Chipotle For Our Reds Minor Leaguers

The Cincinnati Reds minor league system is ranked the 6th best according to ESPN (big thanks to Doug for keeping us informed at Reds Minor Leagues) so now is the time for us to acknowledge our players and educate each other on the hardships they face.

A few friends and I have decided that we would like to give all 171 players (the non-MLB camp invitees) a $10 Chipotle gift card to show our appreciation for their work. I'll cover the 2.9% + 30 cent per transaction GoFundMe fees.

Our minor league players have been working hard all offseason for free, I've seen them firsthand in Arizona at Instructional League in Phoenix and in the Dominican Republic. They will arrive in Arizona late February, early March for more unpaid work for Spring Training. They will not be paid until the season starts in April for Class A to AAA or mid-June for Short Season.

How Are They Not Being Paid?

Excerpt from AP :

The “Save America’s Pastime Act” is included on page 1,967 of the [2018] $1.3 trillion spending bill and appears to pre-empt a lawsuit filed four years ago in U.S. District Court in San Francisco by three players alleging Major League Baseball and its teams violate the Fair Labor Standards Act and state minimum wage and overtime requirements for a work week they estimated at 50-to-60 hours.

Save America's Past Time Act - Congress.Gov 

This act exempts minor league players from the Fair Labor Standards Act. They don’t need to be paid during spring training, the offseason or for overtime, as long as they receive a minimum wage of $1,160 a month during the season (40 hours per week @$7.25 per hour, 4 weeks per month). Note that rent, food, equipment (cleats, gloves, mitts, sunglasses etc..) and other living expenses have to come out of this salary.

Why Chipotle?

1. Our minor league players are hungry! 

2. Baseball players LOVE Chipotle

4. It's relatively healthy and affordable

5. There are locations everywhere

6. It's open until 10pm


Who Will Get A Card?

Another shout out to Doug Gray  at Reds Minor Leagues. Here is a current roster of all 171 players we want to feed with tasty Chipotle.

