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Athletics to pay minor leaguers: 'We clearly got this decision wrong'

Michael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher is reversing course after initially deciding to end the $400 weekly stipends to his minor leaguers.

"I changed my mind after spending a lot of time talking to our team," Fisher told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

He added that team president Dave Kaval, vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane, and general manager David Forst helped change his opinion.

"I've listened to our fans and others, and there is no question that this is the right thing to do," Fisher said. "We clearly got this decision wrong. These players represent our future and we will immediately begin paying our minor-league players. I take responsibility and I'm making it right."

Players will also receive the payment they missed this week.

All 30 organizations pledged to pay minor leaguers a $400 weekly wage through May 31. Many teams then opted to release a number of players in their farm system while continuing to pay others.

Oakland was the only team to stop paying minor leaguers. The Washington Nationals decided to reduce the weekly stipend by 25% but quickly opted against it when players from their major-league team pledged to pay the balance.

The Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins chose to retain all minor-league players through the pandemic and continue paying them.

"That's awesome news," Athletics minor-league catcher J.J. Schwarz told Slusser. "I have a lot of respect for John Fisher - to admit you're wrong, you made a mistake, that's not easy to do."

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