MLB Power Rankings: A Look Back at the Top 10 Waiver Trades of 2010

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This year's waiver deadline could see a flurry of moves as there will be some spill-over from players that were not traded in July.

This year's waiver class likely includes Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, Jason Giambi, Mike Gonzalez, Wandy Rodriguez, Carlos Pena and many more.

The moves of this deadline can be vital for a playoff contender.

After only adding a couple of bullpen arms in July, the San Francisco Giants were the most active team in August, and the players they acquired were vital in the run to the World Series.

The Yankees may be poised for a similar flurry of moves this year.

To get a taste of what the waiver wire can mean for contenders, here are the top 10 trades of the 2010 waiver deadline.

10. Manny Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

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Manny's 24 games for the White Sox in 2010 were the beginning of the end for one of the greatest hitters of the past decade.

Manny had struggled with injuries during the entire 2010 season, hitting the disabled list three times but still hit pretty well when healthy.

He returned from the DL for the final time in August and had lost the starting left field job. A little over a week later, the White Sox made a waiver claim on Manny, and the Dodgers let Chicago take over the big money left on the contract.

The performance by Manny was lackluster as he only hit one home run while coming out of the DH spot mostly for the White Sox. Chicago missed the playoffs by six games to the Twins, and Manny walked as a free agent.

9. Jim Edmonds, Cincinnati Reds

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Jim Edmonds skipped the 2009 season but came back to the NL Central on the Brewers as a very solid fourth outfielder.

The Reds wanted some depth in left and a left-handed bat to platoon with Jonny Gomes, so they acquired Jim Edmonds in exchange for Chris Dickerson.

Edmonds had some power off the bench for the Reds, but had a horrible OBP at just .281. He played all three outfield positions and some first, which gave the starters some rest but didn't do much.

His exclusion from the postseason meant that his career ended on a pretty low note.

8. Jose Guillen, San Francisco Giants

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Jose Guillen had worn out his welcome in Kansas City, so it was no surprise that they traded him to the Giants.

Guillen finished his career with a mediocre performance for the Giants, but they were starving for outfielders and offense, so his contribution wasn't negative. Guillen only ended up playing in August and September because he was left off of the postseason rosters, so his impact wasn't great.

7. Mike Fontenot, San Francisco Giants

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The Giants pickup of Mike Fontenot was not anything special. Fontenot isn't a terrific hitter, but he plays pretty well as a utility infielder and was fine in that role.

Mike Fontenot has played second, short and third for the Giants, which was especially important last season because Sandoval was struggling mightily. He filled in pretty well and made nice plays in the postseason, so the pickup was OK.

6. Jeff Francoeur, Texas Rangers

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Jeff Francoeur is the first player on this list that really made a positive impact on a team.

Frenchy was only a bench player, but he hit very well in his 15 games for Texas in the regular season. His line was .340/.357/.491, which was pretty good considering his playing time was very inconsistent.

Jeff Francoeur didn't really do much in the postseason but was valuable just in the fact that he was insurance and a defensive replacement.

5. Chris Resop, Pittsburgh Pirates

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The Pirates getting Chris Resop seemed pretty small at the time. Resop was considered a pretty good player and the Braves wanted to hold onto him early in the season when they called him up to avoid an opt-out.

He had dominated Triple-A, but came up and allowed five runs in two innings in his only game for the Braves before hitting the DL. He came back and was put on waivers and got claimed by the Pirates.

The rest of 2010 was great for Resop, allowing just four more runs in 19 innings over 22 appearances. He took his ERA down from 22.50 to 3.86 for the year and really solidified the Pirates bullpen.

Resop's impact on the playoffs is really felt this year. He has been solid for the Pirates in 54 outings, striking out 59 to just 19 walks and maintaining a 3.26 ERA. The contributions are part of why the Pirates are in the mix for the NL Central this year.

4. Rod Barajas, Los Angeles Dodgers

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Rod Barajas was one of the best performers traded on the waiver wire in 2010, and while he didn't help his team make the postseason, he provided relief for the Dodgers catching because Russel Martin was out, and A.J. Ellis was the starting catcher.

Despite only playing 25 games due to the fact that he was only in LA for a month, Barajas had a .939 OPS with five home runs. He was a key offensive contributor in the final month of 2010 and was an alright defender, with zero errors as a Dodger in 2010.

The only issue with Barajas is that due to the financial woes of the Dodgers, they went with the cheaper Barajas instead of the better player in Russel Martin. The Yankees have reaped the benefits.

3. Brian Fuentes, Minnesota Twins

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Brian Fuentes' time with the Twins was short, but he took advantage of the small sample size to dominate.

In the regular season, Fuentes pitched in nine games, picking up a save in his first game for Minnesota. In his 9.2 innings, he allowed just three hits and only walked two while striking out eight, leaving his ERA at 0.00 and his WHIP at 0.52, both incredible numbers.

The postseason was just as good but even shorter. The Twins got knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, but Fuentes pitched in two games, allowing just one hit while striking out two.

2. Derrek Lee, Atlanta Braves

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Derrek Lee didn't start off that well in 2010, but the Cubs wanted to deal him in his final year of his contract.

Lee vetoed a deal to the Angels using his 10-and-5 rights, so it seemed like he wanted to stay in Chicago, but the Cubs worked out a deal with the Braves, and Lee decided he was willing to play for Bobby Cox.

Lee had a terrific month and a half to end the season with the Braves. His line was .287/.384/.465, which was much better than Troy Glaus' mediocre numbers. He also provided a defensive boost at first, since Glaus had been just OK in his switch from third to first.

The reason Derrek Lee isn't at the top of the list is because he had a very poor postseason. Starting all four games of the Braves 2010 postseason, Lee went 2-16 with just a pair of singles.

The Braves lost three of four to the eventual World Series winning San Francisco Giants, but more was expected of the veteran who had won it all before in Florida.

1. Cody Ross, San Francisco Giants

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In a move that still baffles me to this day, the Marlins gave Cody Ross to the Giants for nothing in an attempt to free up some playing time for their young players.

The Giants had placed the claim partly because Ross is talented, and they wanted him but mostly because the Padres wanted him badly, and San Francisco had a chance to hurt their division rival.

Ross not only helped the Giants dart ahead of the Padres to take the division but also led the Giants to a World Series.

Ross played pretty well in the final month of the 2010 season, with a .288 average and three home runs, but made a name for himself in the postseason. Ross hit well in each series but was vital in the NLCS against the Phillies.

Ross finished the series 7-for-20 with three home runs and a 1.385 OPS. He crushed two home runs against Roy Halladay in the game after Halladay's no-hitter and another off of Roy Oswalt. His series earned him the NLCS MVP.

To add more value to the deal, he still had a year left of arbitration, so he is still a Giant today.