Like the title says, I'm kinda confused as to what the difference between those two is.

My team is pretty bad, but I want to stay competitive so I'm looking at the waiver wire. I see two pitchers who I'd like to grab. One shows up on the waiver wire page as making $7.5M and the other $2.5M. Neither one of them is worth more than a 6 pack and bag of sunflower seeds. The one for $2.5M has no team or assignment next to his name. When I click on his name, he's shown as being on Atlanta, then it says he's under contract for $6M and he was designated for assignment 4 days ago. How much am I going to be paying him if I pick him up? What about the other guy?

If you pick up a player on waivers, that includes players that have been DFA you are responsible for the remainder of their contract. If the player was released then you would only be responsible for the minimum salary and the team releasing him would be on the hook for anything above that.

So a player DFA is not released?

Any player on the waiver wire is not released. Released players show up in the FA pool.

Posted by boogerlips on 10/24/2011 10:56:00 PM (view original):
Any player on the waiver wire is not released. Released players show up in the FA pool.

Incorrect.

Released players go through the waiver wire before they go into the FA pool.

DFA: Puts a player on waivers. Also removes him from your 40man roster. Player is in limbo (not actually playing) until he clears waivers. Then you can assign him to any level. Usually this is used for players without any option yrs remaining.
Waive: Puts a player on waivers. Does not remove him from 40man roster. Does not put him in limbo (still plays while on waivers). Only time I can think of to do this is putting a player on revokable waivers after the trade deadline, or when I want someone to claim him.

Posted by tecwrg on 10/24/2011 10:58:00 PM (view original):

Posted by boogerlips on 10/24/2011 10:56:00 PM (view original):
Any player on the waiver wire is not released. Released players show up in the FA pool.

Incorrect.

Released players go through the waiver wire before they go into the FA pool.

I've never seen a released player on the WW before, but I'll assume you're correct. TY.

Any player released after arbitration hearings has to clear waivers bfore entering the fa pool

I always release them before arbitration. Probably why I haven't seen them there.

So I should wait until they clear waivers so I don't have to pick up their salary, right?

If they clear waivers, they are no longer available to be picked up.  A team would waive or DFA in order to be able to demote players who have run out of option years.  A good way to augment a poor team is to look to the free agent scrap heap.  Usually there are a couple of decent players that are left in the free agent pool even as far along as the quarter mark of the season.

If a player is released, it will say so on the player card -- even while they are going through waivers.  If it does not say released, you are responsible for the entire contract.   Off the top of my head, I can think of little reason to release a player after the start of the season. Sometimes I will do it with low minors players just so I don't sign them the next year during rollover, or if I need to get rid of that 4th right fielder inf low A to make room for an arm -- but never anyone of significance.

Posted by peanutjets on 10/24/2011 11:30:00 PM (view original):
So I should wait until they clear waivers so I don't have to pick up their salary, right?

You only get out of their salary if somebody claims your player. Never release a player unless it's an arb eligible player who you don't want to go to arbitration.

Posted by peanutjets on 10/24/2011 11:30:00 PM (view original):
So I should wait until they clear waivers so I don't have to pick up their salary, right?

If a player is on the WW, you can click on the player card and then look at tab "transactions".

If it says "released", then you can claim him and you will only pay a pro-rated portion of the BL minimum. If the season hasn't begun yet, you will only pay 327K max