The Official Keeping Up with Clemens Thread

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Until Clemens signs with someone or officially hangs it up, or dies there's going to be speculation about his plans.

 

His agent met with Epstein yesterday.

 

There's some that believe that Clemens is intrigued by the storyline of returning to the team he began his career with.

 

The most telling information from the article was this:

 

Hendricks did confirm what has been widely anticipated for some time -- that Clemens does not intend to pitch for anyone for at least the first two months of the season.

 

''As things stand now, Roger does not intend to play in April or May," wrote Hendricks. ''We will reevaluate things in mid-May.

 

''I am not concerned with working out a deal with any of the four teams if Roger decides to play. All four are interested and all four independently make good sense. I think it will be good for Roger to be 'retired' for a couple of months and then reflect upon how he feels.

 

''We all know he can still pitch quite well at the major league level."

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Until Clemens signs with someone or officially hangs it up, or dies there's going to be speculation about his plans.

 

His agent met with Epstein yesterday.

 

There's some that believe that Clemens is intrigued by the storyline of returning to the team he began his career with.

 

The most telling information from the article was this:

 

Hendricks did confirm what has been widely anticipated for some time -- that Clemens does not intend to pitch for anyone for at least the first two months of the season.

 

''As things stand now, Roger does not intend to play in April or May," wrote Hendricks. ''We will reevaluate things in mid-May.

 

''I am not concerned with working out a deal with any of the four teams if Roger decides to play. All four are interested and all four independently make good sense. I think it will be good for Roger to be 'retired' for a couple of months and then reflect upon how he feels.

 

''We all know he can still pitch quite well at the major league level."

 

Boston has a lot going in its favor, though.

 

First, according to the article, Boston pitching coach Al Nipper is one of Clemens's best friends.

 

He also acknowledged that Al Nipper, Boston's interim pitching coach, is one of his ''best buddies" in the game.

 

It also seems that Barrett isn't the only one lobbying Clemens to join his team.

 

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek and reliever Mike Timlin, who both returned to camp yesterday after playing for the US in the WBC, said they lobbied Clemens to come to Boston.

 

''I told him to make sure he keeps his eye on us -- don't forget about us," said Varitek, who caught Clemens in several side sessions.

 

When asked if it appeared Clemens's interest in coming back to Boston was genuine, Varitek said, ''Rightfully so, for what he's done here."

[Omar]

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek and reliever Mike Timlin, who both returned to camp yesterday after playing for the US in the WBC, said they lobbied Clemens to come to Boston.

 

''I told him to make sure he keeps his eye on us -- don't forget about us," said Varitek, who caught Clemens in several side sessions.

 

When asked if it appeared Clemens's interest in coming back to Boston was genuine, Varitek said, ''Rightfully so, for what he's done here."

 

Boy, do all catchers appeal to Clemens?

[Schwarber Fan]

Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek and reliever Mike Timlin, who both returned to camp yesterday after playing for the US in the WBC, said they lobbied Clemens to come to Boston.

 

''I told him to make sure he keeps his eye on us -- don't forget about us," said Varitek, who caught Clemens in several side sessions.

 

When asked if it appeared Clemens's interest in coming back to Boston was genuine, Varitek said, ''Rightfully so, for what he's done here."

 

Boy, do all catchers appeal to Clemens?

 

Mike Piazza didn't.

[Derwood]

There's some that believe that Clemens is intrigued by the storyline of returning to the team he began his career with.

 

Maddux redux? (we know how that's turned out)

[Electron Blue]

There's some that believe that Clemens is intrigued by the storyline of returning to the team he began his career with.

 

Maddux redux? (we know how that's turned out)

 

Do we? I assume you mean that it hasn't turned out well, right? Because I wouldn't really agree with that. He's done as well as we could have realistically expected and additionally hasn't missed a game, won his 300th with the Cubs, and has been arguably our most consistent pitcher (behind Zambrano).

 

Clemens, IMO, is an even safer bet to go out on a high note, though it sounds like he wants more money, so he may end up being the bigger risk anyway.

 

By the way, great new avatar, Derwood. You got that up there pretty quick. I was just hearinh from someone watching the game about that coincidental match-up. LOL :) .

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I found this comment in Buster Olney's chat (Link) interesting.

 

Arun (Ann Arbor): Can you see the Astros making a push at the world series without Roger Clemens?

 

Buster Olney: Arun: No, I don't think they have the depth in their lineup to win the title unless they have an overpowering pitching staff -- and without Clemens, they don't. Talked to an someone who knows Clemens over the last week and he believes Clemens will sign with either the Red Sox or the Yankees, but not the Astros. I'm still guessing Houston...

