Clemens coming back to the

Yankees....

Roger Clemens and the Yankees are eagerly eyeing each other from a distance - exactly 1,421 short miles - and though a Rocket Reunion is by no means imminent, it may be inevitable.
No shot Clemens will want to sweat it out in Houston all summer the way this hopeless Astros team hits. Though Clemens likes to share most experiences with Andy Pettitte, last place isn't one of them.
Clemens' 2005 pitching numbers - seven starts, six runs allowed, two victories for him - are a recipe for unending frustration. A lesser man might start firing beanballs soon. At teammates.
It's no wonder Clemens has begun talking casually to friends about a possible Bronx revival. One thing holding him back today is prospect/son Koby's May 28 graduation from Houston's Memorial High School. Presuming the Astros' futility continues and provided the hometown folks understand his lust for a third ring, after May 28, he's good to go.
The Yankees are already salivating at this possibility. As one American League executive said, "They'll get the welcome wagon out for Clemens."
Word is, it's already being gassed up.
Although general manager Brian Cashman said, "I can't comment on other teams' players," he has to know his pitching staff needs this sort of boost. Clemens - 2-1 with a Bob-Gibson-like 1.10 ERA - is not just a potential savior but maybe the only potential savior.
If there's one thing needed by this Yankees pitching staff, which currently trails everyone but Texas, Kansas City and Tampa Bay in ERA, it's the greatest pitcher of all time. Walter Johnson isn't available, so Clemens fills that bill.
He's the perfect pitching mercenary, having improved his game after "retiring" from superb to ungodly great. And who knows, maybe he takes Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright under his talented wing and makes them better, even passable. To this point, excepting rookie Chien-Ming Wang, the Yankees' rotation is an across-the-board disappointment.
Yankees people have independently confirmed for themselves Clemens' interest in returning since Newsday first reported Feb. 6 that Clemens and Astros owner Drayton McLane had a handshake agreement to trade him here should the Astros collapse.
There are hurdles, of course - Cy Young Jr. isn't moved in a day. But they can be overcome.
The Astros would have to continue to plummet like Enron, very possible since McLane and minions badly messed up the winter, losing Jeff Kent and Carlos Beltran without lining up capable replacements.
Unlike in the case of Randy Johnson a summer ago, the prospects to go shouldn't be a problem. With Wang, Robinson Cano and Eric Duncan on the rise (and Clemens only a half-year rental), the Yankees are better positioned for that midsummer blockbuster.
The matter of Clemens' contract, which calls for a $3-million kicker if he is traded on top of his $18-million salary, shouldn't complicate matters. George Steinbrenner is already into this gruesome season for $203 million. Anyway, by then, he'll be paying Columbus' DH $17 million; $3 million will seem like chicken feed.
Clemens has never denied his reunion ruminations. As for McLane, after responding "anything's possible," and effectively confirming the initial report, he recently told The Sporting News "there are no conditions under which I would do that" - an unconvincing denial that did nothing to dry up the Yankees' salivary glands.
Before trading Clemens, McLane would have to somehow sell the idea to Houston's fans, a task made easier the farther the Astros fall. As one Astros-connected person put it, "Drayton's going to have to smooth things out."
Speaking of rough edges, we give you the Yankees' pitching staff, which got a respite from its monthlong pounding this week with a string of effective-to-impressive outings before Pavano's clunker Wednesday. But though the five-game winning streak is a nice diversion, it's truly a mirage, happening against weaklings Oakland and Seattle.
The Mariners obviously don't have their act together, and it's hard to say whom or what the Athletics miss most; is it Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder or the steroids that fueled them for 15 years? Moneyball, my eye. Muscleball was more like it.
But enough about others' problems; the Yankees have enough. And don't think club executives are fooled by their mini-streak, either.
Wright, with shoulder woes, was tabbed to miss "four to six weeks minimum," the scary word in there being "minimum." Meanwhile, Pavano, their biggest free-agent pitching pickup, is being outdone by Jon Lieber, Jose Contreras, Javier Vazquez, El Duque Hernandez, Jeff Weaver and many others.
"Obviously, [Wednesday] wasn't very good. Prior to that, he had some quality starts without his best stuff," Cashman said of Pavano. "We've talked about it internally. They're working on some things."
They can hope for the best, but lately the Yankees have a hard time harnessing pitching talent once it heads south. The better solution will be to look to the south, to Clemens, the perfect midsummer antidote for a season in trouble.

ok i have to admit this....

