Clemens: Please retire...

[CheeseHead Cubs Fan]

Per rotoworld.

An official decision won't come until late January or early February, but Roger Clemens is leaning toward retirement, his agent said today.

"Today, he would retire if he had to make the decision," agent Randy Hendricks said. GM Tim Purpura said he's yet to decide whether to offer Clemens arbitration. If he chooses not to, Clemens would be ineligible to pitch for the Astros until May. "It's the same situation we were in last year where we were uncertain as to when we would get an answer," Houston general manager Tim Purpura said. "It puts us at somewhat of a disadvantage to build our club." Dec. 5 - 8:36 pm et

Source: FOXSports.com

 

As much as I have enjoyed watching The Rocket pitch in my life, I am anxious for him to hang it up.

 

Nice career Roger!

[10man]

Agreed. I'd rather see Clemens bow out now while he's on top than hang around too long like Maddux has done...

[CheeseHead Cubs Fan]

Agreed. I'd rather see Clemens bow out now while he's on top than hang around too long like Maddux has done...

 

I respectfully disagree my friend. While not being the sub 2.00 era and 20+ win seasons, Maddux typically always gives you enough to win a game. He is an amazing pitcher ... just takes him about 7, 8 starts to warm up.

 

I do recall a <95 pitch performance against the Brewers last September that was an absolute masterpiece to watch!

 

I'll take him as our 5th starter anyday of the week, and twice on Sunday's!

[oldcubsfan]

Agreed. I'd rather see Clemens bow out now while he's on top than hang around too long like Maddux has done...

 

I respectfully disagree my friend. While not being the sub 2.00 era and 20+ win seasons, Maddux typically always gives you enough to win a game. He is an amazing pitcher ... just takes him about 7, 8 starts to warm up.

 

I do recall a <95 pitch performance against the Brewers last September that was an absolute masterpiece to watch!

 

I'll take him as our 5th starter anyday of the week, and twice on Sunday's!

Not only that, he takes a lot of salary out of the Houston budget.

The way he pitched last year, he's sure not done yet.

[Careless]

Agreed. I'd rather see Clemens bow out now while he's on top than hang around too long like Maddux has done...

 

I respectfully disagree my friend. While not being the sub 2.00 era and 20+ win seasons, Maddux typically always gives you enough to win a game. He is an amazing pitcher ... just takes him about 7, 8 starts to warm up.

 

I do recall a <95 pitch performance against the Brewers last September that was an absolute masterpiece to watch!

 

I'll take him as our 5th starter anyday of the week, and twice on Sunday's!

A) 8 starts=1/4 of the season.

B)After those starts he had games where he gave up 5 runs, 7 runs, 6 runs, 5,6,6,5,5. So aside from the quarter of the season where you expect him to suck, he had a full third of his starts end in disaster.

Edited December 6, 2005 by Careless

[10man]

There is no doubt that Maddux is still a serviceable 4th or 5th starter. My point is that Maddux should have retired while he was ON TOP. Greg was a #1 or #2 starter and he was still that 3-4 years ago, but now he is no longer ON TOP. Clemens is still good enough to be a #1 or #2 starter and that is why HE is still on top.

[Careless]

For the record, maddux's ERA in his first 8 games was 3.80

[Andy]

If I just had a sub-2.00 ERA season, there's no way in hell I'm retiring.

 

And besides if he doesn't there's still a decent chance he can take up a big portion of Houston's payroll, keeping them from getting any better on offense.

[Careless]

If I just had a sub-2.00 ERA season, there's no way in hell I'm retiring.

 

And besides if he doesn't there's still a decent chance he can take up a big portion of Houston's payroll, keeping them from getting any better on offense.

And why would his arbitration figure go down after having maybe the best seasons of one of the best careers of all time?

edit: point being, you can always use another jet.

[Electron Blue]

There is no doubt that Maddux is still a serviceable 4th or 5th starter. My point is that Maddux should have retired while he was ON TOP. Greg was a #1 or #2 starter and he was still that 3-4 years ago, but now he is no longer ON TOP. Clemens is still good enough to be a #1 or #2 starter and that is why HE is still on top.

 

I don't get it. Why should someone feel obligated to leave at their peak? For that matter, who's to say when someone has reached their peak and when they've already passed it. Not only have many players (the Big Unit, Bonds and Clemens being perfect examples) shown that a peak can be reached or extended into the 40's, but it's kind of a personal issue, too. Just because someone's no longer great at what they do should they feel obligated to turn down massive amounts of money to stop playing a game they love?

 

Clemens I'll agree with; he may have two years left . . . What bugs me though is how this year (and last year too, IIRC) he wouldn't decide until late into the offseason. I hate the Astros as much as the next guy, but I really sympathize with the position he's putting them in.

[JeffH]

Fearless prediction:

 

The Astros decline to offer arbitration to Roger Clemens on Wednesday.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Doesn't Rog pull this "I'm gonna retire" crap every year around this time? I have a feeling he'll end up like one of those old slow-pitch die hards that is still out there at the age of 73.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

As I said, I think the Astros have decided to cut ties or believe Clemens won't be back. The fact that they are involved in negotiations with Abreu when they already have 64 million tied into 5 players means that they think they can spend the "Clemens" money. There's no way they could fit Clemens and Abreu in that payroll.

[stitchface]

I think his back is telling him to retire.

[CP_414]

Fearless prediction:

 

The Astros decline to offer arbitration to Roger Clemens on Wednesday.

 

If so, sign him up. I'm sure he would go to NY, Arlington or retire, but the Cubs have some serious cash to spend and there are not many players available worthly of getting that cash.

 

I realize there is no chance in hell of us signing him.

[ThePenguin11]

I'm curious to see what shape Maddux comes to camp in this year. Considering he retired his workout regimen in Atlanta, he should be sporting a 'Bro' this year. If he ran a mile every week or so, and maybe spent some time in the pool instead of the hot tub, he may be able to keep the ERA in the mid-3's and win more games than he loses. It might also help him to get past 85 pitches in a game.

[Careless]

Fearless prediction:

 

The Astros decline to offer arbitration to Roger Clemens on Wednesday.

 

If so, sign him up. I'm sure he would go to NY, Arlington or retire, but the Cubs have some serious cash to spend and there are not many players available worthly of getting that cash.

 

I realize there is no chance in hell of us signing him.

if we can't get a trade for abreu, that's probably the best use of our money at this point. But I'd bet on him retiring instead.

[badger1679666666]

Fearless prediction:

 

The Astros decline to offer arbitration to Roger Clemens on Wednesday.

 

If so, sign him up. I'm sure he would go to NY, Arlington or retire, but the Cubs have some serious cash to spend and there are not many players available worthly of getting that cash.

 

I realize there is no chance in hell of us signing him.

if we can't get a trade for abreu, that's probably the best use of our money at this point. But I'd bet on him retiring instead.

 

We can't even get crap assembled together to offer a trade for Bradley, anyone who thinks we're going to get Abreu should pass me their hallucinagenics.