[daske17]

Seeing as how Roger has been an icon with every team he's played, with the exception of the Blue Jays, whose cap does he go into HOF with?

 

I would think it's the true match is between BOS and NYY, but seeing as how he led Houston to their first World Series and he's from Texas, you can't completely throw them out of the equation either.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Seeing as how Roger has been an icon with every team he's played, with the exception of the Blue Jays, whose cap does he go into HOF with?

 

I would think it's the true match is between BOS and NYY, but seeing as how he led Houston to their first World Series and he's from Texas, you can't completely throw them out of the equation either.

 

Boston

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Clemens has publicly stated that he wants to go in as a Yankee. I think it should be as a Red Sox, but since he's made his desires so clear, there's a good chance that he'll go as a Yankee.

 

He only pitched two years with the Astros, so I don't see how they can in any way be part of the equation.

[daske17]

Clemens has publicly stated that he wants to go in as a Yankee. I think it should be as a Red Sox, but since he's made his desires so clear, there's a good chance that he'll go as a Yankee.

 

He only pitched two years with the Astros, so I don't see how they can in any way be part of the equation.

 

Yes, it was only two years, but they were brilliant years for him. A Cy Young award and getting the team to the World Series for the first time ever. I agree that it isn't a HUGE possibility, but he still made a significant contribution to the team.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Clemens should go with the Sox for most of the same reasons you'll see Maddux as a Brave.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Clemens has publicly stated that he wants to go in as a Yankee. I think it should be as a Red Sox, but since he's made his desires so clear, there's a good chance that he'll go as a Yankee.

 

He only pitched two years with the Astros, so I don't see how they can in any way be part of the equation.

 

Yes, it was only two years, but they were brilliant years for him. A Cy Young award and getting the team to the World Series for the first time ever. I agree that it isn't a HUGE possibility, but he still made a significant contribution to the team.

 

Of course he made contributions to the team. I'm not debating that he will be forever remembered in Houston for those accomplishments. But those were two years of a 22 year career. It's not even 10% of his career.

 

As an Astro, he has one Cy Young and one World Series appearance.

 

As a Red Sox, he has three Cy Youngs and one WS as well as pitching 13 years there.

 

As a Yankee, he has 2 Cy Young awards as well as three WS appearances while pitching five seasons.

 

There's no way his Astro years can compare to those. I can't even see the Astros being part of the discussion.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Jayson Stark believes (and says Astro players do as well) that Clemens will be an Astro.

 

I think Roger is coming back, and I think he's coming back to Houston as long as Drayton McLane is willing to pay him what he's worth. Obviously, if the Astros are 12-40 when it's time to decide, then get back to me. But I can't believe how confident the Astros (players and management) seem to be that Roger is going to be back at some point. So that's good enough for me. I don't know if Biggio is a first-ballot Hall of Famer for some people. But at this point, he is one for me.

[jjgman21]

Clemens has publicly stated that he wants to go in as a Yankee. I think it should be as a Red Sox, but since he's made his desires so clear, there's a good chance that he'll go as a Yankee.

 

He only pitched two years with the Astros, so I don't see how they can in any way be part of the equation.

 

Yes, it was only two years, but they were brilliant years for him. A Cy Young award and getting the team to the World Series for the first time ever. I agree that it isn't a HUGE possibility, but he still made a significant contribution to the team.

 

Roger says he wants to go in as a Yankee, but the fact is that was the worst five year stretch of his career, and was only a slightly better than average pitcher during that stretch. I think the Blue Jays have as legit of a claim as Houston (not that it works that way). two Cy Youngs, including the pitching triple crown both years, and two of his four best ERA+ years, including the very best year in his career, 1997.

[jjgman21]

Jayson Stark believes (and says Astro players do as well) that Clemens will be an Astro.

 

I think Roger is coming back, and I think he's coming back to Houston as long as Drayton McLane is willing to pay him what he's worth. Obviously, if the Astros are 12-40 when it's time to decide, then get back to me. But I can't believe how confident the Astros (players and management) seem to be that Roger is going to be back at some point. So that's good enough for me. I don't know if Biggio is a first-ballot Hall of Famer for some people. But at this point, he is one for me.

 

after the Bagwell affair, does the bolded part assure that Clemens will not be an Astro?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Jayson Stark believes (and says Astro players do as well) that Clemens will be an Astro.

 

I think Roger is coming back, and I think he's coming back to Houston as long as Drayton McLane is willing to pay him what he's worth. Obviously, if the Astros are 12-40 when it's time to decide, then get back to me. But I can't believe how confident the Astros (players and management) seem to be that Roger is going to be back at some point. So that's good enough for me. I don't know if Biggio is a first-ballot Hall of Famer for some people. But at this point, he is one for me.

