Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Giants, who on Tuesday committed $1 million to Oracle Park staff during the sports freeze, have a lot to sort through as the coronavirus has swept through the league and the world and canceled everything in its path.
Opening up their wallet for minor leaguers is on that to-do list, but however soon it happens really cannot be soon enough.
The Giants are working on providing support to minor leaguers and hope to have a plan in place soon, which would allow the most overlooked part of baseball life to breathe like the events staff now can. The Rays, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers, Marlins and Padres reportedly already have committed to paying stipends to their minor leaguers, who are not protected with a union like their major league counterparts.
Tyler Cyr, a Giants reliever who has positioned himself to possibly debut this season, has been a leader and one of the faces of the plight of the minor leaguer, posting on social media his final paystub at the conclusion of last season to demonstrate the harsh realities of players who haven’t yet made it.
“Hey Larry, what about us?” Cyr wrote on Twitter on Tuesday in response to a reporter’s tweet about Larry Baer’s commitment to the Oracle Park staff. “The 150 plus guys who haven’t heard a thing & have no guidance or direction on what to do. Hate to admit it, but I’m once again embarrassed. 10 billion in overall revenue by @MLB last year, dont get me started on the individual incomes of owners per team”
Cyr soon deleted the tweet and has not immediately responded to a request for comment. If his patience is running thin, it’s understandable for a group of players who were sent home when baseball shut down, as only 40-man roster members can stick around and use the facilities. Finding open gyms and places to work out as the world quarantines can be difficult, and finding part-time jobs that will pay you until you report back to camp can be more difficult. One prospect, A’s pitcher Peter Bayer, said he has been working for Doordash, the food delivery service.