This time of year drives me absolutely nuts. Many would argue that's a short drive, but the source of my irritation remains -- the series of contortions that teams go through to protect marginal, but veteran players, at the expense of more deserving talent. To be sure, some are effectively mandated by the waiver structure when it threatens to do precisely what it is designed to do -- i.e. prevent hoarding of talent in the minor leagues and allow for dispersal of that talent in a relatively organized fashion. It has it's flaws, but overall the system largely works to prevent the kinds of abuses you saw when Montreal and Toronto almost literally had every kid in Canada locked up under contract.
When Business and Talent Collide
