The MLB offseason has officially been underway ever since Anthony Rizzo caught a throw from Kris Bryant to end the 2016 season with the Chicago Cubs as the champions of baseball. Over the course of the days between then and now, the baseball world has seen some movement to set up the rest of the winter. Club options were exercised or declined. Qualifying offers are being dished out. Some players have even been traded already. But Cameron Maybin going to the Los Angeles Angels, Pat Neshek traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and Carlos Ruiz getting moved to the Seattle Mariners are only the tip of the iceberg. The real fun of the MLB offseason will start at midnight tonight, with November 8th being more than just Election Day. It is the end of the five-day window where clubs have exclusive rights to talk to their free agents, and the market officially opens up!
Now, the strike of midnight is not going to see players signing left and right like in the NFL. But that does not take away from the fun that is the MLB offseason. Starting tomorrow, we will begin to hear some new rumors. With players able to negotiate with any team, names will become associated with certain teams. New possibilities will be born, which can open up the minds of baseball fans around the world. On top of that, tomorrow also begins the start of the baseball GM meetings. Scottsdale, Arizona will be the baseball hub for the next three days with a ton of front office personnel gathering in one location. Trade talks will be born, and foundations will be laid. This will lead to reports of potential trade ideas which will only wet the appetites of baseball fans even further.
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Baseball fans will live on these rumors in the coming months. True baseball junkies will eat them up as every new rumor comes up. Then rumors will turn into actual signings and trades, and the puzzles of each team’s 2017 outlook will begin to come together even more. Each move will go on to effect the next, and give birth to another. While it is always sad to see the baseball season end, the winter is its own entity that can also be fun to follow. And that will all get underway officially once the clock strikes midnight and the calendar turns to Tuesday, November 8th.
If you are looking for more MLB offseason coverage, we have plenty right here at INSC already. Be sure to check out the following links below.
Free Agent Markets by positions (link)
Top 5 free agents to watch (link)
5 Under the radar free (link)
Important offseason dates to remember (link)