Anthony Claggett called up

Chad Jennings is reporting that Anthony Claggett was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  No corresponding move has been announced as of yet.

Claggett, a 24-year-old right-handed relief pitcher, is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in three relief appearances and 5 1/3 innings thus far.  He has struck out six, walked one and allowed eight hits (.348 BAA).  The runs he allowed (two) were in his last appearance against Buffalo on Wednesday.  He had previously worked a three-inning appearance where he struck out five batters.

He made 29 appearances last year for Double-A Trenton last season, pitching to a 2.15 ERA in 58 2/3 innings.

Claggett was a Tigers’ prospect who was sent to New York in the Gary Sheffield trade.

Update – 2:08 p.m.: Chad Jennings received a text from Tyler Kepner, the Yankees writer for The Times, saying that Juan Miranda was optioned out.  Miranda had been called up yesterday.

Yankees lose 7-4

CC Sabathia's second inning was horrendous this afternoon against the Tigers. He gave up three singles, a double and a two-run home run by Gary Sheffield. He only retired two batters in the frame before he was taken out. In total: 1.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HRA.

Alfredo Aceves wasn't much better. He gave up three hits and two earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, including Sheffield's second home run of the game. He also allowed a home run to Wilkin Ramirez.

Brian Bruney, Jose Veras and Mark Melancon combined to pitch the final three (scoreless) innings of the game.

Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira each had two hits, and Teixeira, Nick Swisher, Kevin Cash and Jorge Posada all drove in a run apiece.

The Yankees have an off-day tomorrow before playing the Red Sox in Fort Myers Friday night.

Sheffield misses the Yankees

Scott Proctor's Arm's whipping boy Gary Sheffield is missing the pinstripes.

From Kat O'Brien:

Gary Sheffield is no longer a Yankee, but that doesn't mean the Yankees are no longer on his mind. Sheffield, now with the Detroit Tigers, ran into a reporter while leaving the Cheesecake Factory in Tampa Monday night. Sheffield said, "I miss those guys," and also asked about Andy Pettitte.

Makes sense. Joe Torre isn't the manager anymore.

Giambi's awkward position

From Joel Sherman:

Torre decided to bow at the altar of big bats, big contracts and big egos late last season by shoehorning Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield into the lineup after lengthy injuries. He messed with the positive mojo his club had developed playing without those stars and certainly spit on defense by benching Melky Cabrera to play Matsui in left while actually finding a more incompetent first baseman than Jason Giambi by auditioning Sheffield during vital games.

He must avoid repeating that mistake. Through a couple of trades (for Jose Molina and Wilson Betemit) and a magical promotion (Shelley Duncan), the Yanks have eliminated a season-long depth problem. The choices should get even deeper this week when Giambi returns. But is that good news or bad? (Source)

Since Giambi went on the disabled list on May 30, the Yankees are 36-21. Cabrera has gotten consistent playing time in center field and Andy Phillips has come into his own at first base. Betemit also made his first start there yesterday and has produced in his first two starts as a Yankee.

Johnny Damon has been the regular designated hitter and has struggled all season, but he can't be benched because of his contract.

To answer Sherman's question, Giambi's return is bad news. This has an eerie similarity to last year's situation with Sheffield, as Joe Torre had to fit him into the lineup because of his salary and ego.

If Cabrera's playing time is cut for Giambi, Torre should be fired on the spot. He has proven to be too valuable to the team to sit for someone else.

Lofton: Sheffield is a genius

Kenny Lofton is agreeing with Gary Sheffield's assessment that Joe Torre is a racist.

"All I can say is, Sheffield knows what he's talking about," Lofton told The Associated Press when asked to respond to Sheffield's comments about Torre. "That's all I'm going to say" (source).

Please, Kenny. Keep talking.

Sheffield is at it again

Gary Sheffield is making more comments on race relations, this time involving the Yankees and Joe Torre.

Sheffield's strongest opinions were about the Yankees and Torre. Sheffield said Friday he felt disrespected from the time he arrived in New York, claiming early in his New York tenure that Torre said the Yankees should have instead acquired Vladimir Guerrero.

