# Baseball (and probably sports in general) Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850 "2001-05-29T04:46:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/1 "2001-05-29T04:46:57Z")
Today I saw one of the weirdest baseball games ever (Cubs vs. Reds). But that’s another thread. The Cubs’ catcher (Todd Hundley) got thrown out of the game. That got me to wondering… Does being thrown out of the game mean that Mr. Hundley was expected to go down to the locker room, change into his Armani suit, and go home (or in this case, back to the hotel)? Can he go into the stands and have a beer with the other 35,000 fans at the game? Is he supposed to sit there in the clubhouse and think about what he did (like when his mom made him stand in the corner when he was a little boy)? Is there a TV down there where he can watch the game? Also, how do these guys get paid? If my contract is for, say, $2 million per year, do I get a weekly paycheck for…_math_…$2 million/52 weeks? Does Baylor hand out paychecks after Friday’s game (or Friday’s practice, as the case may be)? Or do they get a _per diem_ throughout the year and then get their contract in a lump sum? ---
**Author:** ![socpro69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@socpro69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/socpro69)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/2 "2001-05-29T05:41:54Z")
You certainly don’t lose any pay for the game you were thrown out of. I know that in the case of junior hockey, when a player is tossed for fighting, you can generally see them watching the remainder of the game from the sidelines, waiting for the rest of their team to leave the ice. I would imagine that in the pros there are TVs in the locker room. No big deal… suspensions are another thing. As far as losing money… I believe that contracts are pro-rated for entire seasons, and if you are suspended for two games, you lose whatever percentage that is of your pay (in the case of the NHL). This is not to say that you cannot recieve additional financial penalties for a specific act. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/3 "2001-05-29T05:51:09Z")
In baseball, a player ejected from the game has to leave the field and the dugout. He can go sit in the clubhouse and wait for the game to end and almost always do. The player could go home or can go sit in the stands, but he must far away from his own bench or bullpen. It is SOP for a manager who is ejected, to just stand in a hallway just outside the view of the umpire and run the team from there. As for getting paid, baseball players paid throughout the regular season. They get regular paychecks then. They don’t get checks in the offseason. A lot of them have to get offseason jobs to make ends meet. ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/4 "2001-05-29T06:49:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > **It is SOP for a manager who is ejected, to just stand in a hallway just outside the view of the umpire and run the team from there.** Unless you’re Bobby Valentine and then you do the “fake mustache and glasses” thing… ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/5 "2001-05-29T12:45:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*As for getting paid, baseball players paid throughout the regular season. They get regular paychecks then. They don’t get checks in the offseason. A lot of them have to get offseason jobs to make ends meet. \*\* Yeah, I imagine making $10 million last 12 months instead of 9 months _is_ pretty tough. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/6 "2001-05-29T12:50:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DRY \* > Unless you’re Bobby Valentine and then you do the “fake mustache and glasses” thing… \*\* Dammit, can’t remember … who was the ejected manager a couple of years ago who put on the mascot’s costume (the odious Phillie Phanatic, I think, but coulda been in the minors) and ran the team through the breathing hole in the mask? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/7 "2001-05-29T13:47:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > > \*\*As for getting paid, baseball players paid throughout the regular season. They get regular paychecks then. They don’t get checks in the offseason. A lot of them have to get offseason jobs to make ends meet. \*\* > > Yeah, I imagine making $10 million last 12 months instead of 9 months _is_ pretty tough. \*\* Bear in mind that most professional baseball players aren’t major leaguers. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/8 "2001-05-29T14:19:16Z")
Odious Phanatic? Ahem. And, RickJay, I **love** your sig! I have nothing further to add to this discussion, but Bobby V. got a few game vacation for his stunt a few years ago, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/9 "2001-05-29T16:52:06Z")
Remember that professional baseball players, including minor leaguers, don’t get paid for spring training, although they do receive a healthy per diem. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/10 "2001-05-29T18:34:11Z")
I’m sorry if I came off sounding like an ass, **BobT**. But I thought that, from the context of my OP, it was pretty clear that I was talking about major leaguers and _their_ salaries. I’m sure these guys get by, even during spring training. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/11 "2001-05-29T21:41:52Z")
[hijack] When a major league player is sent down to the minors, does he continue to draw his major league salary? Possibilities that come to mind are:[ul][_]Yes[_]No[_]It depends on why he was sent down (e.g., injury rehab vs. crappy play)[_]It depends on how his contract is structured. Perhaps some players have the clout to have their major league salaries guaranteed, while others don’tNone of the above, and somebody will be along soon to correct me[/ul][/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/12 "2001-05-30T05:48:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > \*\*I’m sorry if I came off sounding like an ass, **BobT**. But I thought that, from the context of my OP, it was pretty clear that I was talking about major leaguers and _their_ salaries. I’m sure these guys get by, even during spring training. \*\* No, I got the point. I was trying to respond in kind with sarcasm also. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/13 "2001-05-30T05:52:54Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by brad\_d \* \*\*[hijack] When a major league player is sent down to the minors, does he continue to draw his major league salary? Possibilities that come to mind are:[ul][li]Yes[_]No[_]It depends on _why_ he was sent down (_e.g._, injury rehab vs. crappy play)[_]It depends on how his contract is structured. Perhaps some players have the clout to have their major league salaries guaranteed, while others don’t[_]None of the above, and somebody will be along soon to correct me[/ul][/hijack] \*\*[/li][/QUOTE] If a major leaguer gets sent down to the minors, he will draw the same salary if he has a guaranteed contract. If he is just Joe AAA brought up for a few days, he makes the major league minimum for however long he is up, and then goes back to his minor league salary when he gets sent back down. If a player is sent to the minors on an injury rehab, he gets paid his major league salary. If he is sent down because he wasn’t playing well and he didn’t have a guaranteed contract: 1) he takes a pay cut and 2) he has a bad agent or is a rookie. ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/14 "2001-05-30T16:32:12Z")
If you’ve ever read Jim Bouton’s book _Ball Four_, you’ll see that pitchers who left the game were allowed into the stands to sit with their families (at least on his team in his day, back in the 1960’s). However, they had to be back in the clubhouse after the game in case the manager had a few choice words for them. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-and-probably-sports-in-general-questions/66850/15 "2001-05-30T21:42:31Z")
Thanks, Bob.