Dombrowski’s First Hot Stove Decision:Buchholz

Now that the World Series is over the baseball world quickly turns to the hot stove season. Free agency, salary arbitration, qualifying offers and winter meetings.

For the Red Sox, the first decision must be made by Wednesday - whether or not to pick up the Clay Buchholz $13-million option for next year. That would also kick in a 2017 $13.5-million contract.

The biggest names the Sox have as free agents are Craig Breslow and Rich Hill.

All teams must set their 40-man roster by November 20th.

Here is a list of some of the other important hot stove season dates...

2015

Nov. 2 -- 5-day period of exclusive negotiation between club and their free agents
Nov. 7 -- Players can sign with any team
Nov. 9-12 -- GM meetings, Boca Raton, Fla.
Dec. 7-10 -- Winter meetings, Nashville, Tenn.
Dec. 7 -- Hall of Fame pre-integration era committee (through 1946) vote announced

2016

Jan. 7 -- Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2016 announced
Jan. 12 -- Salary arbitration filing
Jan. 15 -- Salary arbitration figures exchanged
Feb. 1-21 -- Salary arbitration hearings
Feb. 18 -- Voluntary reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players
Feb. 23 -- Voluntary reporting date for other team's other players
March 1 -- Mandatory reporting date
April 3 -- ESPN Sunday Night Baseball opener (two teams TBD)
April 4 -- Opening Day
April 15 -- Jackie Robinson Day
June 9-11 -- First-Year Player Draft
July 10 -- Futures Game, Petco Park, San Diego
July 11 -- Home Run Derby, Petco Park, San Diego
July 12 -- 87th All-Star Game, Petco Park, San Diego
July 15 -- Deadline for amateur draft picks to sign
July 24 -- Hall of Fame inductions, Cooperstown, NY
July 31 -- Non-waiver trade deadline, 4 p.m. ET
Sept. 1 -- Active rosters expand to 40 players
Oct. 2 -- Regular season ends