NEW YORK — A minor league advocacy group says Major League Baseball’s new housing policy is an improvement but still inadequate.

The Advocates for Minor Leaguers Player Steering Committee released a statement on Thursday opposing the accommodation of two players per room and the absence of spouses and children.

“While the new policy represents a massive player victory, the details of the policy were determined unilaterally by MLB, which neither requested nor received our input,” the group said. “Every player deserves the privacy of their own room. … Spouses and children should be accommodated to ensure they can live with their families during the season. They should not be asked to share rooms with teammates .

The group also opposes the use of host families and says it will identify teams that provide what it considers deficient housing.

“Each MLB team can easily find 30 apartments in each of its minor league cities each year,” he said. “In light of these three potential shortcomings – and as long as the policy does not guarantee that every player will receive adequate housing – all minor league players should have the right to opt out of team-provided housing and receive at housing instead. housing allowance or reimbursement.

MLB said in November it would require teams to provide furnished accommodations, with one single bed per player and no more than two players per room. Teams will be responsible for basic utility bills.

“To the extent that apartments, rental homes or homestays are not feasible,” MLB said, “clubs may choose to provide hotel accommodations that meet established standards.”

“While housing policy is a substantial undertaking, its successful implementation is a priority for major league organizations,” MLB said in a statement. “Like any new regulations, it is the responsibility of each club to meet the requirements. Due to the flexibility of the policy, clubs can exceed the minimum standards and adapt according to individual circumstances.

Players on 40-player rosters have major league contracts and are represented by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Players with minor league contracts — the vast majority of minor leaguers — aren’t unionized.

After successfully lobbying Congress to exempt the minor leaguers from federal minimum wage laws, MLB raised wages between 38% and 72% when the minor leaguers returned last year after a one-year absence. season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rookie-level players saw the weekly minimum drop from $290 to $400, Class-A players from $290 to $500, Double-A players from $350 to $600 and Triple-A players from $502 to $700 $. Players are only paid during the season.

• Major League Baseball will not require players with minor league contracts to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this season, but does require most personnel to receive the shots.

“Our expert consultants have advised that fully up-to-date vaccinations of all field personnel and other individuals in close contact with players provide a safer environment in which to prevent infection and transmission,” MLB said in a statement. a statement on Thursday.

MLB’s decision was first reported by ESPN.

“Reasonable accommodation will be considered for staff members who are granted an exemption from this requirement. These exemptions will be reviewed on an individual basis and in accordance with state law. We continue to strongly encourage vaccination among minor league players and make resources available to minor league teams and players for this purpose,” MLB said.

CLINE GENE, a member of the first all-minority roster in Major League Baseball history and a line outfielder for the 1971 World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates, died Thursday. He was 75 years old.

Clines’ wife, Joanne, told the Pirates that Clines died at his home in Bradenton, Fla., site of the team’s longtime spring training home. No cause of death was given.

On September 1, 1971, Clines broke second and played center field for the Pirates in a starting lineup made up entirely of players of black and Latino descent. He doubled, singled and scored twice as Pittsburgh beat Philadelphia 10-7 at Three Rivers Stadium.

Clines batted .277 in 10 seasons, playing the entire decade of the 1970s with the Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Texas. He only homered five times in 870 games, but connected in the 1971 NL Championship Series against the Giants.

Clines later coached at the majors with the Cubs, Houston, Seattle, Milwaukee and San Francisco, and worked in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization with outfield, base running and hitting instruction.