"When you're hearing that from your manager when you are out there busting your butt for him, that's disrespectful," Sheffield said. "But no one came to my defense to say it was disrespectful."

Sheffield claims black and white players in the Yankees clubhouse were treated differently, specifically how players Tony Womack and Kenny Lofton were handled by Torre. In the interview with HBO, Sheffield says the black players on the Yankees' roster would be "called out" in the clubhouse by Torre, while the white players would be called into Torre's office to discuss matters.

"I think it's a, a way of, the way they do things around there, you know," Sheffield told Real Sports. "They run their ship differently" (source).

Sheffield has previously said that Latin baseball players are easier to control, and that is why they are more abundant than black players.

In retrospect, I agree with Torre saying that they should've acquired Vladimir Guerrero. However, Tony Womack and Kenny Lofton were awful and most likely deserved to get called out in the clubhouse. I doubt it had to do with them being black.

Off-day results and a column

The Boston Red Sox lost to the Atlanta Braves tonight by a score of 9-4. The Red Sox's lead over the Yankees is now down to eight games (seven in the loss column).

The Detroit Tigers beat the Washington Nationals by a score of 9-8. The Tigers' lead over the Yankees is now at four games.

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News is pretty quiet on the Yankees' front.

Jack Curry of The New York Times agrees with me that the Jason Giambi injury was rather beneficial.

When Manager Joe Torre was asked Sunday to pinpoint when he thought the Yankees started turning it around, he mentioned Giambi’s being placed on the disabled list with a torn left plantar fascia on June 1.

“You hate to say this,” Torre said. “A big part of it was when Giambi went on the disabled list. At least you knew he wasn’t available.”

Without Giambi, the Yankees are 13-3 and have scored 6.9 runs a game. With Giambi, the Yankees were 22-29 and averaged 5.3 runs. After Giambi went on the disabled list, Torre moved Johnny Damon and his wobbly legs from center field to designated hitter and inserted the energetic Melky Cabrera in center. Also, Bobby Abreu, Robinson Canó and Hideki Matsui, left-handed hitters who were slumping, have contributed more.

The Yankees initially said Giambi would miss at least five weeks. General Manager Brian Cashman said yesterday that there was no new timetable. Giambi said he would have another magnetic resonance imaging test this week, but Cashman said it had not yet been scheduled (source).

It appears to me as if they are stalling. I wonder what will happen if and when he comes back this year. Last year, Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui came off the disabled list and the end of the year, which took playing time away from Melky Cabrera. I hope they milk the Giambi injury for as long as possible. One can't argue with results.

Uh....what?

Gary Sheffield's theory as to why there are less African Americans in baseball today:

"I called it years ago. What I called is that you're going to see more black faces, but there ain't no English going to be coming out. … [It's about] being able to tell [Latin players] what to do -- being able to control them," he told the magazine.

"Where I'm from, you can't control us. You might get a guy to do it that way for a while because he wants to benefit, but in the end, he is going to go back to being who he is. And that's a person that you're going to talk to with respect, you're going to talk to like a man.

"These are the things my race demands. So, if you're equally good as this Latin player, guess who's going to get sent home? I know a lot of players that are home now can outplay a lot of these guys."

So, there you have it, folks. Blacks are harder to control than Latinos. Thanks for the insight, Gary.

Andy Roddick would be a great Yankee

If you're watching Andy Roddick's first round French Open match against Igor Andreev on tape delay, he lost.

Roddick (pictured) is an overhyped tennis player who is known for only having a hard serve. He has only won one major Grand Slam event, the 2003 U.S. Open.

If Roddick was a baseball player, he'd fit in perfectly with the post-2001 New York Yankees. He is a big name who is not a winner. He would be a power hitter, who hits long, majestic home runs. But he would not be not a complete baseball player. A Jason Giambi, if you will.

Since the heartbreaking loss in 2001, this is the type of player the Yankees have turned to. Giambi, Alex Rodriguez (to an extent), Gary Sheffield, etc. The names are attractive, but they do not help your team win in the long run.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images and Yahoo! Sports