FanPost

Key Off-Season Dates

Twenty-two Major League Baseball Clubs have completed the 2011 championship season; only eight remain in the post-season.  Here are key dates for the off-season arranged so even a Trogluddite like me can understand it.  In fact, I’m gonna’ go out on a limb and say if it’s not on this list, it’s not a key date.

 

Date

Event

October 1st

Clubs may no longer option players to an MiLB team

October 19th

MiLB teams may not trade players to any other team after this date

October 23rd-27th

Eligible players automatically become free agents once World Series ends

October 28th –

  November 1st

Free agents may negotiate with any club (midnight) five days after the World Series ends

 

 

November 18th

All clubs must submit Major and Minor League Reserve Lists (the Major League Reserve List is the 40-man roster) to the Commissioner. For the most part, Minor League Reserve Lists cannot be modified until after the Rule 5 Selection meeting.

November 23rd

Last day (midnight) for clubs to offer arbitration to players eligible to be free agents

November 30th

Last day for a free agent to accept arbitration offered by his former club

 

 

December 1st

Last day to request waivers to outright a player to an MiLB team

December 2nd

Clubs must offer contracts to players on the club’s Major League Reserve List (and any reserved players on the restricted or disqualified lists)

December 5th – 8th

MLB and MiLB Winter Meetings

December 5th

(5:00 EST)

Last day to outright a player to an MiLB team

December 6th

MiLB teams may begin trading players to other teams

 

 

December 8th – 9th

Rule 5 Selection Meeting

December 9th

Clubs may begin offering contracts to players on the club’s MiLB Reserve Lists

 

Clubs may assign players to MiLB teams once Rule 5 draft is complete

December 11th

Current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires

December 16th – 18th

PirateFest

 

 

January 15th

Last day that clubs may offer contracts to players on the club’s MiLB Reserve Lists

 

 

February 15th

Clubs may again option players to an MiLB team

February 19th

Earliest date that injured players, pitchers, and catchers may be invited to workouts

March 2nd

Earliest date that spring training may begin

April 4th

Opening Day, 2012 championship season

 

 

In case you’re wondering, all of this information from:

 

2008 Major League Rules and Professional Baseball Agreement

and the 2007-2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement

and of course MLB's official winter schedule.

 

PS - don't forget to bookmark this page so you can find it again when it disappears from the front page.

            

 

 

 

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