Gms Learn To Work Waiver Wire

It used to be getting a player through waivers in August wasn’t that big a deal. General managers worked with each other, with an unspoken agreement that went something like this: If you don’t claim my player, I won’t claim yours.

The wild card has changed all that. More teams are in contention, trades take on greater implications, and getting a player through waivers to trade him is far more difficult than it used to be.

The New York Yankees claimed Minnesota Twins second baseman Chuck Knoblauch on waivers, fearing he would be traded to Cleveland. They claimed St. Louis Cardinal left-hander Tony Fossas, so he couldn’t be dealt to one of their competitors to exploit the Yankees’ predominantly left-handed-hitting lineup in the postseason. The Orioles, according to a league source, may have been active in blocking players this month.

The vast majority of players still get through waivers and are eligible to be traded. The whole Chicago Cubs team cleared waivers, as did the Los Angeles Dodgers. Florida passed right-hander John Burkett through waivers and traded him to Texas. Terry Pendleton cleared and moved from the Florida Marlins to Atlanta. “You have to be careful,” said the executive. “You can’t just go out and claim everybody, because you have to consider all that you’re taking on.”

Burkett is an example of this. The Yankees and Orioles certainly could have used a veteran right-handed pitcher like him. If they claimed Burkett they would’ve paid him $1.2 million for the rest of this year - and assumed the $3.5 million owed him next year. It’s a large investment in a pitcher who’s been mediocre the past two seasons.

But, as the world turns, the Orioles and the Yankees may wind up seeing Burkett in the playoffs. He has been solid for the Rangers, winning a couple of games before getting routed by Cleveland on Wednesday.

An A.L. executive said: “I think you may see even more action in waivers in the future. General managers are getting away from that (gentlemen’s agreement) and being more competitive about it, which is the way it should be. No quarter.”

This and that

Jose Canseco bought six land turtles to roam his property at his Weston, Fla., mansion. Four drowned in the pool. … Colorado manager Don Baylor didn’t like how Cincinnati manager Ray Knight celebrated with his players in a game Aug. 18, referring to it as “cheerleading.” Knight said Baylor’s comment didn’t bother him - and then went to the Rockies clubhouse looking for Baylor. Not finding him there, Knight left a 5-minute message on Baylor’s hotel answering machine, before finally talking with him the next day. … Katsuhiro Maeda, the Yankees’ answer to Hideo Nomo, is pitching in the minors. Somebody asked him the identity of the most famous person he had met since coming to the United States. “Billy Connors,” he said, referring to the Yankees’ minor-league pitching coordinator. What about David Cone? “No,” Maeda replied. “Billy Connors more famous.”