Explaining Cliff Lee and August trade waivers
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Explaining Cliff Lee and August trade waivers
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — The Phillies placed Cliff Lee on trade waivers, according to a report by Yahoo! Sports, which is merely standard procedure this time of year. Most teams place a majority of their players on waivers after Aug. 1 regardless if they intend on trading them or not.
Lee is likely to go unclaimed because he is owed approximately $95 million through 2015. If a team claims him, the Phillies can pull him back, negotiate a trade with the claimant, or simply allow that team to absorb his entire contract. It's highly doubtful anyone claims Lee for risk of inheriting a massive commitment.
The Phillies, a baseball source says, were not willing to assume any of Lee's remaining salary during trade talks before July 31. They were also asking for a bounty of top prospects in return.
Lee has a no-trade clause that prevents a deal to 21 teams without his consent.
For those reasons, any Lee deal now or in the wintertime, is dubious unless Ruben Amaro Jr.'s demands change.
"They told us those were rumors and there wasn't anything really in the works," Lee said Tuesday. "Ruben did tell me some teams did propose some stuff to him, but nothing that even made close to sense for the Phillies. I signed here to win here. Obviously nobody is happy the way this year has gone, but this is where I want to be. We still have a lot of talent."
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Why don't they waive Howard? They just might be able to unload the albatross to some GM who had a 3 martini lunch.— Xyzzyx- I agree. Both Howard and Papelbon are more easily replacable, and their contracts are more damaging when you consider the limit value they bring. Put them both on waivers and pray for someone to get desperate. — derFluge
- Who is on the free agent market that you can replace Papelbon with? I don't want any of the dreck in the minor leagues trying to replace an all-star. Also, who are you going to replace Howard with? Unless it's Josh Hamilton than it's a joke. Also, what about his past and injury history? — PSU_Chuck
- PSU, you are absolutely right! The nitwits who are commenting on here who want to get rid of them have no clue as to what they're talking about, all they do is run their fat jibjabs! — erniebanks14
- It's opinion.
— D. Charles Tanksley - I would guarantee that both of those players are on waivers, likely the entire team is. Because of the waiver rules explained in the article, it is standard procedure for teams to put basically every single player on waivers. They are in no danger of actually losing anyone they want to keep by doing it. — commenter1111
- I guarantee every idiot who is saying we need to dump Howard will be in here saying we need to resign him when his deal is up.
Just like they did with Hamels. Remember when we needed to dump him, too?— smfree31 - You know your GM is a moron when you could waive your top 6 paid players on the team and not have any other team make a claim. Guys who wouldnt get claimed Howard, Utley, Lee, Halladay, Hamels, Papelbon. If that doesnt indicate they are seriously overpaid I dont know what would. Why they would let the guy who gave all six their last contract continue to make moves will go down as one of history's mysteries or more appropriately Montgomery's mysteries. — lazyboy
- Another moronic comment, great job!! — DogBiscuitthedope
- Pretty funny how someone with the suffix "the dope" makes a comment like yours on others. — TEDcGEGI
- Everybody here a a genius GM ... could we show just a little common sense? What team is going to claim damaged goods with a huge remaining contract? — iggles_rock
- Then why so it.
Only the Rangers could take him and they got Dempster.
No point in the move
Now Blanton, that's a different story. I want to see Cloyd - NOW— WFChamps - Then why do it.Only the Rangers could take him and they got Dempster.No point in the moveNow Blanton, that's a different story. I want to see Cloyd - NOW (HTML deleted)— WFChamps
- Nuts!!!!!!!!!!!— jpelle36
- They do it because as the days go by in August-if a team like the Yankees or the Rangers or the Angels who are this close have 2nd thoughts about their position or a pitcher comes up with a sore arm-they may give up more than they would have at the end of July to keep in the playoff hunt.— kingofpoker
