Winter Meetings schedule
There are a few set pieces of every Winter Meetings experience: the meetings typically include include press conferences with every active manager, at some point agent Scott Boras will host his own press availability filled with puns and metaphors, and the meetings will unofficially end with the Rule 5 draft, after which — even though the meetings don’t technically end until Thursday — many executives start sprinting for the exit and awaiting rides to the airport.
We don’t yet know when Boras will hold court, but here are some key events to keep in mind. (All times listed are Central Time.)
Day 1 manager press conferences — Monday, 2:20 p.m to 6 p.m.
For 20 minutes at a time, 20 different managers will hold press conferences today. Some of the more notable managers speaking today: new Reds skipper Terry Francona, Dodgers World Series champ Dave Roberts, and new Marlins manager Clayton McCullough.
Day 2 manager press conferences — Tuesday, noon to 2 p.m.
The other 10 managers will hold individual press conferences on Tuesday. Among the managers speaking on Day 1 are new White Sox manager Will Venable, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, and the two managers who are going to be playing in minor league ballparks this season, Mark Kotsay of the A’s and Kevin Cash of the Rays.
Draft Lottery broadcast — Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
The lottery itself — to determine which team has the No. 1 overall pick — will actually happen around 2:30, but the results are kept secret from everyone (including most officials) until the broadcast reveal an hour and a half later on MLB Network.
Rule 5 draft — Wednesday, 1 p.m.
One of the most anticipated and discussed events at every Winter Meetings, the Rule 5 is often pretty disappointing in the end. A few marginal players get selected every year, but most picks fall flat. Occasionally, though, one of them really pops and has a lasting impact. Anthony Santander, one of the top free agents of this offseason, was a Rule 5 pick in 2016.
