With new faces at the table and a substandard free-agent class ready to start negotiating, major league general managers gather today in Indian Wells, Calif., for their annual weeklong meetings.

Nearly a quarter of major league teams have deposed their general managers since August, and Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t appointed successors.

These meetings usually set up trades and signings that take weeks to reach conclusion. The dearth of top-level stars among free agents is likely to set up an unusual market in which teams might devote as much time to trade exploration as signings.

“I don’t see either route to be a surefire way to accomplish what we want to do,” San Francisco general manager Brian Sabean said.

“We’re going to be challenged in the market and challenged in terms of trades. But as I step back and review our situation, the division, the league and the rest of baseball, we’re in a heck of a lot better shape than some other teams.”

Many of the GMs are just settling in. For instance, Jon Daniels was promoted by the Texas Rangers to replace John Hart on Oct. 4, becoming the youngest GM in major league history at 28 years, 41 days.

Mike Flanagan was promoted by the Baltimore Orioles to executive vice president of baseball operations on Oct. 11, replacing Jim Beattie, who was dismissed after the season. Josh Byrnes was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Red Sox on Oct. 28 to replace Joe Garagiola, who left in August to become senior vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office.

Pat Gillick joined the Philadelphia Phillies last Wednesday to replace the fired Ed Wade. Andrew Friedman, also 28, was promoted Thursday to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ executive vice president of baseball operations, where he’ll be working alongside former Houston GM Gerry Hunsicker, hired the same day as senior vice president of baseball operations.

After firing Paul DePodesta on Oct. 29, the Dodgers will send a delegation led by assistant general manager Kim Ng, who could be promoted and become the first woman GM in major league baseball.

Boston, without a GM since talks on an extension for Theo Epstein broke down Oct. 31, will send a quartet of director of player development Ben Cherington, assistant to the GM Jed Hoyer, special assistant Craig Shipley and director of baseball operations Peter Woodfork.

“Looking from the outside, it may appear there is turmoil,” Shipley said. “On the inside, I can tell you, that is not the case.”

At the meetings, Tampa Bay planned to interview three finalists to replace departed manager Lou Piniella: former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine, Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon and Devil Rays bench coach John McLaren.

Valentine also could be a candidate to succeed Jim Tracy as Dodgers manager.

In addition to the corridor talk, commissioner Bud Selig is scheduled to address the group Wednesday. GMs will consider rules for the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March, and while instant replay is not on the agenda, it could be brought up following a string of contested calls during the postseason.