Yankees Come to Their Senses: FINALLY Call up Long Reliever

Yankees reliever Anthony Claggett was embarrassed in his Major League debut a few weeks ago.

Claggett, however, was still somehow the first option to be recalled from AAA when Damaso Marte was placed onto the DL.

No one quite understood the move, as New York has been in desperate need of a long relief option. Another unproven rookie is not exactly a solution to the current bullpen crisis.

With the bullpen currently holding a 7.18 ERA (when excluding the injured Brian Bruney and Nick Swisher escapade), it was time for a change.

Former Yankees No. 5 starter Alfredo Aceves has been summoned to the big club, giving manager Joe Girardi additional options to consider.

If a starter is knocked out of the game early, or extra innings arrive, Aceves can save the tired and overused arms of the bullpen.

This should help to take pressure of of Phil Hughes in tonight's series opener with the Boston Red Sox.

Should Hughes begin to elevate his pitch count in early innings, he knows Aceves is available to back him up. He no longer has to fear trapping the bullpen in the same nightmare that Chien-Ming Wang did before he replaced him.

If the rain allows tonight's game to procede, it will be interesting to watch how Hughes responds to being thrown into the fire in just his second start of 2009.