LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The opportunities to meet Marlins manager Don Mattingly or throw the ceremonial first pitch at Marlins Park are up for grabs in the annual Winter Meetings auction.
The Katharine Feeney Memorial Scholarship Fund Charity Auction launched Monday and will run through Thursday, spanning the four days of MLB's Winter Meetings. Two Marlins-specific packages are available in the on-line bidding process.
The auction went live on MLB.com/wintermeetingsauction and runs through 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, the final day of the Winter Meetings.
For decades, Mattingly has been one of the most recognizable names in baseball. A former All-Star and American League MVP Award winner for the Yankees, Mattingly has managed the Marlins since 2016.
Entering his third season in Miami, one of his objectives is to help groom and develop what promises to be a young squad.
The winning bidder will get the chance to experience what a typical day is like for Mattingly at the ballpark, how he interacts with the players and their routine before a game.
The winner receives four Diamond Club tickets at Miami's retractable-roof ballpark, plus a parking pass and four on-field batting practice passes where you will meet Mattingly on a mutually agreed upon date.
All 30 MLB clubs are taking part in the auction, and the second package at Marlins Park includes throwing the ceremonial first pitch.
Every fan's dream is to be on the field, and the winning bidder will step on the mound as part of pregame introductions.
Like the winning bid for the Mattingly meet-and-greet, the ceremonial first-pitch recipient also will receive passes to watch batting practice from the field and get four Diamond Club tickets and parking to a mutually agreed upon regular-season game at Marlins Park.
Each event up for bidding provides a unique opportunity for the winner to not only experience a memorable baseball event, but also contribute to a worthwhile cause.
For the sixth straight year, Major League Baseball, MLB Advanced Media, MLB Network and all clubs have organized a charity auction during the annual Winter Meetings to benefit a special cause close to the game.
The 2017 auction will support the Katharine Feeney Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is in memory of the late pioneering baseball executive whose career spanned 40 years.
Since the auctions inception, more than $900,000 has been raised for various charities.