Winter meetings
Encyclopedia
The Baseball Winter Meetings are an annual event, held each December, attended by representatives from all 30 Major League Baseball
organizations, more than 160 minor league baseball
teams, various league offices, companies associated with baseball and guests from international baseball-playing countries for four days during the offseason. This is a time when many offseason trades and transactions are completed. The Rule 5 draft
, where players who are not on a team's 40-man roster can be drafted by another team, is held on the shortened last day of the meetings. It is generally considered the culmination of baseball's "hot stove league
."
The tradition of baseball holding offseason meetings during December dates back as far as 1876, the first offseason of the National League
. At the 1876 meetings, William Hulbert
was selected to be the league's president, and two teams (the New York Mutuals
and Philadelphia Athletics) were expelled from the league for failing to complete their 1876 schedule.
Since 1951, the "King of Baseball
" title has been awarded at the Banquet at the Baseball Winter Meetings. League meetings, the Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities Job Fair and The Baseball Trade Show are some of the other highlights of the event.
In 2011, the 110th annual Baseball Winter Meetings are scheduled to be held in Dallas, Texas
from December 5-8.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
organizations, more than 160 minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams, various league offices, companies associated with baseball and guests from international baseball-playing countries for four days during the offseason. This is a time when many offseason trades and transactions are completed. The Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
, where players who are not on a team's 40-man roster can be drafted by another team, is held on the shortened last day of the meetings. It is generally considered the culmination of baseball's "hot stove league
Hot stove league
The "Hot Stove League" is a baseball-related term, referring to the sport's off-season. The phrase does not denote an actual league "league", but instead calls up images of baseball fans, anxious for the start of the new season, gathering around a hot stove during the cold winter months discussing...
."
The tradition of baseball holding offseason meetings during December dates back as far as 1876, the first offseason of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. At the 1876 meetings, William Hulbert
William Hulbert
William Ambrose Hulbert was one of the founders of the National League, recognized as baseball's first major league, and was also the president of the Chicago White Stockings franchise....
was selected to be the league's president, and two teams (the New York Mutuals
New York Mutuals
The Mutual Base Ball Club of New York was a leading American baseball club almost throughout its 20-year history. It was established during 1857, the year of the first baseball convention, just too late to be a founding member of the National Association of Base Ball Players. It was a charter...
and Philadelphia Athletics) were expelled from the league for failing to complete their 1876 schedule.
Since 1951, the "King of Baseball
King of Baseball
King of Baseball is a ceremonial title awarded by Minor League Baseball to one person each year in recognition of longtime dedication and service to professional baseball.- Background :The title was first awarded in 1951...
" title has been awarded at the Banquet at the Baseball Winter Meetings. League meetings, the Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities Job Fair and The Baseball Trade Show are some of the other highlights of the event.
In 2011, the 110th annual Baseball Winter Meetings are scheduled to be held in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
from December 5-8.