U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said Saturday he was "outraged" over MLB commissioner Rob Manfred's threat to end the majors' association with Minor League Baseball.
Sanders, I-Vt., who is running for president as a Democrat, wrote in a letter to Manfred that MLB was negotiating in "bad faith" with the minor leagues over a new Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA). As he did in November, Sanders called on MLB to withdraw its proposal to eliminate 42 minor league affiliations and to begin paying minor league players a "living wage."
Sanders added that it would be a mistake for Manfred to think Congress would "sit idly by."
I’m outraged, @MLB. Threatening to walk away from the entire minor league system is the exact opposite of negotiating in good faith. pic.twitter.com/sSFcGO0KGc
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 14, 2019
Sanders and Manfred met on Dec. 2 to discuss the negotiations. Sanders said afterward that Manfred told him he was "committed to a good faith negotiation."
The Los Angeles Times noted Friday that Sanders is scheduled to meet Sunday in Iowa, one of the early presidential primary states, with minor league executives, employees and former players. The minor league team in Burlington, Iowa, is one of the 42 clubs in danger of losing its MLB affiliation after next season.
MORE: MLB prepared to walk away from deal, but what would take its place?
MLB, in its tit-for-tat public feud with MiLB, said in a statement Friday night that MiLB "must address the very significant issues with the current system at the bargaining table.
"Otherwise, MLB clubs will be free to affiliate with any minor league team or potential team in the United States, including independent league teams and cities which are not permitted to compete for an affiliate under the current agreement."
MLB was responding to a lengthy rebuttal by MiLB of comments Manfred made at the Winter Meetings about negotiations.
Sanders became a vocal critic of the negotiations after it was reported a team based in Vermont might lose its MLB affiliation. MLB, in its statement Friday, said it "has assured every public official who has contacted us that MLB will work diligently to preserve organized baseball in a compelling, fan-friendly format in every American city that currently has an affiliate. MiLB has not made such a commitment."
MLB has proposed moving the 42 unaffiliated clubs into a so-called "dream league," which would act as a de facto independent league of undrafted players.
