Waiver Wire Wonders: How Cleveland and Cincinnati Snatched Opportunities from the Twins

Did TC put in a claim on Renfroe?

The challenge with changing the waiver rules to move every team that claimed a player to back of the line is that eventually a good player on waivers will be awarded to best team in the league. I think current system has worked just fine. Cincinnati and Cleveland might be better teams now and baseball will have a more competitive stretch run. If this happens, baseball as a whole will be better off.  (Of course not so good for the Twins)
 

There are many elements the waiver/ free agent system that lack fairness under some circumstances. At least with the waiver claims, the worst teams receives the first chance at benefiting and they pay the salaries. I think an equally interesting example that has not received any attention is Josh Donaldson clearing waivers and signing a minor league contract with the Brewers. In case of an injury Josh Donaldson could be eligible for the Brewers post season roster and the Brewers risk is the prorated league minimum. Josh Donaldson has been hurt most of the year, his performance has been declining (and he has a reputation for not being a good teammate) but he is still an above average defender. I think the Brewers got a steal. Insurance at one of their weakest positions without having to make any roster decisions. 

35 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Just bring back the waiver trade deadline. Problem solved.

I’m not sure this would matter. The old system was revocable waivers. The claiming team could work out a trade, or sometimes a team would let the waiver claim proceed. If the player cleared waivers they could be traded to any team. However, the decision was left for the team placing the player on waivers as to whether or not they would let the waiver claim go through. In the current case (with the Angels) the outcome could have been the same if the Angels were content to let a player go with no compensation other than salary relief. 

The revocable waivers was more of a game of chess as blocking a move from your competitor was part of the strategy. Most of the time (but not always) this could be done without acquiring the player as most teams expected to receive a trade as part of the outcome. 

I don’t really think there is a fair to do this as every system that can be devised has pluses and minuses. 
 

From a team perspective, extending the trade deadline would give every team an opportunity to bid on a player.  And perhaps would seem the most fair to the teams still in the playoff hunt. 
 

Granting free agency to the waived player would would likely result in the best free agents going to the best teams as given a choice, the player would choose the team that appears most likely to go deep in the postseason. This overall would be good for the players but not good for baseball. 
 

Generally, I think it is good for players on uncompetitive teams to to be waived or traded to teams that are still playing for the postseason. This is especially true for players on expiring contracts as it gives them an opportunity to further showcase their talents and value.  (An example of this is Eddie Rosario receiving a contract from the Braves primarily because of his postseason heroics). 

I would change the rules to back of the line after a claim. But i would also reset the waiver wire after the last game each Sunday.

Currently waivers are player-centric, and each player is handled separately according to which team(s) put in a claim.  That's usually fine when only a player or two at a time is put on waivers.

When there are a lot of players, desirable ones at that, you have to have a draft. 

It need not be a public spectacle like the June draft or the Rule 5 draft in December, when multiple desirable players are routinely available.  Instead, each team just has to manage its current list of waiver claims by priority, at the commissioner's office.  If you want Matt Moore the most, followed by someone else, rank them #1 and #2 respectively.  Every day, one of the commissioner's minions* goes through in priority order (this year Oakland first, then KC, etc) and if they have any waiver claims, they get their top priority.  Then on to the next team in order. If it's your turn and your #1 guy is already gone, then you get your #2, unless he's gone too.  And so on.  Just like any draft, except everyone has made their decisions in advance, because the numbers of players are so much fewer than in June or December and the decision making is manageable.  (Imagine ranking all the amateurs for the June draft, that would not be manageable.)

Most days the process would be trivial, and with exactly the same results as we're used to - players pass unclaimed through waivers all the time and that would continue.  But on a day where a team like the Angels has put a lot of good talent on waivers, the process spreads out the talent to multiple teams.

* In truth the minion would be a computer program that runs through the list** as many times as needed, but I don't want to rile up any anti-computer hysteria.

** I was going to say database, but, well, you know.

15 hours ago, DocBauer said:

I don't blame the Angels, or anyone else, for making a bunch of wire moves. It's just strange that nobody else thought of this since the changes in the last deal. 

We are all assuming that this is a move that the Angels made without consequences. How do players in general feel about this. Will this impact the ability of the Angels to attract free agents. Part of this would be on how it was handled. Did they ask the players who were waived if they wanted an opportunity to play for a contender. I have not read an articles about the human element of these roster moves. 
 

Mike Clevinger who one of the better pitchers placed on waivers, went unclaimed. Although he had other baggage (domestic abuse) his buyout clause was an inhibiting factor in being claimed. This suggests what players can do to limit being claimed on waivers. In Clevinger’s case his buyout is 4 million dollars. 
 

17 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The hilarious part of this is the Angels couldn't get under the luxury tax threshold because Grichuk went unclaimed. They're still getting a 4th rounder for compensation for Ohtani.

It might be the limiting factor on this whole thing going forward.  Oops indeed.