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Baseball rosters are events can be complicated. A lot happens and typically those things can't all happen and not all of them can happen at the same time. Here's when you can look forward to things happening this winter.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
- Players are eligible to file for free agency
Sunday, November 3, 2013
- Final date to request waivers on draft-excluded players
Translation: A "draft-excluded player" is a minor leaguer eligible for the Rule 5 draft, whose contract was selected and who was added to the 40-man roster. This is the last date those players can be outrighted until 25 days prior to Opening Day. For the Twins, this would include players like Andrew Albers, Josmil Pinto, or Danny Santana. I don't expect the Twins to need to take advantage of this date barring something unforeseen.
Monday, November 4, 2013
- Last date to reinstate players from the 60-day disabled list
- Last date for clubs to tender qualifying offers
- Eligible minor league players become free agents
Translation: This is the date by which Sam Deduno must be reinstated, meaning he will count against the 40-man roster again.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
- Major and Minor League players can negotiate with any team
Translation: THIS IS THE DATE WE ALL START HOT STOVES.
Monday, November 11, 2013
- Last date for players to accept or decline qualifying offers
- GM/Owner Meetings commence, end November 13
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
- Final date to protect players from Rule 5 draft by adding them to 40-man roster
Monday, December 2, 2013
- Tender deadline for arbitration-eligible players
Translation: There are a few ways for a player's tenure with a team to end in free agency. A player on the 25-man roster with at least six years of service time can not have a contract tendered; a player with less than six years of service has his contract expire, but he was signed as a ten-year free agent from the Nippon Baseball League; a player with less than six years of service time is not tendered a contract or salary arbitration. That last one is the one we're the most interested in here.
Monday, December 9, 2013
- Final date to outright players before Rule 5 draft
- Winter Meetings commence, end December 12
Translation: The most exciting week of the off-season and HOT STOVES.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
- Rule 5 draft
Plan your lives accordingly, people.