Socialism is coming to American baseball? Say it ain’t so, Congress

Socialism is coming to America.

We’re not talking about Medicare for All or bank regulations, though.

We’re talking about another institution, apparently even more critical to the welfare of American citizens than health care or consumer protection.

We’re talking about baseball.

Here are the members of Congress who are trying to meddle in the free market: Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Bernie Sanders and — Mike Simpson?

And now Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin are jumping on board, too.

A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives and senators, including such liberal stalwarts as Warren and Sanders along with conservative members of Congress, such as Idaho’s own Rep. Mike Simpson, has formed the Save Minor League Baseball Task Force.

It’s in response to plans by Major League Baseball to “realign” its Minor League teams, with the potential of eliminating as many as 42 of them, or about 25% of the teams. Those on the chopping block include the Idaho Falls Chukars, the Batavia (New York) Muckdogs and the Great Falls (Montana) Voyagers. Idaho’s other minor league team, the Boise Hawks, was not on the list for elimination.

“Baseball is America’s pastime and that pastime should not be exclusive to a select number of cities,” according to Simpson in a press release. “Minor league baseball is at the heart of many small and rural cities in our country. To deprive those communities of baseball would not only deny them access to our national heritage, but it would also harm local economies that depend on minor league baseball organizations. I am proud to join my colleagues in starting this task force to ensure baseball stays vibrant in communities like Idaho Falls and Boise.”

Can you imagine that statement replacing “baseball” with some other private business?

“(Newspapers) should not be exclusive to a select number of cities. (Newspapers) are at the heart of many small and rural cities in our country. To deprive those communities of (newspapers) would not only deny them access to our national heritage, but it would also harm local economies that depend on (newspapers). I am proud to join my colleagues in starting this task force to ensure that (newspapers) stay vibrant in communities like Idaho Falls and Boise.”

It would be ridiculous.

And what about Twin Falls? There is no pro baseball team in the Magic Valley. Shouldn’t we make someone start up a baseball team there? Doesn’t Twin Falls deserve the same as Idaho Falls?

Why is the federal government even getting involved in the business decisions of MLB, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox?

Major League Baseball is in talks “with the owners of the Minor League teams to reorganize elements of the system with the goal of improving the working conditions of minor league players,” MLB said in a statement to The New York Times, “including upgrading the facilities to Major League standards, increasing player compensation, reducing travel time between affiliates for road games, improving transportation and hotel accommodations, increasing the number of off days, and providing better geographical affiliations between the M.L.B. Clubs and affiliates.”

In short, MLB owners are saying they have too many minor league players on too many teams making too little money, and traveling too far to play in substandard stadiums. There is not enough ability to develop those players.

The Colorado Rockies, the MLB affiliate for the Boise Hawks, has six Minor League teams in the U.S., in AAA, AA, High-A, Low-A, Short-Season A and Rookie leagues, in such cities as Albuquerque; Hartford, Connecticut; Lancaster, California; Asheville, North Carolina; Boise; and Grand Junction, Colorado. That doesn’t include two Dominican Summer Rookie Leagues.

The Kansas City Royals franchise, the Chukars’ parent, runs seven teams in the U.S. and two summer rookie leagues in foreign countries.

In cutting down the number of those teams, Major League Baseball owners are making a business decision based on the health of their business.

We have a federal government with a $21 trillion debt that’s running a $1 trillion budget deficit. Of all the “important issues” that Congress allegedly is not getting to because of the impeachment hearings, meddling in the private business dealings of the Los Angeles Dodgers is at the bottom of that list.

Move on.