January 5-15 |
Salary arbitration filing. |
January 6 |
Hall of Fame voting results announced. |
January 8 |
Last day until May 1 for free agents who rejected arbitration offers to re-sign with their former teams. |
January 19 |
Exchange of salary arbitration figures between The Labor Relations Department and Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). |
January 21 |
Salary arbitration hearings held. |
February 2-20 |
Salary arbitration hearings held. |
February 15 |
Waivers secured on/after November 11th expire at 5:00 p.m. ET. |
February 15 |
New waiver period begins. Waivers (exclusive of Special waivers) secured on/after this date are good through 5:00 p.m. ET on May 3rd. |
February 19 |
First date injured players, pitchers and catchers may be invited to attend spring training workouts |
February 24 |
First date all other players may be invited to attend spring training workouts |
March 2-11 |
Teams may renew contracts of unsigned players. |
March 3 |
Mandatory reporting date. |
March 10 |
First date Clubs may ask waivers on draft-excluded players acquired after 8/15/03 or players chosen in the 2003 Rule 5 draft meeting (Special Waivers required for all outright assignments to the minor leagues Sept. 1, 2003 through May 3, 2004.) |
March 15 |
First date draft-excluded/selected players may be assigned to a minor league club. |
March 17 |
Last day to place a player on unconditional release waivers and pay 30 days termination pay instead of 45 days. |
March 18 |
Unconditional Release waivers requested today until 2:00 p.m. ET March 31st will owe 45 days termination pay. |
March 19 |
Last day to assign an injured player to a minor league club until the close of the championship season (outright or optionally) provided that: a) The player has less than 3 years of Major League service b) The assignment would not be the player's second (or subsequent) career outright since 3/19/90 c) The player had NO MAJOR LEAGUE SERVICE the prior championship season d) The player was not selected by the assignor Major League club in the immediately preceding Rule 5 Draft |
March 30-31 |
Opening series, New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay, Tokyo. |
March 31 |
Last date to request U.R. waivers by 2:00 p.m. ET, if you will hand, telephone, or fax notice to player, without incurring full season salary. (Owe 45 days termination pay). |
April 4 |
Official opening of the 2004 championship season. All Clubs are required to cut down rosters to 25 players before April 4. |
June 14 |
Hall of Fame game, Atlanta vs. Minnesota, Cooperstown, NY |
July 13 |
All-Star game, Houston. |
July 25 |
Hall of Fame inductions, Cooperstown, N.Y. |
October 5 |
Playoffs begin. |
October 12 |
League championship series begin. |
October 23 |
World Series begins. |