A.J. Moore (RHP)
Aaron Fossas (RHP)
Adrian Rodriguez (RHP)
Alberti Chavez (SS)
Alberto Gonzalez (RHP)
Alejo Lopez (SS)
Alexis Diaz (RHP)
Andrew Jordan (RHP)
Andrew McDonald (RHP)
Andy Cox (LHP)
Andy Sugilio (OF)
Aneurys Zabala (RHP)
Austin Orewiler (RHP)
Brandt Stallings (OF)
Brantley Bell (SS)
Bren Spillane (OF)
Brian Hunter (RHP)
Brian Rey (OF)
Bruce Yari (1B)
Calten Daal (SS)
Carlos Carreno (RHP)
Carlos Diaz (LHP)
Carlos Machorro (RHP)
Carlos Reina (C)
Carlos Rivero (SS)
Cash Case (SS)
Cassidy Brown (C)
Chad Tromp (C)
Claudio Finol (SS)
Clayton Blackburn (RHP)
Connor Bennett (RHP)
Connor Curlis (LHP)
Connor Ryan (RHP)
Cory Heitler (RHP)
Cory Thompson (RHP)
Courtney Hawkins (OF)
Daniel De La Fuente (RHP)
Daniel Sweet (OF)
Danny Lantigua (OF)
Dauri Moreta (RHP)
Drew Mount (OF)
Dylan Harris (3B)
Eddy Demurias (RHP)
Eduardo Salazar (RHP)
Edward Escoboza (RHP)
Edward Guzman (C)
Edwin Yon (OF)
Elvis Gomez (C)
Emilio Garcia (OF)
Ernesto Liberatore (C)
Francis Jones (RHP)
Gavin LaValley (3B)
Hendrik Clementina (C)
Hernan Iribarren (IF)
Hunter Greene (RHP)
Ian Koch (RHP)
Ibandel Isabel (1B)
Jacob Heatherly (LHP)
Jake Turnbull (C)
Jake Wyrick (LHP)
James Dykstra (RHP)
James Marinan (RHP)
Jared Solomon (RHP)
Jay Schuyler (C)
Jeffry Nino (RHP)
Jerry D’Andrea (LHP)
Jesse Adams (LHP)
Jesse Stallings (RHP)
Jhon De Jesus (RHP)
Joe Mantiply (LHP)
Joel Kuhnel (RHP)
Johendi Jiminian (RHP)
John Ghyzel (RHP)
John Sansone (2B)
Johnnie Schneider (RHP)
Jon Moscot (RHP)
Jonathan India (3B)
Jonathan Willems (IF)
Jonathon Crawford (RHP)
Jose Adames (RHP)
Jose Duarte (C)
Jose Garcia (2B)
Jose Tello (C)
Jose Valenzuela (RHP)
Josh Rich (RHP)
Josh VanMeter (SS)
Juan Abril (RHP)
Juan Martinez (3B)
Juan Martinez (LHP)
Junior Harding (RHP)
Justin McGregor (RHP)
Kevin Shackelford (RHP)
Kyle Halbohn (RHP)
Leandro Santana (3B)
Leonardo Seminati (1B)
Logan Taylor (OF)
Lorenzo Cedrola (OF)
Luis Alecis (RHP)
Luis Gonzalez (SS)
Luis Lopez (SS)
Lyon Richardson (RHP)
Mac Sceroler (RHP)
Manuel Cachutt (RHP)
Mariel Bautista (OF)
Mark Kolozsvary (C)
Matt Pidich (RHP)
Michael Beltre (OF)
Michael Byrne (RHP)
Michael Spooner (OF)
Miguel Hernandez (SS)
Miguel Medrano (RHP)
Mike Siani (OF)
Miles Gordon (CF)
Mitch Nay (3B)
Moises Nova (RHP)
Morgan Lofstrom (C)
Narciso Crook (OF)
Nick Hanson (RHP)
Nick Howard (RHP)
Nick Lee (LHP)
Nick Longhi (OF)
Nick Travieso (RHP)
Noah Davis (RHP)
Orlando Noriega (RHP)
Pabel Manzanero (C)
Packy Naughton (LHP)
Parker Morin (C)
Patrick McGuff (RHP)
Patrick Riehl (RHP)
Perez Knowles (LHP)
Randy Ventura (OF)
Raul Hernandez (RHP)
Raul Juarez (IF)
Raul Wallace (OF)
Reiver Sanmartin (LHP)
Reniel Ozuna (OF)
Reshard Munroe (OF)
Ricardo Smith (RHP)
Ricky Karcher (RHP)
Ricky Salinas (RHP)
Rob Wooten (RHP)
Robert Boselli (C)
Ryan Campbell (RHP)
Ryan Dunne (RHP)
Ryan Hendrix (RHP)
Ryan Lillie (RHP)
Ryan Nutof (RHP)
Ryan Olson (RHP)
Rylan Thomas (1B)
Sarkis Ohanian (RHP)
Scott Moss (LHP)
Sebastian Elizalde (CF)
Seth Varner (LHP)
Sherman Johnson (2B)
Stephen Keller (RHP)
Stuart Fairchild (OF)
Stuart Turner (C)
Taylor Sparks (3B)
Tejay Antone (RHP)
Tim Adleman (RHP)
Tommy Bergjans (RHP)
Ty Boyles (LHP)
Valentin Martinez (C)
Victor Payano (LHP)
Victor Ruiz (3B)
Wendolyn Bautista (RHP)
Wennington Romero (LHP)
Wyatt Strahan (RHP)
Yomil Maysonet (RHP)
Yonathan Mendoza (SS)
Zeke White (OF)

I'm a spring training every day so I will deliver each player a physical gift card in a personalized envelope.

Feel free to provide me with any personalized notes or thank yous in the GoFundMe comments and I will include them. 

Thank you very much for your support!

Melanie