[Jazzmosis]

Since this league is gaining some popularity (woot!), I decided to do a background writeup (perhaps the first of a series of background). And, a quick writeup for JD "The Big" Boom, the only OOTP player added this year.

With the WWBA's popularity growing and more players declaring for the drafts, it was clear that baseball was being reborn after the terrible decay of 8 years ago. The league was far more balanced, and a salary cap had been placed from the beginning before corporate sponsorships and WWPA (Player's Association) was set in place. There was only two players in the whole league that had crossed both leagues (MLB to WWBA), and one was a first year rookie at the time. The other was Jeffery Huneycutt, who was 22 and in double-A at the time of MLB's demise. Despite all MLB players being banned (with exception of the rookie draftees of 2034, when MLB closed before the draft (MLB's official dispersal date: 5/3/2034)), these two were allowed to cross over years later due to their histories. Both accepted, and were offered the presidency of the WWPA. The players were Jeffery Huneycutt, who was drafted by Tokyo, and Doc Watson (VAN). Both of these players had been actively protesting the MLB Player Steroid scandal in 2034 - and thus, after testing, were declared the ONLY players in MLB play not on steroids. While it may appear shocking that approximately 6000 players were on performance-enhancing drugs, the scandal had run so deep, the cheating so rampant that the only way to be good enough for the draft was to be on roids. Thus, there was an outcropping of 17-18 year olds juicing up. MLB had become a disgrace, and when it tried to place restrictions on steroids for the first time in 2030, a near strike happened. They tried twice more to rectify the situation, but eventually a short strike was instigated by the MLBPA in Febuary 2033.
The strike was resolved before the season started, but only because the MLB could not stand to lose revenue and caved beforehand. MLB was hanging on by a thread financially - a strike would easily bankrupt them.
After countless attempts during 2033 to get a resolution that would save-face and bring fans back to the game that had betrayed them with drugs, the MLB changed Commishioners on 10/30/2033. Leaving was former BALCO CEO (this is how deep the scandal ran: The Commish was a former BALCO owner) Ted Pulaski Jr, and taking his place was take-no-crap Commish Russel Adams, a noted anti-steroid activitist. He immediately gave the MLBPA an ultamatum - clear steroids or else.
When MLBPA refused, making threats that MLB wouldn't be able to handle a strike, 46 year old-Adams stuck to his guns. Others in the front office flaked, immediately regretting putting him in power. Team owners begged him to avoid a strike, but Adams refused. He set in place a team of steroid testing, and pressed forward his plan of testing every single player in the MLB organizations for steroids.

Naturally, the MLBPA refused his plan, and threatened another strike. Adams opened up a "voluntary" steroid test, making implications that any player could go but if they were caught with drugs, they would be banned or suspended indefinitely. Two players in the entire league showed up for the test. 20-year old Doc Watson, who had just been drafted by the Seattle Mariners, was the first to show up. He was still in Low-A ball, but cleared the tests with a perfect score. Three days later, Jeffery Huneycutt, Double-A outfielder (who seemed to have maxed out his potential there, but only due to the roided talent all around him) for Pittsburgh, also cleared the test. No other player showed. They immediately backed Adams' stance, and were promptly thrown out of the MLBPA for it.
Adams refused to give up his position, and finally, on January 14th, 2034, the MLBPA went on strike. Adams gave them a "my way or you can stay on strike" message, and communication was lost between them for nearly two months. The season was supposed to start on April 3rd, but the strike raged on, and teams were losing money. On April 14th, three clubs (Arizona, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay) pulled out of the MLB, cutting their losses. Other teams started to follow that lead, and by May 1st, there was only 16 teams officially still in the MLB. Most of the minor league affiliates had collapsed, but Adams would not back down.

On May 2nd, Adams called a meeting between the remaining officials, team owners, and even invited Doc Watson and Huneycutt to attend. What was said in that meeting is unknown, locked away with the respective attendence.

On May 3rd, 2034, MLB Commishioner Russel Adams called the MLBPA and the media to an open-door meeting. This was the first contact in two weeks between the two parties. Adams provided an ultimatum which read as follows in the highly-televised event:

"Gentlemen, either you submit to mandatory steroid testing, or face the consequences of your refusal. MLB and baseball have suffered as a result of your refusal to comply. Many owners have lost millions of dollars and pulled out because you have broken the rules set decades ago and now are unwilling to fix these infractions."

To which the MLPA president responded: "Do your worst - the MLBPA believes this is a trust issue and mandatory testing breaks that trust between our two parties."

Adams was quoted: "Very well gentlemen. You'll see the great mistake you've made."

The meeting was ajorned, but 6 hours later the MLB press released this statement: "Due to multiple issues, the MLB will be forclosing it's business, and all the of the players will be disbanded. This is the end of professional baseball, at least in the MLB-sense."

The shock rippled everywhere, included in the MLBPA. All teams were disbanded, all contracts rendered null and void, all players banned (except Watson and Huneycutt) and baseball no longer shined in North America.

Over the next 3 years, many other countries followed suit. The Japanese league closed after similiar issues, the Mexican league also closed. But Adams was not done. In 2038, he got together a group of private investors, and the groundwork for the WWBA was made.

That's all for now. When I think of more, I'll write it up again.

Now snapping back to "present" day (2042), the JD Boom writeup:

The draft had noticed an increase in talent, but more due to young players feeling the urge to play baseball again. Fan support had grown, citizens obviously reluctant at first to welcome organized baseball back into their lifes, but warming to the idea. Although pitching still dominated, one was wondering how much after-effects of steroids baseball had on offensive production. However, the draft went smoothly, until JD Boom was drafted. The 21 year old from south Florida had expressed a desire to play, but had not declared for the draft due to his Freshman-status in college. However, after lengthy debates with WWBA Commish Russel Adams, he was allowed into the draft (but had to drop out of college.) as a high school player. He slipped until the fourth round, until the Quebec City Imperials decided to see if they could make it work. There was alot of red tape involved to get him cleared, but QCI had a steal in the making. He had a solid bat and natural power, although lefties gave him fits. He had a decent arm behind the plate and his game-calling skills was average or just slightly above. Good luck to his future in a strong division!