MLB Trades 2011: Wandy Rodriguez and BJ Upton May Move Through Waivers in August

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The July 31st non-waiver trade deadline may have come and gone, but don't expect teams to stop wheeling and dealing just yet. The waiver wire is still wide open for postseason contenders like the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to address the areas of need that they've left wanting to this point.

Of course, doing so will require a bit more effort than a phone call or two between general managers.

For those who aren't familiar with the waiver wire, teams can put anyone and everyone on their rosters through waivers beginning a few days before the close of the non-waiver trade period. Once August 1st rolls around, other teams can then claim those players who've cleared waivers. Just about every player in baseball can and will be found on the wire, though only some will actually move.

Once a team claims another team's player, the two can either negotiate a trade of some sort or the claimant team can absorb the contract of the player in question if the other team allows it, as was the case when the Chicago White Sox essentially bought Alex Rios back in 2009.

For a team to claim a player, it must wait for all the other teams with lesser records to pass on him first. This waiver ordering allows lesser clubs to block their rivals from stocking up on whomever they want.

This time around, expect to see teams duking it out for the right to trade for players like Wandy Rodriguez and BJ Upton, whose respective teams failed to find suitable deals for them before the end of July but who just might come August. Along those same lines, keep an eye out for Carlos Pena, Jamey Carroll and perhaps even Livan Hernandez as names who might clear waivers on the way to new teams.

—Josh Martin

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