MLB Winter Meetings: Everything you need to know about the MLB off-season's busiest time

The MLB winter meetings are all set to kick off on Sunday in San Diego. Traditionally, the winter meetings are the four busiest days of the offseason. Last season, there were four trades and ten free-agent signings including the likes of Andrew McCutchen, Charlie Morton and the three-team trade of Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnacion.

Also Read: MLB Trade Rumours: Texas Rangers Could Sign New York Yankees Player Miguel Andujar

Here’s everything to know about the 2019 MLB Winter Meetings

• Where: Hilton San Diego Bayfront
• When: December 8-12

MLB winter meetings main events:

• Modern Era Hall of Fame Class announcement: Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Steve Garvey,  Marvin Miller, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Dwight Evans, Ted Simmons, Thurman Munson, and Lou Whitaker are the candidates to be deliberated by the Modern Baseball Era Committee to receive the Hall of Fame honour in the Class of 2020.
• Professional Baseball Employment Opportunities (PBEO) Job Fair: The PBEO Job Fair is a prospect for job hunters to come across team representatives and even have an interview. The agenda and registration info can be found on the official PBEO website. The majority of available positions are entry-level with minor league teams.
• Baseball Trade Show: The trade show is one of the most exciting parts of the MLB winter meetings. Dealers from around the country show off their products ranging from equipment to concessions to bobbleheads. You can find out more about the trade show on their official website.
• Bob Frietas Business Seminar and Awards Gala: The seminar features guest lecturers from both inside and outside the world of baseball alongside informal workshops. The Awards Gala consist of the presentation of the Bowie Kuhn Award, the Baseball America Organization of the Year award and a variety of Scout of the Year awards amongst other things.

The MLB and minor league teams are presently negotiating a new Professional Baseball Agreement. MLB has suggested disregarding 42 minor league teams as part of a sizeable overhaul of the minor league. The minor league teams are quite understandably not in agreement with the proposal. The PBA terminates after next season and this week's negotiations could be quarrelsome.

Also Read: MLB Trade Rumours: Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies Agree To 5-year Deal

The first-ever All-MLB Team to be unveiled at the 2019 MLB Winter meetings

The 2019 MLB Winter Meetings will see the revelation of the first-ever All-MLB Team. The All-MLB Team will mirror performances from last season, and there will be one solitary All-MLB Side covering both the leagues. The American League and the National League won’t have separate teams. The team will be selected through a combination of fan voting and a panel including journalists, former players and baseball officials. Fan voting closes a week earlier. The All-MLB team will be announced on Tuesday and will include a catcher, a first baseman, a second baseman, a shortstop, a third baseman and three outfielders regardless of their outfield positions, a DH, five starting pitchers and two relief pitchers.

Also Read: New York Yankees Owner Hal Steinbrenner Believes Brett Gardner Would Be Perfect Fit

MLB winter meetings: A window for potential trades

The winter meetings are the busiest days of the offseason because of the potential trades that could happen. All officials, including the team owners, general managers, president of baseball operations are at the meetings, meaning there will be a whole lot of face-to-face discussions and trading buzz. A lot of free-agent signings and trades take place.

All MLB managers interact with the media during the MLB Winter Meetings to provide a "state of the team" press conference. It's generally the first time that the managers are quizzed on their new acquisitions. A position change or injury update comes out once in a while during these sessions.

Also Read: MLB Trade Rumours: New York Yankees Consider Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg Move

MLB winter meetings: The Rule 5 draft

The annual Rule 5 Draft will signal the unofficial end of the Winter Meetings next Thursday. Players selected in the Rule 5 Draft must continue to be on their new team's active 26-man MLB roster during the entire 2020 season or be placed on waivers and offered back to their former franchise. Players not on any 40-man roster are eligible for Rule 5 draft selection. It serves a medium to give minor leaguers blocked in their current organisation, a shot at the big leagues. This year's pool of qualified players includes:

• Players recruited out of high school in 2015 or earlier.
• Players enrolled out of college in 2016 or earlier.
• Players contracted as international free agents in 2015 or earlier.