I REALLY hope he comes back

not sure if this is a wise move, but it could be interesting

I think its a great move.

It could be great depending on who they are trading. They can't afford to trade any more youth. If they can trade Giambi for him I'm all for it.

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Posted by Kierasmom

It could be great depending on who they are trading. They can't afford to trade any more youth. If they can trade Giambi for him I'm all for it.

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this is true, IF they can keep the youthful bats that they have, then it might be a decent trade; however, i would be cautious about loading the rotation with 3 pitchers in the twilight of their careers (johnson, brown and clemens). It's true, age really doesn't mean anything if you are pitching well and are healthy, but once you get to 40, injuries can creep up real fast.

Should be interesting. Plus, if Clemens comes back, Petitte may not be far behind

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Posted by CaptainCharisma424

this is true, IF they can keep the youthful bats that they have, then it might be a decent trade; however, i would be cautious about loading the rotation with 3 pitchers in the twilight of their careers (johnson, brown and clemens). It's true, age really doesn't mean anything if you are pitching well and are healthy, but once you get to 40, injuries can creep up real fast.

Should be interesting. Plus, if Clemens comes back, Petitte may not be far behind

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I think Clemens is a great pitcher and the Yanks defintly need a good pitcher, but it irritates me what he did when he retired and came back... And if the whole reason was to be with the family, then why go back to NY? I know they need him but it just irks me a little

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Posted by GoingNutty

I think Clemens is a great pitcher and the Yanks defintly need a good pitcher, but it irritates me what he did when he retired and came back... And if the whole reason was to be with the family, then why go back to NY? I know they need him but it just irks me a little

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I really didn't think it had much to do with being with his family but rather how his friend Andy was treated byt he Yanks...

They should have held on to him!!!!

I wouldn't take him back. I'm not a yankee fan but I just hate what he did though. We thought this man was retiring he got his standing ovation with the crowds thinking that it was his last game and then he goes to another team?...to me it's like he was saying "suckers" to all fans, not just yankee fans...

Just my opinion...

Message edited 5/18/2005 3:24:38 PM.

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Posted by Kierasmom

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Posted by GoingNutty

I think Clemens is a great pitcher and the Yanks defintly need a good pitcher, but it irritates me what he did when he retired and came back... And if the whole reason was to be with the family, then why go back to NY? I know they need him but it just irks me a little

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I can agree with that. It bothers me as well. It would show again how selfish he is.

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Posted by Julybaby

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Posted by Kierasmom

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Posted by GoingNutty

I think Clemens is a great pitcher and the Yanks defintly need a good pitcher, but it irritates me what he did when he retired and came back... And if the whole reason was to be with the family, then why go back to NY? I know they need him but it just irks me a little

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I can agree with that. It bothers me as well. It would show again how selfish he is.

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I agree as well. I think he's a rat!

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and now I guess he wants more money...

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Posted by DjPiLL

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Posted by Julybaby

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Posted by Kierasmom

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Posted by GoingNutty

I think Clemens is a great pitcher and the Yanks defintly need a good pitcher, but it irritates me what he did when he retired and came back... And if the whole reason was to be with the family, then why go back to NY? I know they need him but it just irks me a little

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I can agree with that. It bothers me as well. It would show again how selfish he is.

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I agree as well. I think he's a rat!

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Why does this make him a "RAT"???

He retired. Then he was convinced to pitch for his hometown and with a very close friend. This makes him FAR from selfish and a rat.

He took a MAJOR discount last season to pitch for Houston (only 3 mil or something like that).

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