It’s that time of the year when a lot of players end up getting placed on trade waivers. It’s also the time that it sends to put people into mass confusion or panic when a player they are a fan of is placed on waivers. Waivers can be a complicated topic, so here is a basic overview of how waivers work and more specific info about the Red Sox and the players they have placed on waivers:
Here is the deal with waivers. There are a few different kinds of waivers, but I’m just gonna focus on the one we are dealing with at this time of the season. After the trade deadline goes by a team can still trade any of their players, however they need to go through the waiver process.
Between August 1st and the end of the season a player cannot be traded without going through trade waivers. However if a player is being traded through waivers and the team wants the player to be on the post season roster, it needs to be done before rosters expand on September 1st. So, much of the trade waiver “hot season” is from August 1st to September 1st.
If a team places a player on waivers, they have 48 hours to either be claimed by a team or clear waivers. If a player clears waivers then that player can be outright traded to any team that they would like. If a player is claimed that means that a team is interested. There is a process of which team can make a claim first and what not, but that’s another post for another day.
So, let’s say a player is put on waivers and is claimed by another team…then there is a 48 hour period where one of three things can happen.
1. The player can be called off waivers by the team. This means the team wants to retain the player and will not send them to the team that claimed him off waivers. After a player is called off waivers he can not be placed on waivers again during this period of time. So, the player is yours.
2. The teams can work out a trade for the player claimed on waivers. They can negotiate salaries and players which can be exchanged. They have 48 hours to do this or the player remains with their current team AKA no trade.
3. The team can just give the player to the team that claimed him on waivers. That team plays a small fee (20K I believe) and then they have to pay the remaining salary of the player.
A lot of players are placed on waivers who the team has little to no interest in moving or trading. It is often a way to gauge interest in that player, etc.
Here is the most current list I have of Sox players which have been placed on waivers:
Kelly Shoppach (claimed by Mets, traded to Mets)
Josh Beckett Update: (claimed by Dodgers, the 48 hour clock is ticking)
Adrian Gonzalez (claimed by Dodgers, the 48 hour clock is ticking)
Aaron Cook
Carl Crawford
Andrew Miller
Felix Doubront
Nick Punto
Mike Aviles
Jon Lester
Jacoby Ellsbury
Shelley’s opinions about the players on waivers:
The players who have been placed on waivers, but have little to no chance of being traded are probably Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury and Felix Doubront. Those players have more value to the Sox than they could probably get in a trade. The one player they might listen to offers about is Ellsbury since he will be a free agent after 2013, so if they got a good deal in return they might think about it. Lester and Doubront both seem pretty secure.
Josh Beckett will most definitely clear waivers, if he has not already. I can’t see another team taking the chance of having to pay 100% of his salary. Once Beckett clears waivers then the team could look to see if there are any trade options with contending teams. Beckett is probably more untradeable than the Sox would like. Beckett has a hefty contract and he also has a 5/10 no trade clause. Beckett may not be popular with fans and having himself a horrible year, but I’d bet he’s still with the team on Sept. 1st. UPDATE: Beckett has been claimed by Dodgers. IMO, this only makes sense as part of whatever deal they have brewing with the claim on Gonzo. Stay tuned.
If you are an Aaron Cook or Andrew Miller fan then I would feel nervous. Contending teams are always looking for pitching help down the line and those two could easily be traded to an interested team. Nick Punto could get traded if there is a team out there interested. I am not sure there is. I also think that the Sox will listen on offers for Mike Aviles since they have Ciriaco for right now and Iglesias in the minors. I think Aviles is playing on borrowed time.
The Sox world did go a wee bit nutso when Gonzalez was claimed on waivers. I personally feel that Gonzo will be called off waivers and remain with the Sox. The Sox are currently listening to trade offers from the Dodgers as I type this, however given how huge Gonzo’s contract is (6 yrs/ $127 million still owed)…I doubt a trade that the Sox will agree to will be worked out. It’s possible, I just do not think it is likely. It can also become difficult during waiver time to work out a trade since any player that the Dodgers would be willing to trade would have to pass through waivers as well. So, it can be a tricky situation. We’ll know in 2 days time, however I would be very surprised if both sides can agree on a deal that works for both of them. tick tock, tick tock.
There are some players who have not been placed on waivers which surprises me. The biggest one is Cody Ross. The Sox are clearly not in the hunt for the post season. Ross signed a 1 year deal with the Sox, so he would seem like a natural person to be on trade waivers. I would like to think that means the Sox are serious about signing him to an extension. If they do not want to keep him beyond 2012, I would think they would have to be trying to trade him right now.
So, that is a little bit about waivers and what they mean…and what they don’t mean. Honestly, I hate trade waiver time.
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