Important dates

[BigJohn]

March 2 -- Mandatory reporting date.
March 2-11 -- Teams may renew contracts of unsigned players.
March 15 -- Last day to place a player on unconditional release waivers and pay 30 days termination pay instead of 45 days.
March 29 -- Last day to request unconditional release waivers on a player without having to pay his full 2011 salary.
March 31 -- Opening day, active rosters reduced to 25 players.
July 12 -- All-Star game, Phoenix.
July 24 -- Hall of Fame induction, Cooperstown, N.Y.
July 31 -- Last day to trade a player without securing waivers.
Aug. 15 -- Last day to sign selections from 2011 amateur draft who have not exhausted college eligibility.
Sept. 1 -- Active rosters expand to 40 players.
Sept. 30 or Oct. 1 -- Playoffs begin.
Oct. 19 -- World Series begins.
November -- Free agent period to sign exclusively with former teams, first 15 days after World Series ends.
Dec. 1 -- Last day for teams to offer salary arbitration to their former players who became free agents.
Dec. 5-8 -- Winter meetings, Dallas.
Dec. 7 -- Last day for free agents offered salary arbitration to accept the offers.
Dec. 11 -- Collective bargaining agreement expires.
Dec. 12 -- Last day for teams to offer 2012 contracts to unsigned players.