How does the mlb trade waivers work

Question

How does the mlb trade waivers work

Answer 1

Any player under contract may be placed on waivers at any time. If a player is waived, any team may claim him. If more than one team claims the player from waivers, the team with the weakest record in the player's league gets preference. If no team in the player's league claims him, the claiming team with the weakest record in the other league gets preference. In the first month of the season, preference is determined using the previous year's standings.

If a team claims a player off waivers and has the viable claim as described above, his current team (the "waiving team") may choose one of the following options:

--arrange a trade with the claiming team for that player within two business days of the claim; or

--rescind the request and keep the player on its major league roster, effectively canceling the waiver; or

--do nothing and allow the claiming team to (1) assume the player's existing contract, (2) pay the waiving team a waiver fee, and (3) place the player on its active major league roster.

If a player is claimed and the waiving team exercises its rescission option, the waiving team may not use the option again for that player in that season. If no team claims a player from waivers in three business days, the player has cleared waivers and may be assigned to a minor league team, traded, or released outright.

Answer 2

Any player on any team can be placed on the waiver wire at any time.

Then all teams have 47 hours to make a claim on the player.

One of four things can happen.

1-  The Waiving team and the Claiming team can work out a trade

2-  The Waiving team can just dump the player and his salary to          

     Claiming team.

3-  If there are no Claims made on the player he can then be traded to

     any team.

4-  The Waiving team can pull the player off the waiver list but then he

     CAN NOT be traded again for 30 days.

What makes waiver trades more difficult are teams BLOCKING them.

If two teams are in a tight race one or both teams might claim him.

Just an example :  Say the Cubs/Yankees wanted to work a trade for A-Rod and his $25,000,000 salary and the Cardinals wanted to block the Trade they could claim him also. Thus blocking the trade since the Cardinals win loss record is worse than the Cubs (Teams with lower record has first rights to claim the player). This could backfire on the Cardinals though since the Yankees could say okay A-Rod and his huge salary are yours. Maybe putting them way past what they can afford for player salaries or jamming their team with 2 high priced players who play the same position.

Answer 3

once a trade is made, the guys have to clear waivers. If another team puts a claim in on them, either a trade must be worked out with that team or the player cannot be traded.

Answer 4

Yes,

It does Work.