Yanks Claim Schlitter Off Waivers

MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports that the Yankees have claimed RHP Brian Schlitter off waivers. The 25-year old Schlitter was dropped from the Cubs 40-man roster to make room for recently-signed free-agent Kerry Wood.

Schlitter will be reunited with former Cub (and current Yankee) Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild in New York. It's very possible that Rothschild recommended Schlitter to the Yankees, or at least was consulted before the Yankees made the claim.

A Chicagoland native, Schlitter was born in Oak Park, and attended Maine South HS in Park Ridge. He was selected by the Phillies in the 16th round of the 2007 Rule 4 Draft out of the College of Charleston, and was acquired by the Cubs from the Phillies for LHP Scott Eyre in August 2008.

Schlitter was the Iowa Cubs closer the first half of the 2010 season, and went a combined 2-1 with 13 Saves and a 3.15 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 21/42 BB/K in 45.2 IP (37 Games) over two AAA tours in 2010. He made his MLB debut this past June, going 0-1 with a 12.38 ERA and 2.88 WHIP with 5/7 BB/K in 8.0 IP (7 Games) with the Cubs. He was placed on the 15-day DL for three weeks in July with a "right shoulder impingement," and was optioned to Iowa on August 5th. He was placed on the Iowa Cubs Disabled List with recurring shoulder soreness on August 25th, and was not recalled when MLB Active Lists expanded in September. He was healthy enough to pitch in winter ball for Los Senadores de San Juan in the Puerto Rico Baseball League last month, however, putting up a 4.15 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in four PRBL games.

The MLB office was closed from December 24th through January 2nd because of the NYC snowstorm (the office ordinarily would have been open Monday through Thursday between the recent Christmas and New Year's holidays), so clubs who would normally have had to make roster moves involving waivers last week were given an extension that ended today. That's why Joe Martinez (Designated for Assignment by the Pirates on 12-22-2010) and Wil Ledezma (DFA'd by the Pirates on 12-23-2010) did not need to be traded or outrighted until today's deadline, and that's why the Cubs were able to wait until this week to make a move to open up a roster slot for Kerry Wood.