With little more than a month left in the season, and the team being 9 games back in the American League West division, the Los Angeles Angels look like they are giving up by placing several trade candidates on waivers. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, Brian Fuentes, Juan Rivera, Mike Napoli and Bobby Abreu have been placed on trade waivers.

The Angels were one of the more aggressive teams before the July 31st trade deadline. They acquired infielder Alberto Callaspo and right-handed pitcher Dan Haren while giving up several prospects. Now it seems the team is trying to salvage as much payroll as possible in order to prepare for future season.

Fuentes, is in the final year of his two-year, $17.5 million deal. Earlier this month, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times said the Angels could look to re-signing the closer to a new contract. He has a vesting option for 2011 should he finish 55 games this season. He’s currently at 32, so the option will unlikely vest.

Placing players on trade waivers does not necessarily mean they are going to be moved, but in order to make a trade in August, the team needs to pass them through  waivers in order to freely negotiate a deal with the 29 teams. August 31st is the deadline to set postseason rosters, so contending teams are looking for the final pieces to make them competitive come October.