Help Still Available After Trade Deadline

Even though the Phillies picked up the prize of the trade deadline by acquiring Cliff Lee, it doesn’t mean the dealing stops there.

The non-waiver trade deadline ended on July 31, but trades can still be made.  Here is a precise little breakdown of how it all works, thanks to mlbtraderumors.com.

If more than one team places a claim on a player, the winning claim is awarded based on worst record or the league the claiming team is in.

Jon Heyman of SI.com put together a list of some players he believes will be talked about heavily.  Of the group he believes to be likely to pass through waivers, a few of them would be able to help the Phillies in a bench role.

Any player can be put on waivers by his team, and the player does not need to be informed.
Other teams have the chance to make a claim on the player during a 47-hour window.
If the player is claimed, the team that placed him on waivers has the option of pulling him back.  If the team pulls him back they can’t trade him for 30 days.
If his team decides not to pull him back:
Option 1:  His team can work out a trade with the team that claimed him.  Any player involved in the trade who is on a 40 man roster must go through waivers first.
Option 2:  His team can just dump him and his salary on the team that claimed him, getting no player in return.
Option 3:  No one claims him, and his team is free to trade him to any team.

Willie Bloomquist, an infielder for the Kansas City Royals, is one of them.  Bloomquist makes just $1.4 million this season, making him a very affordable option.  He is hitting .265 on the season with three home runs, but more importantly, he has played every position in the field except pitcher and catcher.  With Eric Bruntlett mired in a season-long slump, Bloomquist could easily take over that duty should he fall to the Phils.

Ty Wiggington is another name on Heyman’s list that will be looked at.  The one problem surrounding Wiggington, who is hitting .265 with eight homers, is his contract.  The infielder is being paid $4.35 million this season, and next year is owed $2.5 million.  Is that too expensive for the Phillies to take on for a role player?

Jamey Carroll of the Cleveland Indians is placed into the grouping of players who “might” pass through waivers.  Caroll is another uber-utility guy that can play wherever, whenever.  The 35-year old is now toiling in Cleveland, so look for the Phillies to be a possibility now that the teams have built a nice rapport following the Lee/Francisco deal.

Another super-utility player, but one that seems rather unlikely to make it through the waiver process, is David Eckstein.  The scrappy middle-infielder plays out in San Diego, a place where players go to die anymore.  Everyone with the Padres is seemingly expendable, so watch for Eckstein’s name in the rumor mill.

Some relief help is out there as well.  Ron Mahay (Royals), Juan Cruz (Royals), Mark Hendrickson (Orioles), and Ron Villone (Nationals) all could be dealt to a contending team looking to boost their bullpen.

Roy Halladay also appears on Heyman’s list, and with J.P. Ricciardi at the helm in Toronto, anything is possible.  Let’s make this clear, he’s not coming here.

However, one of those names above, besides Halladay, could be. All of those guys can help the Phillies fill a glaring need.  Last year, Adam Dunn was a big-time name that moved after July 31, so teams can certainly still help themselves at this late stage of the season.