With the World Series behind us, it’s time to turn our attention to another winter of transactional activity featuring several high-profile free agencies that we’ve been anticipating for years. The first significant date on the hot stove calendar is almost here, as the general manager meetings — at which the earliest stages of free-agent negotiations and trade discussions take place — are scheduled for Nov. 4-7 in San Antonio. The MLB Winter Meetings, the much larger annual baseball industry gathering, will take place Dec. 8-11 in Dallas.
Teams have within five days of the conclusion of the World Series to make qualifying offers to pending free agents.