseball. Such a player will play on an independentbaseball team in order to prove to scouts that he is healthy, willing to goback at a more economical price, or simply that the other team which releasedhim made a mistake. In a given year, dozens of players in independent baseballsign contracts with affiliated Minor League teams; and each year a few will getto play in the Major Leagues.

The next time you see an independent baseball game, or if you meet someindependent baseball players around town, now you have a better understandingof why they do what they do regardless of the price at which they play. If youever have said that you think pro athletes need to play with more passion andthat they are overpaid, then be sure to attend an independent pro baseballgame. You will be pleasantly surprised!

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