From Chad Jennings:
In a move that seemed to catch every player in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees clubhouse offguard, 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.
The move makes Claggett ineligible for the Triple-A playoff roster. He’s going home tomorrow and he’ll wait there to find out whether he clears waivers, gets picked up or is traded for the second time in his career.
Guzman was acquired at the end of August and looks to serve the team as a pinch runner upon his arrival. Since joining Scranton, he has stolen 7 bases in 6 games (this season, he has stolen 45 bases while being caught 9 times). Though it is a strange move since they had to DFA Claggett in order to make room for Guzman—a nobody—I like the speed that they’re adding off the bench. He’s got no bat, but the wheels can be useful down the stretch.
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5 Responses to Yanks call up Guzman, DFA Claggett
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TIQ IQ
Looks like the Yankees do learn from past experiences. Speed beat them in the play-offs a few years ago.
Someone likes the adage; “Speed kills”, about time!
I really don’t know how adding Guzman is learning “speed kills” Freddy wasn’t on the team by the first so he isn’t eligible for the playoff roster, and even if he was he is basically Brett Gardner with no bat I don’t understand why they make the move now and not earlier in the month there are only 3 weeks left in the season for him to play. What’s he going to do that is so impressive in 3 weeks especially when we pretty much have the East in the bag.
I find this move bizarre. They already have pinch runners, thanks to the expanded roster — Gardner and Pena. How likely is it they’ll need another? No way a player as one-dimensional as Guzman makes the post-season roster, even if an injury opens a psace for him. Have the Yankees so soured on Claggett? Or have they already foudn a team willing to give up something now to get him for the stretch? Strange, strange, strange….
I think you may be right about this move being more about Claggett and the Yankees lack of interest in him going any further with them than getting Guzman playing time. I never really did like Claggett at the major league level and he really never showed improvement at times he needed too so maybe they feel like sooner is better when it comes to the end of Claggett with the Yankees.
Watching him go first to third tonight you can see some real speed from the kid to bad he can’t hit…