Comments on: Trophy Wife: Everything was great until …

By: Kayla

Kayla — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:27:20 +0000

I really enjoy reading this Ashley. As a fiance of a Double-A Mariners player that will be traveling with my future husband next year, it’s great to hear stories from other people in the same boat as us. What to you do for a job during the season? I know lots of girls that work at the fields selling tickets or that sort of thing, so I’m always curious :) It’s great to have a sense of humor about all this, it’s hard sometimes to keep such a positive attitude when all you want to do is get your feet on the ground for a few minutes! Kayla :)

By: Carlos

Carlos — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:40:46 +0000

Yes, how unfair it is that minor league ball players with zero chance of making the big leagues don’t have the job security that firefighters and teachers do. Never mind going into a burning building and wondering if you’ll come out of it. And maybe you missed it, but in Southern California teachers are being laid off left and right. But at least they don’t have to take the bus to work!
Again, who’s forcing these poor, oppressed ball players to play? I’m not attacking Ashley, nor am I blaming her for anything. The point is that these guys play because they love the game. They know what the compensation (or lack thereof) is. If they know the odds are stacked against them but still go for it, hey, more power to them. I understand you’re passionate about minor leaguers and all, but get a grip, man. Its a GAME. Its entertainment.
Do me a favor and point out where I judged or attacked Ashley. I gave my two cents to the discussion. I never attacked her character or said anything rude. I’m not even bothered by what she said. I was reacting to Earl calling people “fools” and trying to offer an explaination as to why some readers reacted to her post the way they did. You, on the other hand, did attack my character, which is fine. I’m a big boy and I can take it. And honestly, I’ve been reading your stuff for a couple years so it doesn’t surprise me one bit that you’d fly off the handle like this. You’re not going to let anyone tell you you’re wrong, are you? So sorry if I offended you. I still struggle to see how I came off as hostile or jealous, but if that’s how you interpret it, fine. Honestly, though, you need to relax. Its just baseball, afterall. There really is more to life. I know I can forget that sometimes myself.

By: Stephen C. Smith

Stephen C. Smith — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:04:25 +0000

Firefighters and public school teachers don’t have half-drunken clueless buffoons insulting their integrity from the anonymity of the crowd or the Internet. Firefighters and teachers have unions, benefits, pensions, and a reasonably secure career path. Firefighters and teachers work full-time. Firefighters and teachers know where they’ll be working tomorrow; they can’t be traded to another fire department or school district. Firefighters and school teachers make more than minor league players, unless you’re talking about the lucky 10% who set foot in a major league dugout. And I’ve yet to see a firefighter or teacher who has to ride a bus with 24 other colleagues 14 hours overnight to get to their workplace.

Quite frankly, Carlos, you’re coming off like someone who thinks a minor league ballplayer’s life is glamorous, you’re jealous of it, and you’re attacking a player’s wife because of it. Your self-perceived inadequacies are your problem, not hers. You complain about your father working two jobs like it’s Ashley’s fault. It’s not. Most ballplayers work multiple jobs too. They have their ballplaying job for six months, which pays a pitiful compensation, then they have to scramble during the other six months to find part-time work that pays little more than minimum wage. 90% of them will wash out, which means eventually they’ll be dumped back into the worker pool behind the rest of their peer group in terms of skills and career experience.

I’ve been unemployed since October, and my wife since July, but the last thing I would ever do is tee off on an innocent person to take out my frustration with the economy. You don’t like your lot in life, do something about it.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:39:31 +0000

I’m not angry with you, Ashley. Just trying to point out how some things in your post could have rubbed some readers the wrong way. Personally, I don’t read too much of your stuff on here simply because its not why I’m here - I’m more interested in what happens on the field, not in the players home life. Nothing personal. I enjoy the eclectic blend of Angel related reading on here, and I know you play a role in that. Don’t let a few negative comments rattle you, as they’re going to happen. Sports fans can be quite testy!
To Amber - this is exactly what I mean. Why buy a house if you’re always on the move? Most people struggle to pay their rent, let alone a mortgage and rent. These “problems” that they apparently have are still pretty far removed from the day to day struggles of the average American. This is where all the dissent comes from.
To Stephen - I understand the life of a minor leaguer isn’t all roses and Champagne. When I think of “sacrifice”, however, I think of my dad working two jobs his whole life to support his family. I think of fire fighters getting paid lousy wages to risk their lives on a regular basis. I think of under-paid public school teachers with degrees who get paychecks 9 months out of the year who do it for the love of their job. If I was even close to good enough to get a sniff at professional baseball, I’d understand the risk and financial struggle I’d have to endure to play a game I love. But “courage”? Give me a break. No one is forcing these guys to play. If life is so bad for them then they should get a real job.

