Gary Sheffield was placed on waivers today. This is a non-event. The only reason this is currently noteworthy is that it didn’t happen earlier. The only way it becomes noteworthy is if a team puts in a claim.
Just because Sheffield is on waivers does not mean he is going anywhere. These are revocable waivers and it is a procedural thing that needs to be done for the team to be able to trade Sheffield. Many players are put on waivers, and Sheffield is likely one of many Tigers.
Sheffield is in the lineup tonight because he is still on the team, and will most likely be when the waiver period expires on Thursday afternoon.
Comments
45 responses to “Sheffield on waivers isn’t news”
Some good points, but I think its still news. The timing of it immediately after Sheffields veiled comments that he wants to be traded(an interpretation yes, but a common one) seem to make it newsworthy. I know that Olney, and a few others respected in the Saber community, thought it was newsworthy when Manny Ramirez was placed on waivers a couple years ago.
It’s significant if we can get some pitching because what we have doesn’t cut it.
Insignificant news to me. He’s probably one of 10+ Tigers that were placed on waivers.
All placed there for certain reasons…and some not placed there for certain reasons. I doubt its arbitrary.
I remember a broadcast (ages ago) where Al Kaline told George Kell that he had be placed on waivers almost every year of his career.
I think someone wants Sheffield, and it ain’t Detroit. The question for me is whether the Tigers just want him off the books or whether he suddenly looks so good to some contender with a hitting void that they’ll actually give something for him.
Mike F. – Did it ever come the day after he requested a trade?
Sean – I think the Tigers want to find out, and odds are they want to find out at least slightly more than they did a week ago.
Greg – Just a hunch, but I think the Tigers already found out and just couldn’t get the deal done before the July deadline. My hunch is fueled by Dombrowski’s shrug (reported in an article).
If he clears waivers and/or eventually traded, It should be interesting to hear him shoot off his mouth about his ex team. It may take him a while, but he will.
hHaHa yeah, shoot his mouth off that will be–oh wait I wonder if he reads blogs? Eww he’s not gonna be too happy about the Sheff-Inge identical twin routine is he?
Oh like I care what he thinks anyway. I mean, I’m Coleman! Sean Coleman! (although the guys back in the big IL just call me Sean C.)
Is that Sean C’s ole man?
I am not afraid to say that I don’t follow roughly 83% of Coleman’s posts here.
“I am not afraid to say that I don’t follow roughly 83% of Coleman’s posts here.”
Mike, 17% equals Sheffield’s BA during Verlander starts, and Gary’s still starting, er, being platooned, and still has a job, so I think you’ll be OK. Even if I did just place you on revocable waivers.
Ron, I am the product of parthogenesis, so Coleman cannot be my father, although he does seem to like it when I call him Big Daddy.
I still hold out hope DD can find someone to take Sheffield off our hands for a token minor leaguer and pay some fraction of his salary through the end of the next year.
No one’s going to take him on waivers because they’d have to take over his full contract, right? If they did that’d be a good thing. If they don’t, he could still be traded.
That’d save face for Illitch/DD and get Sheffield out of D-Town. Move Magglio to DH to keep him healthy for his option years.
My understanding is that if someone makes a claim on Sheffield, DD has 48 hours to trade him to that team (I’m not sure what happens if it can’t get done?). And if he clears waivers, he can be traded to any team. I’m missing like 80% of the details of the process, but whatever.
What impact does Sheffield’s limited no-trade clause have on this whole waivers thing?
The same effect it would have on a regular trade, I believe. I’m sure he wouldn’t block a trade though.
I was at a Rays site called DRAYSBAY looking over the Sheffield talk. Interesting. If anyone knows of any other enemy blogs with (somewhat realistic and reasonable) talk of acquiring Sheff from the Tigers, share it.
Boy, do other baseball blogs look stupid – graphically – compared to DTW. I like the clean, uncluttered, easy to follow style here.
Bilfer will soon be publishing “Late Night Musings With Coleman”, which can be purchased on this site for a ham sandwich.
“The same effect it would have on a regular trade, I believe. I’m sure he wouldn’t block a trade though.”
Not even to a small market contender like, say, the Twins or Brewers? I don’t think that the Twins or Brewers want him, let alone need him, or that the Tigers would send him to a division rival (wouldn’t trouble me). Just the only examples I have of trades he might block.
Why can’t the Red Sox just take him? They have plenty of money.
“Late Night Musings With Coleman”
If you ask me, it ought to be premium content. Billfer is missing out on an opportunity to make the blog pay for itself and then some.
Sean C., my dictionary is getting dog eared because of you. Your in direct contrast to your adoptive father’s flowing and easily read prose.
My limited understanding of waivers:
Team with worst record in AL that claims him has priority before other teams.
If deal can’t be worked out, Tigers could pull him back.
If they put him on wire a second time, they can’t.
If not claimed by any team, they can trade him anywhere.
