Adam Rubin, who covers the Mets for ESPN New York, says he has been told that the Mets are really freaking cheap.

Rubin was asked whether rumors were true that players were asked to pay to attend offseason workouts sponsored by the team:

Think an agent told me they asked $1,000 from minor leaguers.RT @SaltyGary: is it true players are paying for this out of their own pockets?

— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) January 15, 2015

If true, this would be comical if it weren’t so sad – and myopic. Consider, minor leaguers filed a lawsuit against baseball last year seeking better pay.

How much are they paid? Well …

That leaves minor league salaries typically ranging from $1,100 a month in short-season leagues to $2,150 a month for Triple-A, figues asserted in the lawsuit and confirmed by two major league front-office officials. One team official confirmed that first-year player salaries are set by the commissioner’s office. After that, salaries vary by team, though not significantly.

In other words, the Mets reportedly are charging nearly a month’s salary (in season) for minor leaguers to work out in the offseason after MLB earned record revenues of $9 billion in 2014.

Update: Some clarity from New York Post reporter Mike Puma:

True that Mets players attending Mike Barwis’ camp in PSL are paying out of pocket. But this was also the case last year, when camp (cont)

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) January 15, 2015

was in Michigan. Barwis is an independent contractor, according to Mets, and not employed by the club.

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) January 15, 2015

Also, Barwis’ camp is not mandatory.

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) January 15, 2015

In other words, the players working out would have to pay money if they hired another personal trainer. They pay Barwis $1,000.

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) January 15, 2015

More understandable, but employers have paid for me to go to “outside contractors” for professional development opportunities – which this basically is.