2009 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings
Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by Corey in All, Dayton Dragons Baseball, General Baseball.
Early next week the who’s who of Major League Baseball will gather in Indianapolis, Indiana for the annual Baseball Winter Meetings. This event is held each December in cities across the United States. Last year’s meetings were held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. Typically the general managers from each team meet to discuss numerous topics from rule changes, to trades. The meetings last three and a half days and are the centerpiece of the Major League offseason.
Aside from the general managers meetings, most baseball organizations bring their front office employees out to the event from all different departments to host meetings of their own, and to give them exposure to similar positions in other organizations. For example, the medical staffs will host meetings, the public relations staff go through seminars, and so on.
Beyond all the important people from Major League Franchises, there is also a group of people like myself that flock to the host city for the Winter Meetings. Some come to network for jobs, visit the trade show, or gasp to sneak a peek at current and future Hall of Fame players and office executives.
I cannot begin to explain the amount of “stars” that I saw last year at the Las Vegas meetings, working the lobbies or having some fun gambling. I was even able to sit down at a video poker machine and have Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen playing next to me.
Members of Minor League Baseball are seen quite often at the meetings, being able to sit down with their parent clubs, visit the trade show for new ideas or search the Minor League Job Fair for new employees.
Another favorite feature of mine is the event that usually happens at the closing of this three and half day event. It is called the “Rule 5 Draft,” where players who are not on a team’s 40 man roster can be drafted by another team. I will talk about this more in depth and go over some of the drafts rules in the upcoming days.
I am not sure what to expect heading to Indianapolis in a few days. I am looking forward to catching up with old friends and meeting some new ones. I am excited to visit the trade show to see what new products have hit the market (and eat all the free Dippin’ Dots that I want!). I also am interested in seeing what signings and trades are announced during the event. I will never forget last year standing outside the trade show waiting for it to open, and getting a phone call that Brandon Waring (who I had become quite close to the season before in Dayton), was being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in a package for catcher Ramon Hernandez.
Although Major League Baseball won’t resume for a few months, the Hot Stove League is just heating up.