If claimed, new team pays him (yea!). And I suppose that could be negotiated.
Because of Gary, I sure am learning a lot about the Waiver system. Kind of like when you get a disease and you study up on it so you know all your options because you realize it just isn’t going to go away by itself.
“Kind of like when you get a disease”
Ha! We’ve all come down with the Sheffield Waivers, characterized by clubhouse tumors and involuntary, incessant trembling with anticipation.
Ron, your obtuse and jejune statements regarding my subjunctive forebears leave me questioning my own anthropomorphism.
Yikes! Are you calling me fat?
“Yikes! Are you calling me fat?”
Relax, honey. All I said was that those jeans look a little bit tight on you. Jeez. So sensitive.
That’s more like it. Go Tigers.
last 2 entries by Ron & Sean-
dictionary score
Ron –zero–
Sean –3–
I think I need a drink.
Have a drink, Jim. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
That’s not a negative 3 up there for me, is it? ‘Cause I smoked him, man.
you guys may have gotten off topic a bit here.
Also off topic: Looks like Zumaya is headed to the DL to make way for Jones (and maybe out for the year?)
Jason Beck reports that Gary Sheffield has been traded to the Boston Said Rocks for 4 anagrams and a pun to be named later.
A look at the prospects:
Fey Dishrag Elf – Career AAAA guy. Real eye for fashion, though.
Gashed Firefly – Bright future, but health is a concern.
Flash Edgy Fire – Said to be a potential Sheffield clone.
Fry His Deaf Leg – Both the acquisition and the player are hard to fathom.
“you guys may have gotten off topic a bit here.”
We can’t help ourselves, Mark. Help us out with some authentic Sheffield content. Here, I’ll try.
Sentiment aside, will it help the team to unload Sheffield? Would the Tigers be likely to miss him? Is it even remotely possible that the Tigers could acquire a player or players in a Sheffield deal? With who? Tigers needs, names?
Zumaya to the DL, then maybe Toledo, Lakeland, even. Not the biggest surprise, eh?
I think it’s helps them if Sheffield is gone. He’s not producing, and the only reason they run him out there is out of “respect” for what he’s accomplished and the dollar signs on his contract. There are a number of bats you could drop into the lineup and get more from:
Joyce
Clete
Larish
Thames
Raburn
Clevlen
At best you get better production, at a minumum, you find out if some of those kids can hit and make adjustments at the ML level. Either way you start answering questions for 2009.
Mark, do you think it would be premature to put Maggs in at DH upon Sheffield’s (uncertain) departure? Or is it DH by committee for the rest of the season? Joyce or Thomas full-time in left with Marcus as DH?
I guess I wouldn’t mind seeing Thomas/Thames LF – Joyce/Ordonez RF – Ordonez/Thames DH. Or just let the young guys play the OF and plug Marcus in occasionally.
And since Raburn’s name came up, where does his future – if any – with Detroit lie? If his infield glove was at all inspiring, you’d think he might fit in at 3B or as the post-Polanco 2B. But it’s not. Does his power give him the edge over Thomas as an outfield backup? I don’t think so, but I could be wrong.
Raburn is are super sub scrub.
No starter potential for Raburn, Chief? I’ll admit I’ve been a bit disappointed in him. With hindsight, it looks like hanging on to Omar Infante might have been better. Maybe the Braves will take Renteria back for Infante.
Both good questions, Sean. Maggs is a capable right fielder, but any time you can add some speed to the vast expanses of Comerica, you have to consider. From what I’ve seen Thomas and Joyce aren’t huge upgrades over Maggs, they don’t seem to take great routes to the ball. They all catch what they get to, though.
So I guess I’d prolly DH Maggs, if only to get a more complete analysis of what the kids are capable of as players and keep Maggs healthy.
I have no idea what Raburn’s future holds. We gave up on Infante who’s currently putting up an 824 OPS for the Braves. So my guess is Raburn does the same thing for some other NL team.
Mark, as far as the outfield goes, I find myself in the strange position of thinking that the Tigers maybe should and maybe will trade one of my favorite Tigers – Marcus Thames.
I lean, as you do, toward seeing as much as possible of Joyce and Thomas, and Raburn and Clevlen as well, in the outfield in the 43 games left.
I would not object to trading Marcus either. This team needs pitching (particular a solid reliever, as Marcus would likely return), not RH-power bats. We have like 20 of those, we’re a frigging softball team.
I like the idea of adding Thomas/Joyce/Raburn/Clevlen to the lineup for balance to the overall team. They either bat lefty, can run the bases more aggressively (although I have been thoroughly unimpressed with Clete’s baserunning. He’s got good wheels but does not appear to have great instincts on the bases….) or have some element that we’re lacking. Anything to give opponents something different to worry about.
If Marcus needs to go in a package deal to get starting pitching or a more athletic outfielder/shortstop, so be it. The only guys I am against trading are Granderson, Cabrera, Verlander and maybe Maggs.