Minor League Baseball is at the epicenter in the resurgence in popularity in the sport of baseball – from in-game activities that get fans involved to seeing the future of the sport at a level in which they have not yet ‘made it,’ the MiLB does things right. But if the MLB has any say in how they operate, then the sport of baseball will soon cause its own demise.

Falling from the graces of being labeled as America’s Pastime would be a huge mistake for the historical sport, with its roots being traced back hundreds and hundreds of years. With ties from all over the world, the sport of baseball is an ever-evolving sport that has, at the same time, actually stayed the same.

The concept of the sport has mostly stayed the same, but in-game aspects related to schematics and strategy have evolved with the times, which is common in all athletic activities. But ever since this sport became recognized, the thing that has remained the same is how it brings people together.

Commissioner Rob Manfred and his staff have not done many things right since taking over in January of 2015, which is hard to understand given his four-plus years at the helm leading one of the most successful and largest sports in the entire world. But consistently referencing the downtick in attendance, not pushing for cheaper and better resources for fans, and his unwillingness to treat baseball as respectfully as it has treated him has lead to a cloud of negativity surrounding him and the sport.

259 teams make up the entirety of the minor league baseball system, and with the proposal from Manfred, that number would go down by 40 if it was to pass. 40 cities, 40 counties, 40 states would all lose a source of enjoyment, employment and an environment that encourages team building and can create long-lasting memories for everyone.

But who would lose the most from this? The players.

Minor-league players all across the sport and all across different talent levels would lose their opportunity to compete, with there being fewer roster spots for players to have. An unfortunate result of this outcome, players who are already struggling to make a living on salaries that are grossly underpaying them would be out of a job altogether.

By shrinking the minor-league system, Manfred is telling baseball fans all across the world that money matters more than the opportunity to play a children’s sport, and that the big guy matters more to the sport than the little guy who is just trying to make a living.

If this were to move forward and happen, then baseball will never be the same. Manfred will have left his permanent mark on the sport, ruining what previous generations had worked so hard to establish, just to make more money. While there will obviously be elements that people will believe will make this sport better than what it was, the negatives easily outweigh the positives.