There is a consolation prize for those teams not at the top of their respective divisions: In August, they get to play crossing guard before every tradeable commodity reaches the No. 1 team -- holding the power to stop them from getting through.
This means that the John Hancock of all waiver claimers, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman -- a founding father of a new culture that developed around waiver claims in the late '90s, along with former New York Mets GM Steve Phillips -- will have a chance to block all three teams that sit above New York in the AL East standings.
The Cleveland Indians will have a chance to decide whether the Detroit Tigers get a shot at anybody.
The Cincinnati Reds can stop the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from making moves.
For at least the next 31 days, being out of first place can be a position of power.
This is the way waivers work, generally: As teams place players on waivers this month -- and almost every player goes through, as a matter of process -- teams have an opportunity to place a claim on each player. If a player is claimed by multiple teams, then the clubs with the worst record gets the claim. The Houston Astros will get first shot at everybody, and as of today, the Pirates -- with the best record in the majors -- get the last shot.