Explaining Cliff Lee and August trade waivers
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.
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.
- Ryan Howard has diminishing skills? Okay genious who are you going to replace him with? Also, Olt is the future third baseman of the Rangers. It appears you are grasping at straws my friend.
— PSU_Chuck - Yes, Ryan Howard has diminishing skills, genious. Have you been watching him the last few years, even BEFORE his achilles injury? Apparently not. At this point, you could replace him with my grandmother, and she's dead. Run producer? Give me a break. He's anything but a run producer this year. As far as Olt goes, my theory is feasible. The Rangers covet Lee. I wouldn't be surprised if Amaro could pry Olt away at the right price and you shouldn't discount the possibility.
- There are guys on the current roster who could play first base well enough. Better yet, give me $25 million a year to play with, and I'll find someone. — filzfan
- Ok so Lee who is usually a solid pitcher, has one bad season, and to be honest maybe a big part lays in the awful support and a part lays on Lee himself, and they wanna dump Lee ? maybe if they get rid of him, im done watching this team ive been dissappointed every year of my life except for 4...or maybe we can blame the Kurse of Kalas— Iknowyourider
- put the whole team on waivers...............— Anthony1957
- Hey Matt can we get a little 411. This article doesn't say who else in on waivers. Or to make the list shorter , who isn't on waivers. Please just a little more info for. You're readers. Grantland Rice you ain't.— Rumrunner11
- Okay for all the brain surgeon's on here that are suggesting that Howard be placed on waivers who is going to be your run producer? Also, did you idiots forget that Howard is coming off a torn achillies and won't be healthy until next year? As for your closer, you want Ryan Madson back? Please. He has only been a closer for one year, and is coming off Tommy John surgery which will limit his innings and effectiveness. Get a clue people! No wonder people outside of the Philly area think were a bunch of morons! SMH— PSU_Chuck
- Please put Papelbon on waivers and pay some of his salary just to get rid of him ... why do the Phils need a closer?— bill poore
- Dump Howard and Mayberry!— Lynnwood
- Please put Ruben on Waivers!— NoSpitZone
- Love to read all the trolls (some of them more than likely the same person) talk to themselves. Know nothing know it alls.— Bella914
- PSU Chuck.....Your an idiot as well as your school. In case you didn't
notice...you don't drive in runs with strikeouts .do-do!— Lynnwood - Lol, some people must not be able to think things through in a logical manner so let me spell it out. Get rid of Kward, free up a lot of money to sign someone who will actually produce. Phew, that took longer than I thought. People act like if the Phils get rid of Kward's contract they will just sit idly by and let Mayberry play first all year. Oh, and since when does an Achilles injury affect your eye sight? Because Howard is swinging at balls even further off the plate than last year.— lazyboy
- Well gee Sparky that is easy, simply put Howard on waivers and that is that. Again let me type slowly so you can follow, Howard is coming off a serious injury, while its unfortunate, why would another team pick up is contract as this stage? Is life still like a box of chocolates? — DogBiscuitthedope
- I think maybe a refresher is needed on the waiver process. Just because you place a player on waivers does NOT mean he is being released or traded. It is only to see if he is CLAIMED. If claimed, he is pulled back and nothing happens OR traded. If he clears waivers, he is eligible to be traded up until Aug 31. It's basically a tool to gauge interest in a player and to see if he can be traded by Aug 31. It's not like being DFA'd, where that player is definitely being removed from the roster.— scootch
