The Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball announced today that they’ve signed former Dodgers/Braves right Josh Ravin to a contract for the 2019 season (link via the Japan Times). He’ll earn an estimated $800K, per the report. The Marines’ head of baseball operations, Naoki Matsumoto, said in a statement that Ravin could be an option to pitch in the eighth or ninth inning with his new club.
Ravin, 30, has spent time in the Majors in each of the past three seasons, totaling 38 2/3 innings of work between the Dodgers and Braves. His 5.12 ERA in that time isn’t especially appealing, but he’s averaged 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, notched a healthy 13.6 percent swinging-strike rate and averaged 96.5 mph on his fastball along the way. Walks (4.4 BB/9) and home runs (1.86 HR/9) have been an issue for Ravin throughout his limited big league tenure.
Ravin spent the bulk of his injury-shortened 2018 season with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, where he tossed 18 2/3 shoutout innings and struck out 30 of the 80 batters he faced (against nine walks). In parts of six Triple-A seasons, Ravin has tallied 107 1/3 innings of 3.52 ERA ball with an average of 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, though he’s also averaged 5.3 walks per nine.
Big guy that I always felt had more to offer than he showed in the majors. Would be surprised if he comes back to the US and ends up being a solid middle relief guy one day
It really depends on the players. How comfortable they get and if they can fix their issues
Would or wouldn’t be?
I actually really like stories like this. 31-year-old reliever, probably facing another season in the minors at 25-30,000 dollars a year, maybe even near hanging ’em up to go work a day job, finally gets a shot at a big payday. He’s a big guy who throws pretty hard; from the one game I watched him pitch. No control. He spent 12 years in the minors here, and probably never made much. Sometimes the smaller Japanese baseball helps guys like this with control issues, and the less-homer-happy NPB might help with the gopher issues. Then he can come back and be a middle reliever here for a few years and a few more million – these are the nice stories I like about baseball.
I love your positivity, David, and I couldn’t agree more.
Gets paid far north of 30000 a year in the Minors
Yeah? I can’t find any minor-league salary info anywhere, but reading lots of interviews with players over the last few years would suggest he doesn’t make much more than that, especially as a guy without much MLB experience. Minor-leaguers, especially low-minors guys, make as little as 8,000 dollars/year. It’s one of the very disgraceful things in the game and one the players can do nothing about, since they aren’t part of the MLBPA.
From the CBA:
“For all Players signing a first Major League contract, the
minimum salary for Minor League service shall be as follows:
…
2019—at the rate per season of $45,300”
… is the only reference I can find. Not sure if any signing with a Major League club qualifies or if a straight Minor League deal can be for less
Beat me to it kodion….guys that have spent several years up in the show with more than one team and more than one UPC, like JR
“For all Players (a) signing a second Major League contract
(not covering the same season as any such Player’s initial Major
League contract) or a subsequent Major League contract, or (b) who
have at least one day of Major League service, the minimum salary
shall be as follows:”
2019—at the rate per season of $90,400
http://www.mlbplayers.com/pdf9/5450407.pdf
There’s a great interview with a minor league pitcher on a recent edition of Effectively wild (A baseball podcast) in which he cites the 8000/season; it may be for a short season, or maybe a minor league only deal, but those numbers you quote sound like they are for guys on major league contracts? Anyway, 800,000 is more than 45000 or 90000, but maybe the players who claim they are only making 25-30K a year in the minors are exaggerating? Lying? I assume there must be a wide variety of salaries in the minors for players with MLB experience and those without.
Until a minor league player is placed on a 40-man roster, monthly salaries are $1150 for the short season teams, $1300 for low A and $1500 for high A. For players repeating a year at the same level, the salary goes up $50 each year. For AA, the monthly salary is $1700 and it goes up $100 per month for subsequent years. For AAA, the monthly salary is $2150 per month and it goes up to $2400 the second year and $2700 the third year.
If a player becomes a minor league free agent, higher salaries can be negotiated.
Salary for first year on 40-man roster:
2013: $39,900
2014: $40,750
2015: $41,400
Salary for second year on 40-man roster or if one or more days of Major League service time:
2013: $79,900
2014: $81,750
2015: $82,700
Meal money is $25 per road day.
Minor league salary must be at least 60% of the player’s combined minor league and Major League salary in the preceding season
This does not iclude signing bonuses or things such as paid tuition for college.
66 percent get rhe tuition, per USA Today.
Any bonus ar or above 50 grand is another grand per month for over 4 years.
You can take 2 grand per month, for 5 months a year, for 5 years, in the off season.
Outside of being paid for spring training and The Instructional League, I’m not feeling much pity.
They generate billions of dollars in income for owners; they should get paid.
I also like that you argue that $1000/month is some kind of real money; that’s less than minimum wage.