Chad Jennings provides us with some interesting and unexpected news:
The New York Yankees called up speedy outfielder Freddy Guzman this morning. To make room for Guzman on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Anthony Claggett (right) was designated for assignment.
As you might remember, Claggett was one of the three pitchers the Yankees received for Gary Sheffield from the Tigers. He was definitely less heralded than Humberto Sanchez and Kevin Whelan, but still was thought of highly enough to see time with the Yankees this season.
On the surface, Claggett's Triple-A numbers look good. He threw 82 innings and maintained an ERA of 3.07. He walked 3.51 batters per nine, which isn't bad. The part that sticks out at me is his strikeout rate. In 82 innings, Claggett was only able to strike out 43 Triple-A hitters. This resulted in a FIP of 4.38, which just won't cut it.
His MLE(Major League Equivalency) puts him at a 5.21 FIP, and the ZiPS projection system pegs him for an unsightly 6.28 FIP going forward. While the timing may seem odd, Claggett would have been DFA'd in the offseason regardless.
Freddy Guzman is still an odd addition to the team. The Yankees acquired him from the Orioles on August 31st and sent him to Scranton. He has hit well in Scranton, but two weeks is a very small sample size. The 28-year-old has spent time in the majors with the Rangers and Padres, but has never stood out.
After the season, Guzman will be DFA'd to make room for a prospect who needs to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. This move just gives Girardi an extra outfielder, which will allow him to get Damon, Swisher, and Melky some extra rest before October rolls around. While the move is a bit surprising, it is inconsequential, and doesn't change anything for this season or next.
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