Winter Meetings charity auction launches

For the sixth consecutive year, Major League Baseball, MLB Advanced Media, MLB Network and all 30 Clubs have organized a charity auction during Baseball's annual Winter Meetings to benefit a special cause close to the game. This year, the auction will support the "Katharine Feeney Memorial Scholarship Fund," which is in memory of the late pioneering baseball executive whose career spanned 40 years.
This year's auction, which is now LIVE at MLB.com/wintermeetingsauction until Thursday, December 14th at 10:00 p.m. (ET), once again includes once-in-a-lifetime baseball experiences and unique items to raise funds and awareness for this special cause. Following are some of the items supporters can now bid on:
2018 MLB All-Star Experience with four tickets to all major events at Nationals Park during 2018 MLB All-Star Week in Washington D.C., including the 89th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, Sirius-XM All-Star Futures Game, the Celebrity & Legends Softball Game as well as All-Star FanFest and the All-Star Summer Gala. Additionally, the winner and their guests will be able to watch batting practice for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby from the field at Nationals Park on Monday, July 16th.
• Take part in Spring Training Photo Day alongside D-backs reliever Archie Bradley and have a catch with Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr.
• Take a private catching lesson with Atlanta Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki.
• Experience the joy of painting with resident clubhouse artist and Baltimore Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph.
• Be Yasiel Puig's friend as he hosts lunch.
• Take infield drills with Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier during an early pregame workout with Twins infield instructor Gene Glynn.
• Have a catch in the outfield at Wrigley Field.
• Sit in the "Judge's Chambers" at Yankee Stadium and meet 2017 American League Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge.
• Be a Cleveland Indians executive for a day, including running the @Indians twitter account, sitting in the press box, meeting team broadcasters and sitting in on Terry Francona's pregame chat with media.
• Get treated to VIP experiences, including premium seat packages and throwing ceremonial first pitches, during spring training and regular season with several Clubs such as the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies.
• Meet & Greet Major League All-Stars (Carlos Correa, Mike Trout, Joey Votto, Corey Knebel, Wil Myers, Aaron Sanchez and others) and Legends of the game (Luis Gonzalez, John Franco, John Kruk and Mookie Wilson).
• Have dinner with Keith (Hernandez), Ron (Darling) & Gary (Cohen), the SNY announcers for the New York Mets.
• Be an intern with the Oakland A's or Tampa Bay Rays for a day.
• Train with Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and receive personalized nutrition plans and workouts.
• Participate in various managerial experiences with Don Mattingly (Miami Marlins), Clint Hurdle (Pittsburgh Pirates), Ned Yost (Kansas City Royals), Craig Counsell (Milwaukee Brewers), Mike Scioscia (Los Angeles Angels), Mickey Callaway (New York Mets) and Scott Servais (Seattle Mariners).
• Share a meal with San Diego Padres legend Trevor Hoffman or Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann.
• Receive private hitting lessons with Major League hitting coaches, including Harold Baines (Chicago White Sox), Mark McGwire (San Diego Padres) and Anthony Iapoce (Texas Rangers), as well as pitching lessons with Rangers pitching coach Doug Brocail.
• Win autographed baseballs from San Francisco Giants legends who are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. - Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry.
• Be part of the Seattle Mariners Grounds Crew for a day.
• Receive a collection of all the official team-issued caps the St. Louis Cardinals players will wear during the 2018 Regular Season, including Spring Training, home & road games, alternate caps, Mother's & Father's Day, Memorial Day & July 4th, and Player's Weekend.
• Invite Washington Nationals mascots Screech and Teddy to crash the winner's next birthday party, BBQ or school event.
• Take a private tour of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum's Collections Archive
 
NOTE: The above is not the full list of items and experiences, but rather a sample of some of the more unique offerings through this auction. A full list of items and experiences can be found here.
 
The numerous employees, friends and fans of the game affected by cancer originally inspired this initiative, which has raised more than $900,000 since its inception. With Katy Feeney's unfortunate and sudden passing, as well as her commitment to helping and mentoring others throughout her 40 years in the game, the charity auction shifted to support this specific cause.
The fund will support an annual scholarship that will be awarded to a female student at the University of San Francisco who most exemplifies Katy's character. Eligible candidates for the scholarship will be students who are pursuing a career in sports management and who also demonstrate a financial need to attain an advanced degree.
Statement from the Feeney Family: "Katy was always willing to offer a helping hand particularly to those in need. This scholarship commemorates her memory, particularly her devotion to helping others as well as her passionate love of the game. We are looking forward to awarding a young woman who most closely resembles Katy's character, intelligence, ability to succeed, and the willingness to mentor other young people interested in a similar career path. The entire Feeney Family wishes to thank MLB and all the teams and staffs for helping to create and support this richly-deserved legacy in Katy's memory."
Major League Baseball has also honored Katy's legacy by hosting the "Katy Feeney Leadership Symposium" during the Winter Meetings. The special career-minded event, which was held Sunday, December 10th, focused on the leadership education and advancement of female executives from throughout the game, including those from all 30 Clubs, the Office of the Commissioner, MLB Advanced Media and MLB Network. Officials from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business "Executive Education Program" led the symposium.
Feeney joined the office of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs in 1977 and ascended to supervise the NL's scheduling and public relations functions. When the NL and the American League Office merged with the Office of the Commissioner in 2000, Feeney directed the construction of the entire Major League schedule and managed many weather-related issues that affected the schedule.
Feeney was the daughter of Charles "Chub" Feeney, a longtime executive with the New York and San Francisco Giants and the former President of the National League. Katy was a University of California-Berkeley graduate and the 1994 recipient of the Robert O. Fishel Award for Public Relations excellence, presented annually to the active, non-uniformed representative of Major League Baseball whose ethics, character, dedication, service, professionalism and humanitarianism best represent the standards propounded by the former executive.