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.

Miranda called up; Matsui’s knee problems strike again

According to Bryan Hoch, 1B Juan Miranda was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  To make room for him, RHP David Robertson was optioned to Scranton.  Hoch said that the Yankees felt they needed a bench player due to Mark Teixeira’s wrist injury and Hideki Matsui’s left knee injury.

Matsui has fluid on his knee and is not in today’s starting lineup.  Joe Girardi feels that he “maybe has taken a little step back.”  Matsui was on base four times yesterday and then this comes up.

Miranda, who will be 26 next Saturday, is batting .361/.425/.667 in 36 at-bats for Scranton.  He has three home runs, 13 RBI and four walks.

Yankees win 4-3

Make that nine in a row for the Yankees. The Yankees, behind Joba Chamberlain, beat the Tigers 4-3 in Tampa this afternoon.

In 3 1/3 innings, Chamberlain gave up four hits, one earned run and no walks while striking out five. He threw 61 pitches for 41 strikes. Jonathan Albaladejo gave up three hits but no runs in relief of Chamberlain. Mariano Rivera followed with yet another scoreless inning, striking out two.

Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras each gave up one run in their innings. Veras surrendered an eighth-inning home run to Jeff Larish.

Offensively, the Yankees recorded 11 hits, including two from Melky Cabrera (one double). He also stole his second base of the spring. Juan Miranda hit a two-run home off Fernando Rodney to retake the lead in the seventh.

The Yankees will start Alfredo Aceves tomorrow afternoon in Port Charlotte against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Yankees win 7-1

Joba Chamberlain rebounded nicely after a couple of bad spring training starts. Tonight, he gave up one run on three hits and no walks in three innings. He also struck out three batters and threw 20 of his 29 pitches for strikes. His control had been a cause for concern, as he walked four batters in his start against Team Canada.

Phil Coke followed Chamberlain with two shutout innings, striking out three and allowing three hits.

Brett Gardner and Cody Ransom both went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Juan Miranda hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, and Shelley Duncan added a three-run home run in the seventh. Hideki Matsui joined the hit parade with a double.

The Yankees will play the Tigers for the third time in six days tomorrow afternoon in Lakeland. CC Sabathia will start for the second time this spring.

AP Photo

Yankees lose 3-2

Time to panic! The Yankees are now 2-4-1 in spring training thus far.

Ian Kennedy went three innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, one walk and no strikeouts. Dan Giese also pitched three innings, struck out three, walked one and gave up one earned run. Andrew Brackman and Mark Melancon pitched one scoreless inning apiece in relief.

Offensively, the Yankees were offensive. They only scattered five hits (one of them off the bat of Giese) and plated two runs. Johnny Damon had an RBI single and Juan Miranda's sixth-inning groundout also scored one.

The Yankees will play Team Canada tomorrow afternoon in Tampa at 1:15 p.m. Joba Chamberlain will start this untelevised game.

Rookies dress up as Village People

Update - 6:55 p.m.: Cervelli, Miranda, Sanchez, Aceves

The Yankees hazed their rookies after today's scheduled game was rained out. They made them dress up as the Village People on the way back to the team hotel, according to Bryan Hoch.

Brett Gardner donned a construction vest and jeans, Alfredo Aceves became a screaming Indian chief and Francisco Cervelli was the leather-clad biker. Juan Miranda (police officer) and Humberto Sanchez (sailor) found different uniforms, and David Robertson was a cowboy -- six-shooter and all.

It doesn't seem like the Yankees tortured their rookies as much as the White Sox tortured Lance Broadway, for example.

I haven't found any pictures yet, but I'll add them to this post once I do.

AP Photo

Roster moves and Damon update

According to Peter Abraham, Juan Miranda was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. There are also minor-league camp reassignments: Austin Jackson, Colin Curtis, Jose Tabata and P.J. Pilittere.

They join Alan Horne, Chase Wright, Jeff Marquez, Daniel McCutchen, Steven White, Scott Stickland, Mark Melancon, Eric Duncan, Jesus Montero, Marcos Vechionacchi and Austin Romine.

On the Johnny Damon front, he is not in today's lineup and will not be traveling with the team tomorrow. He fouled a pitch off his foot and left the game. There are no tests scheduled, so this seems to be strictly a precautionary move.

More on Ensberg

Peter Abraham gives us more information on the Morgan Ensberg signing.

Ensberg would make $1.75 million if he makes the roster with an addition $2.25 million available in bonuses based on plate appearances.

Here’s who the Yankees will have at first base in camp:

Wilson Betemit
Shelley Duncan
Morgan Ensberg
Jason Giambi
Jason Lane
Juan Miranda

Betemit will be on the team because he can play a few positions. The Big G has to be on the team unless he’s on the DL. But who starts is up for grabs.

“I wouldn’t say anyone is a projected starter,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “There’s a job at first base that either someone is going to earn outright or it’s going to be an opportunity to mix a few different people in there.

That contract is a wee-bit excessive in my book. However, if he makes the roster, that would mean that he performed well in Spring Training, which means the Yankees would be fielding the best possible team.

The Yankees are right to not be depending on the trio of Giambi, Betemit and Duncan to be successful at first base this season.

Cashman on the bullpen

According to Brian Cashman, there are only three guaranteed spots in the rotation - Mariano Rivera, LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth.

He spoke to the Daily News about the other spots:

"The pen is a work in progress," Cashman said. "We'll have a lot of competition in spring training. As long as you have quality competing for those spots, that's good. We have guys with a lot of potential. If they're ready now or later, we'll have to see.

"For the most part, we like the talent we have against the market at the prices the market is demanding."

Cashman said prized prospects such as Jeff Marquez and Alan Horne might be in the bullpen mix, along with Ross Ohlendorf, Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, Steven White, Jeff Karstens, Brian Bruney, Chris Britton and Jonathan Albaladejo. Lefties Kei Igawa, Sean Henn and Chase Wright will vie for pen spots, Cashman said.

...

"We've engaged the market," Cashman said. "We'll look at trades, free agents, as always. But right now, what we have is what is going to be competing in spring training."

The bullpen is the one trouble spot on this team, and that has always been a weakness of Cashman's.

I can still see Joba Chamberlain starting the season in the bullpen to keep his innings total down.

Cashman also said that the Yankees will not look outside the organization for a first baseman: "We have (Jason) Giambi, Shelley (Duncan) and Wilson Betemit and (Juan) Miranda is coming off a terrific Double-A season," Cashman said.

...Great.