December 2014,
My name is Johan Schultz, the President of the newly formed World Baseball League.
The time has come, it is December of 2014 and the American powerhouse, the Major League Baseball League has been dissolved. Crumbling financial issues have forced the league to disband.
Major League Baseball in the United States is through, finished. But don't worry baseball fans, the announcement considering the future of the MLB does not go grim, it gets much, much brighter.
There has been demand for a baseball league that encompasses the world for many, many years. The World Baseball Classic in all its greatness doesn't encompass the true validation that the world has said it wants. So, we have listened and have created the World Baseball League.
The World Baseball League's Board, which consists of 10 members (who have not been publicly ID'd yet) was created in November of 2014.
It was decided by the board that 90 cities around the world will have teams---original teams. These cities have been picked after careful consideration and scouting.
These teams will be made up of Major League Baseball players from from the end of the 2014 season. An expansion draft will be held filling the rosters. The WBL Board voted 6-4 to keep only MLB players to the surprise of many. There is no plan of incepting leagues in Japan, Mexico or any other country that has a professional baseball league at this time. Each team will have two minor league teams as well.
Salary Cap - Each team will negotiate player/coach contracts. Each team will have a year salary cap of 25M per year. All player/coach contracts have been dissolved from their previous teams.
Rosters
1. The number of players on a World Baseball League roster is dictated by the labor agreements worked out between players and management. According to the current rules, a team may have a maximum of 25 men on a roster for Opening Day. With 2 levels in the Minor League system in place for the 2014 season, rosters will be kept at 25 players during the regular season.
2. In the postseason, rosters are fixed at 40 men. An injured player can be placed on the disabled list and replaced by another player not included on the initial 25-man roster, but the injured player is no longer available for the next round of the playoffs should his team advance due to his being on the DL.
3. After the teams have been set by a random draft - meaning simply that a team will get a random player at their pick; the remaining players not picked will to go into free agency. Teams will be able to cut the rosters down to size and pick the best players suited for their teams.
In terms of rules, rosters and regulations for the WBL, the rules will follow an exact mirror of the MLB except for one, both leagues will have a Designated hitter in their lineups as there will be no pitcher batting slot. This was voted on and deemed to be abolished 9-1 by the WBL Board.
It was deemed that the 2014 MLB rulebook will serve as the guidelines for the inaugural 2015 WBL season.
The Division names were announced today:
Babe Ruth National Conference
Lou Gherig Division (5 Teams)
Jackie Robinson Division (5 Teams)
Roberto Clemente Division (5 Teams)
Rod Carew International Conference
Luis Aparicio Division (5 Teams)
Luis Tiant Division (5 Teams)
Ken Griffey Jr. Division (5 Teams)
Timeline:
January 2015 --- Inaugural WBL Draft
March 2015 --- All contracts finalized
