Congress is quietly trying to codify into law the barely livable wages of minor league baseball players

Minor League baseball stadium.
(Image credit: Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

It is almost physically impossible to read the entire 2,232 pages of Congress' $1.3 trillion spending package before the midnight deadline Friday, which means a certain "Save America's Pastime Act," on page 1,967, might go unnoticed, CBS Sports reports. If the bill passes, though, the act will deliver a decisive blow in the ongoing debate over what to pay Minor League Baseball players.

In order to "save America's pastime," the act would cement into law the exemption of Minor League players from federal labor laws, including minimum and overtime pay. That means players in the process of suing to make a living wage — some earn as little as $1,100 a month — will be out of luck.

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Many baseball fans have argued in favor of paying Minor League players a higher wage, though. "Every year thousands of young men forego their education and other career opportunities to pursue their dream of playing baseball in the major leagues," argued the Detroit Tigers blog Bless You Boys last year. "The vast majority never will."

Major League players, by comparison, often earn six- to seven-figure salaries. Read more about one Minor League player's experience earning $12 an hour while trying to make the big leagues at Bleacher Report.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.