The long dark off-season is officially underway. Already, the Rangers are in the thick of it.

Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine was named the new general manager of the Minnesota Twins. \

Five Texas Rangers have become free agents: Carlos Beltran, Ian Desmond, Carlos Gomez, Colby Lewis, and Mitch Moreland.

The only one of those five that the Rangers plan to make a qualifying offer to is Ian Desmond. The qualifying offer this off-season is $17.2 million. Should Desmond accept it, that’s his salary for next season. Should he decline, the Rangers get a first-round draft pick as compensation.

Beltran and Gomez are not eligible for a qualifying offer because they were not with the Rangers the entire year.

Here are important off-season dates:

Nov 3:  All eligible players become free agents.

Nov 5: Decisions on contract options are due.

Nov 7: Qualifying offers are due.

Nov 7-10: General managers meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Nov 8: Start of free agency.

Nov 14: Deadline for rejecting or accepting qualifying offer.

Nov 14-18: Major awards will be announced.

Dec 1: Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires.

Dec 5-8: Winter meetings in Washington, D.C.

Dec 8: Rule 5 Draft day.