By: Scott (slasher52)

Scott (slasher52) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:36:33 +0000

Don’t take no crap Ashley! These naysayers have desperate lonely lives that I have nothing but pity for. They would beg for the opportunity that Rich has been given, and would trade places in a heartbeat to play a kids game for a living.

By: Stephen C. Smith

Stephen C. Smith — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:53:48 +0000

Some people are jealous of professional athletes. ‘Nuff said.

Players in the lower minors make far less.

Short/Rookie-A: $850/month
Low/High Class-A: $1,050/month
Double A: $1,500/month
Triple A: $2,150/month

Now, that’s only while they play. No off-reason paychecks. And they only get $20/day meal money while on the road, not at home.

Rich gets more because he’s been in the big leagues, but keep in mind that if he gets hurt or released then the paychecks stop. He has a wife to support; as she said, Ashley has to look for part-time work which probably won’t get her much more than minimum wage.

Rich is lucky because Ashley travels with him, but most players are alone for six months except for the occasional visit.

And don’t think they have a huge bonus sitting in the bank either. That’s only for the high-round draft picks. Most guys are lucky enough to get money to finish college.

Only 10% of minor leaguers ever get a major league callup. Of those, only 25% will play five years in the majors. Combine the numbers, and it means that only 1 in 40 minor leaguers will be a big-league regular. The other 39 are fodder for that 40th guy.

It’s a difficult life, one full of sacrifices, failures and loneliness. It takes a lot of courage to pursue pro baseball as a career, because the odds are very much against the player making any kind of money to have a comfortable life.

Ashley, please tell “Chop” I said hi.

By: Will

Will — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:49:56 +0000

I’m entertained. And yes they are angry with themselves and just using you as a punching bag. Keep doing what you’re doing most of us are enjoying it.

By: Ashley Thompson/ Trophy Wife

Ashley Thompson/ Trophy Wife — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:27:22 +0000

No one is asking for sympathy. I am simply writing about my life. If being so judgmental gets you through your day, then keep on. But regardless of the negative comments, my life continues to be as a traveling wife. Please read more than just a few lines, and please don’t take it so seriously. Try reading it with humor instead of animosity. Everyone seems to be angry with me… are you angry at all entertainers? Are you angry at the guy in the cubicle next to you because he makes more than you? Do you get angry when your wife gets a manicure? Are you angry with yourself for spending a few extra dollars on pizza instead of cooking? These posts are for entertainment only. If you are not entertained, move on.

By: Amber

Amber — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:46:22 +0000

Sorry I meant Sunday off at least once or twice a month…

By: Amber

Amber — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:44:00 +0000

To those who think 40,000 should be plenty to live on - you are correct if you live in 1 place, with 1 house, with 1 set of bills. However, as I’m sure Ashley will agree, most minor league players don’t have that luxury. They do like to have a home to live in the other 4 months of the year when they aren’t playing baseball. Therefore, they not only have to pay for their “home” (the one they live in during the offseason, unless they want to shack up with parents or friends), but they also have to pay to live in the hometown of their team, in this case Salt Lake City, which is a vacation area and therefore can be expensive. Along with that comes the cost of keeping up both homes, as well as paying the bills at both places. It certainly would be possible to live off of 40K a year, but when you have to have 2 homes it gets a bit more difficult. I know it is possible and some people do it, but not many are doing it with basically 2 mortgages. And in response to getting paid to “play a game” I’d just like to say that to the player’s it is not a “game,” but their job and their livelihood, which they have worked very hard for their whole life, just as most people have worked to get where they are in their job. In their “game” they will work 12 hour days, 7 days a week for several weeks with no day off. Most people at least get Sunday off at least once or twice a week. I know if I worked everyday for 50 something days straight it wouldn’t feel quite like a “game” to me, but more of a JOB.