 

after the Bagwell affair, does the bolded part assure that Clemens will not be an Astro?

 

McLane likes Clemens better

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Jayson Stark believes (and says Astro players do as well) that Clemens will be an Astro.

 

I think Roger is coming back, and I think he's coming back to Houston as long as Drayton McLane is willing to pay him what he's worth. Obviously, if the Astros are 12-40 when it's time to decide, then get back to me. But I can't believe how confident the Astros (players and management) seem to be that Roger is going to be back at some point. So that's good enough for me. I don't know if Biggio is a first-ballot Hall of Famer for some people. But at this point, he is one for me.

 

after the Bagwell affair, does the bolded part assure that Clemens will not be an Astro?

 

McLane likes Clemens better

 

Now that one could be one of the best ones ever.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

More on Clemens from Jerry Crasnick's chat today.

 

Link.

 

Joe (Boston, MA): Hey Jerry, I was wondering where do you think Roger Clemens will end up going this season? Do you think he has a good chance of coming to Boston to take David Wells spot in the rotation?

 

SportsNation Jerry Crasnick: Joe,

 

I've thought all along that Houston was the most likely destination for Clemens, but I recently talked to a former teammate who knows Roger pretty well, and he said the thought of finishing his career in Boston and coming full circle is very intriguing to the Rocket. Take that for what it's worth, but it's an interesting thought.

 

My guess is that former teammate is Al Nipper, one of the coaches for the Red Sox.

[UBlink]

Well, at least the theory that the Rangers would get hot out of the gate and entice the Rocket to join their playoff run is looking pretty shot at this early stage. I don't think Tom Hicks has enough money to make Clemens want to join that mess.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Jayson Stark writes an article where he says Clemens will be the greatest mid-season free agent in sports history.

 

Link.

(Insider Only)

 

"Roger isn't going to come back and just pitch for a paycheck," this longtime baseball man said. "Winning will have to be a major incentive for him to pitch again ... because he'll be in the highest [midseason] demand of any pitcher ever. So I really think you won't see him until the All-Star break, so he can filter out the pretenders from the contenders.

 

"I really think this is it. If he does pitch another year, this will be it. So if he pitches this year, it will be for a winning team. If he's only coming back for 2½-3 months, it's not as big a deal for him to be away from his family, because he can tell them it's just for a short period period of time, and then that's it. So that's the way I look at it: The shorter the term, the more likely he'll be to go to any of those [contending] teams. The longer the term, the less likely that is and the more likely it is he'll go back to Houston."

 

The more news that comes out, it seems the hometown factor of Houston matters less and less.

 

Even more interesting is the price it will cost to get him for those 2 1/2 to 3 months.

 

Randy and Alan Hendricks, have shrewdly positioned themselves to set off a crazed June-July auction among the Yankees, Red Sox and the state of Texas. And the hometown-discount rate will not be in effect.

 

If you peel away Clemens' comments last week after he just happened to stop by the Rangers and Astros' openers, his most revealing quote was this one: "The going rate is the going rate. That's the bottom line." And the going rate will start at eight figures.

[soccer10k]

Clemens should go with the Sox for most of the same reasons you'll see Maddux as a Brave.

 

Agreed (I do think Maddux should go in as a Brave. I was just posing a question for the other thread. There is absolutely no way you can make a legitimate case for either Toronto or Houston. New York you could make a small case for (like Chicago with Maddux) since he did win his only World Series there. But ultimately, he should go in with a Red Sox cap. A majority of his stats were accumulated while was with the Red Sox. Whether or not he wants to wear a Red Sox cap is a whole different story.

[soccer10k]

As for Clemens going back to Boston, I know the team would love to have him back, but I don't think the fans would like him too much. I'm sure if he was pitching well then they wouldn't boo him, but the fans would be much quicker to boo Clemens if he wasn't pitching well then they would another player. Clemens dogged it his last two years in Boston (as evidenced by his two Cy Young years in Toronto) and didn't say nice things when he left. I just don't know how well he would be received in Boston. He would definately get a much warmer welcome in either New York or Houston though.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Jayson Stark writes an article where he says Clemens will be the greatest mid-season free agent in sports history.

I can't think of any other mid-season free agents, so I don't know if that's much of an accomplishment.

[Brian]

Jayson Stark writes an article where he says Clemens will be the greatest mid-season free agent in sports history.

I can't think of any other mid-season free agents, so I don't know if that's much of an accomplishment.

 

but that's only because he's we signed Neifi towards the end of the season. ;)