The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.
Keep: Played four seasons in AAA, the highest minor league, and very plainly meetsWP:ATHLETE as having played in a "fully professional" league, quite aside from being an All-Star one of those seasons. Ravenswing 08:01, 23 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comment Rookie league ball is fully professional. Should we start making articles for every single rookie leaguer? Alex (talk) 08:06, 23 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Classic WP:WAX argument. If you believe that WP:ATHLETE somehow means that minor leaguers in all sports aren't notable, why not get consensus around to have the rule explicitly say so? The fact of the matter is that all attempts to do so have failed by a wide margin. Ravenswing 08:21, 23 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, I disagree. Minor league simply doesn't get it in reality. (And yes, other editors have expressed that opinion too, so don't act like this is something I made up). It is training to play professional baseball. Many of the players still keep side jobs to make ends meet. Almost all of them enter with the hopes and intentions of making it to play as a real professional, not some sort of apprentice. Niteshift36 (talk) 04:45, 24 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
It is not "training" to play professional baseball; it is playing professional baseball, and despite the opinion of a cadre of Wikipedia editors, the public at large has been using "going to the pros" and "playing pro ball" as euphemisms for being signed to a minor league baseball contract for a century. I appreciate the frustration some have over the loose criteria of WP:ATHLETE, which I share, but until consensus changes to alter WP:ATHLETE or to devolve standards to the various Wikiprojects, it is what it is. Ravenswing 08:19, 24 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I happen to disagree. I regularly attend minor league games and I'm not sure what part of the "public at large" you're talking to, but the ones I talk to look at minor league ball as a stepping stone to being a real professional. But my personal experiences mean nothing, just as your take on what the "public at large" thinks does. I don't feel he meets WP:ATHLETE. That's my opinion. Thanks for the discussion. Niteshift36 (talk) 03:41, 25 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Well, where does notability end? See below. The user states: "Baker played in the highest level of professional baseball other than the MLB." And AA is the highest level other than AAA. So do we start making articles for each AA player? And so on and so forth. Alex (talk) 18:28, 23 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No one compels you to do so, but until and unless WP:ATHLETE is changed, no one debars you from it either. Ravenswing 21:50, 23 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comment It ends at AAA. It applies to the level below the Highest Form of professional baseball. I does not have a chain effect on every level of baseball.Kithira (talk) 19:16, 23 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Keep: This article meets WP:ATHLETE, as Baker played in the highest level of professional baseball other than the MLB. AAA baseball is a long way past Rookie-ball. Kithira (talk) 11:34, 23 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Keep: Was also a former first round draft pick and did reach AAA baseball on multiple occasions. Also involved in important trade for Alan Embree who many think helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series.(talk)
Keep Stints on the 40-man roster and being a first round pick makes me lean towards keep.--Giants27(Contribs|WP:CFL) 16:16, 27 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.