Roger Clemens was like the heavily recruited high school quarterback who really only wanted to play for the local college. Still, Clemens, whose local team is the Houston Astros, did not mind being wooed by other suitors along the way.
So, when Clemens finally had to make a decision about pitching in his 23rd season, he did Wednesday what had always been expected and returned to the Astros. The New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers were interested in Clemens, but several baseball executives long believed this was a one-team race.
Clemens signed a split contract with the Astros to avoid being subject to the waiver process when he makes three scheduled minor league starts. He will earn a prorated US$322,000 in the minors and a prorated US$22,000 million in the major leagues. Clemens, who wears No. 22, will receive close to US$13 million for roughly half a season.
"Here we go again," Clemens said at a news conference in Houston. "I'm going to give it a shot. Not necessarily that I know that I need to or that I want to, but I'm committed."
While Clemens, who turns 44 in August, works his way toward a tentative debut against the Minnesota Twins on June 22 in Houston, he will begin with a start for Singe-A Lexington on Tuesday. Koby Clemens, his 19-year-old son, plays for Lexington and should be in the lineup with his father. Clemens will follow with tuneup starts at Double-A Corpus Christi on June 11 and Triple-A Round Rock on June 16.
Clemens is 31-12 with a 2.43 earned run average over the past two seasons, but he expressed uncertainty about how effective he will be this season. Other than the eight and two-thirds innings Clemens threw in the World Baseball Classic in March, he has not pitched since leaving Game 1 of the 2005 World Series with a hamstring injury.
Since Clemens announced his retirement after pitching for the Yankees in 2003, he has now returned for three straight seasons. Because the Astros did not offer Clemens salary arbitration in December, they could not re-sign him until May 1. Houston has lost 18 of its last 26 games to stumble to 27-27, seven and a half games behind first-place St. Louis in the National League Central, and may need more than Clemens to resurrect this season.
Clemens, who called the decision very difficult and added that he seized upon the chance to remain home, could be helped by the delayed start. That should allow him to be fresher if the Astros have important games in September and October. After leading the major leagues with a 1.87 ERA in 2005, Clemens stressed that his latest return was not a stunt.
"I'm not riding around in the back of a convertible, waving my hat and selling tickets," said Clemens, whose career record is 341-172. "They expect me to get on the field and win ballgames and do it the way they're used to me doing it."
When rosters expand to 40 players on Sept. 1, there is a possibility the Astros would promote Koby, an infielder. That could enable Clemens to play in a major league game with his son, which has been done by only Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr.
American League
Carlos Guillen singled in the winning run to cap a ninth-inning rally for Detroit off Kyle Farnsworth and the Tigers beat the short-handed New York Yankees 7-6 on Thursday to avoid a four-game sweep.
The Yankees were without All-Star closer Mariano Rivera, who injured his back while putting on his spikes before the game.
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