Marlins may explore trades during waivers period

ATLANTA -- As one trade window closes, another opens.
Through Aug. 31, Major League clubs can continue to make trades, but only after the player first clears waivers. Wednesday started the revocable waivers trade period.
This means the Marlins can continue to explore trade options even after Tuesday's passing of the non-waiver Trade Deadline.
"August is still an opportunity to make moves," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. "We don't have the ability to do so without having waivers secured, but it's always an opportunity to potentially find a way to improve your organization."
Miami players most likely to be dealt in August are second baseman Starlin Castro, left fielder Derek Dietrich, first baseman Justin Bour and right-hander Dan Straily.
The Marlins fielded calls on each of these veterans before Tuesday's Deadline. Contending clubs may have interest in those players in the upcoming weeks. The market for these veterans may hinge on whether injuries occur to teams in the postseason race.

Before July 31, players could be traded without first clearing waivers. Now, the process is different.
Teams can place players on revocable trade waivers, which means the player can be claimed by any club. Waiver priority is determined by reverse standings in the player's league, followed by reverse standings in the other league.
If a player is claimed, his original club can either work out a trade with the claiming club within 48 hours, allow the player -- and his entire contract -- to go to the club or pull the player back off waivers. Once a player is pulled back off waivers, he can be placed on trade waivers a second time, though the request then becomes irrevocable.
Should a player pass through waivers unclaimed, he can then be traded to any club without any restrictions. Any players on the 40-man roster involved in the trade must also have cleared waivers.
In the final two months, the Marlins likely will start giving young players more opportunities. That has already been the case with rookie Magneuris Sierra, who recently got called up from Triple-A New Orleans. The 22-year-old will play mostly center and left field. Isaac Galloway, after spending 10 1/2 years in the Minor Leagues, received his first big league callup on Tuesday, and the 28-year-old can play all three outfield spots.

The Marlins on Tuesday completed two trades before the non-waiver Trade Deadline: reliever Brad Ziegler was dealt to the D-backs for Double-A right-hander Tommy Eveld, and outfielder Cameron Maybin was moved to the Mariners for middle infielder Bryson Brigman and $250,000 of international bonus pool money.
Eveld will report to Double-A Jacksonville and Brigman will join Class A Advanced Jupiter, where he will get a shot at both shortstop and second base.
Like they've done with all their player evaluations, the Marlins are leaning heavily on their upgraded analytics department.

Eveld and Brigman fit the profile the player development department is seeking: athletic, middle-of-the-field players and pitchers who show movement on their pitches as well as the ability to miss bats.
Eveld has an upper 90-mph fastball, with a four-seam spin rate average of 2,450 rpm, above the MLB average of about 2,200. Through tracking data, Eveld gets misses on 25 percent of his fastballs up in the zone.
Brigman has the potential to be an everyday shortstop or second baseman who makes consistent contact. The 23-year-old has a 14 percent strikeout rate. Eventually, he may wind up at second base, but for now, he will get plenty of chances at shortstop.