How Braves overcame new trade rules to add players this month
ATLANTA— The change in baseball's trading rules this year led to much conjecture that teams would have to get by the rest of the season with whatever talent they had in their organization when the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline passed. That seemed logical, considering that waiver trades in August no longer are permitted.
Yet, t he Braves have gotten significant contributions in the past 10 days or so from three veteran players who were not in their organization July 31: catcher Francisco Cervelli, outfielder Billy Hamilton and short stop Ad einy Hechavarria.
So much for the theory that you no longer would be able to get help in August.
Turns out t hat while trades can't be made in that month anymore, there are other ways to acquire players.
Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos found ways toad dC erv el li,
Hamilton and Hechavarria as the Braves battled injuries at catcher, outfield and shortstop.
Here are the moves made this month and the immediate results:
•On Saturday, the Braves signed Cervelli as a free agent after he was put on waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, unclaimed and released. The Braves will pay him about $111,000 for the rest of the season (a prorated portion of the MLB minimum), while the Pirates will pay him about $11.4 million this year.
• On Aug. 19, the Braves claimed Hamilton on waivers after the Kansas City Royals designated him for
assignment to try to shed the $950,000 remaining on his contract this season and a $1 million buyout for next season.
•On Aug .16, the Braves signed free agent Hechavarria, who had been designated for assignment by the Mets one day before he'd have been due a $1 million bonus if he'd remained on the roster. He cleared waivers and was released. The Braves will pay him about $135,000 for the rest of the season.
In the past, teams often would deal a pr os pect or two to fill a need that developed between the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline and the Aug. 31 deadline for postseason eligibility. The only catch under the former rules was that to be traded after July 31 a major league player first had to clear waivers (or be claimed by the team that would trade for him). While August trades no longer are permitted, teams still can waive players outright.
If someone claims the player on waivers, as the Braves did with Hamilton, they get the player and responsibility for whatever remains on his contract. If no one claims the player, as was the case with Hechavarria and Cervelli, he becomes a free agent who can be signed by any team.
The Braves' moves this month underscore t he fluidity of major league rosters. For all the emphasis each year on which 25 players make the club out of spring training, that is only a starting point. The Braves have used 48 players in games this season, the seventh most they have ever used in a season. (Last year's total was 58.)