Roger Clemens

He wants someone to "beg" him to play for them.

No one wants him.

If Piazza wasn't such a "wuss" when Clemens threw the bat at him, he (Clemens) would have been out of the game already.

Beenthere

I think you are wrong

Clemens is on top of his game and will help some team get to the playoffs at his price

In any negotgiation doesn't one party want another party to "beg" for their sevices? In this case that begging is in the form of money offered. I think Clemens realizes that his 40+ year old body could not put up with a 30+ start season. If you still have the passion for the game, have the tools, and are still wanted, why not negotiate on your terms. He's playing within the guidelines of the CBA. MLB teams involved know his position and why he is doing what he is doing and there are no detractors, just wishful thinkers. Clemens is an exception to the rule as far as being a mid-season sign, and we always question those who work outside the box.

The Rocket is hardly begging for anything. He wanted to retire when he left New York. There were just too many pluses to continue playing in Houston. And the pluses are dwindling now but not on his part.

Clemens has ALWAYS been outside the box in many ways - thats why at his age and with his record he can continue to negotiate. Few in the last 20 years have been able to do so.

If Roger isn't pitching somewhere by the end of July, I'll be shocked. The question is, where? Houston? The YankeeBrenners? My guess is that he'll make a final hurrah with Boston.

Been There.....

I am not the greatest Roger Clemens fan, but you are sooooo far off the mark here.

If you truely believe that no one wants him, then you had better have 911 on speed dial. Your gonna need it when you hear the money and contract stipulations he is going get. Your gonna have a hell of a heart attack!

The simple truth is even if he is only 75% of what he was last year, he will fill HUGE needs on Yankees, Red Sox, Astros,...any team in contention.

You dont have to like what he is doing, but he is a free agent and this is the process set forth by the CBA in baseball.

I don't care what he does.

Just as he doesn't care what I do.

He's a frontrunner and always has been. Let him go pitch for Tampa Bay for a while and see how he likes it.

Best he stay in Houston and get them to the playoffs as he will get lit up if he comes back to the AL at this stage.

I don't think Roger Clemens would get lit up. No more than Curt Shilling has, switching leagues. People make such a big deal of that AL v. NL thing, and it has merit, but not in Roger's case. As much as I should hate the guy for leaving Boston after mailing it in for a couple of seasons, and then returning to CY Young form, I don't. He's the best pitcher certainly of my time, maybe of all time. I don't think even Pedro has reached the same plain as Roger yet.

Beenthere, do you think his choice to play in Houston was because he was a "frontrunner"? Holy ****.

pop...not last year with Houston because I understand that he wanted to stay close to his family....

Everyone else travels, he stayed home.

Some teammate.

Maybe it would not be a bad idea for teams to have selected starting pitchers stay home for some road trips. They could then catch up to the team prior to their next start. I would think that a pitcher who stays back could get better rest at home, and then into the club training room to get the "off days" conditioning work done. A trainer would be left behind and his job would be to make sure that pitcher is at 100% before his next start. On the surface this looks like a stupid idea. However, I wonder if a starting pitchers mental and physical health during the season would be more easily maintained without some of the "travel days" where they know they will not be involved. As the year goes on starters begin to break down and give you less innings. Maybe you could get more end of year "quality" innings if you simplified their "off days" by limiting the non-baseball related tasks during the season.

Sometimes the definition of being a good teammate is skewed and not all that cut-n-dried. When all is said and done a player should do what's best for the team.

BeenThere,

You are correct in your assumption about his wanting to be close to his family. That is the main reason he offered his services to houston in 2004. Another reason is that he is very good friends with Andy Petitte. Houston aggreed to his terms because it made sense for them to. Obviously it paid off (2004:18W-4L 2.98 ERA, 2005:13W-8L 1.87ERA) for the Astros with 2 great post-season apperances in a row.

Clemens gives any of the true contending teams a better shot at winning the whole thing.

As I stated before, I am not a big Clemens fan. I beleive he "dogged" it a bit his last years in boston because the team had no reliable closer and he left game after game with a lead only to watch the bullpen choke n it.

That said, no one can deny his accomplishments or his fantastic seasons in Houston. Take a look at any MLB pitcihng rotation and the #5 starters. Do you honestly beleive ANY of them are better than Clemens even if he is not a good as he has been the last two years?

rz...lolol...Exactly what I was thinking when I watched the Cubs bullpen get pounded by the Brewers on Saturday and Sunday. They should send Zambrano, the starter, home to learn how to act with his teammates.

Why do pitchers, during a rainstorm during a game, stay out in a bullpen which is uncovered? Does anyone know?

----------------

NH. Good points. I hope he does well wherever he goes. For all of that talent, just a selfish guy. Piazza is a stiff for doing nothing.

OK, let me ask it this way: Can anyone remember a similar situation? Why was May 1 a significant date? I can not think of another guy who waited around and then started playing when a 'date' rolled around.

Been:

quote:

Originally posted by BeenthereIL:
Why do pitchers, during a rainstorm during a game, stay out in a bullpen which is uncovered? Does anyone know?

Lemme take a stab at it..."Because they don't have the good sense to come in out of the rain."

I was born and raised on the coast of Oregon (100+ in. rainfall annually) and I know the feeling...that lack of good sense!

I'm a big Roger Clemens booster. Possibly the greatest pitcher of our time. Plus, he's really a nice guy.

Roger Clemens is a great pitcher, one of the best all time. He had the best ERA in all of baseball last season. What would make anyone think he couldnt do it again? He probably won't be as good as that because he's getting older, but he will still be VERY effective and right up there with schilling and beckett if he came to the Red Sox.

while few can argue he is one of the all time great pitchers.i was at a fund raiser for cancer in winter haven in 1986.the players waited tables etc. to raise money for cancer research.dwight evens, bruce hurst, wade boggs,rich gedman,jim rice all waited tables very freindly.roger sat in a booth and never came out to mingle.it was a small place so it wasn't like it would have put him out.and it was what he should have done.a memory i'll never forget.i lost a lot of respect for him as a person.he had his reasons i'm sure but i never looked at him the same after that.but he did show us that dan the duke was clueless.

20dad

I can verify first hand you are not the only fan he's disappointed up close. He mostly stays in a spiny shell in public, based on my experiences, more than one away from the field. I don't blame him for that though. That's his right. One on one, he's probably a great guy. I know he's very generous with his time and $$. Never heard anyone say he was not a great teammate, either.

He can sure pitch and I certainly respect him highly for that.

The May 1 date is important because Clemens could not re-sign with Houston until then because he was not tendered a contract offer by december 20th. Thats an MLB rule. Just by waiting and not signing wth anyone else tells me he is still considering Houston.

I believe Roger Clemens will go down in history as the best pitcher in the history of the game. IMHO of course!

Thanks Coachric.

That was the info I was looking for.

Why did Houston wait to tender an offer? How does this situation benefit them?

Rumor mill (at the Owner & GM level) says Clemens will sign this month
and with the NYY
and for $20M!


Look at the top six (and not in any order) that Roger Clemens can be compared with:

Walter Johnson
Christy Mathewson
Cy Young
Lefty Grove
Warren Spahn
Steve Carlton

(Also note the three HoF'rs that are, and argueably, NOT on my comparison list!)

Jerry's thread is OTB.
BeenthereIL threads have no clue.

It's enjoyable to note that Rizzi has finally gotten on board the Clemens wagon! lol

cheers
Bear

ps. I am heading to Boston for the weekend.
Will take on a couple of games at Fenway and at BC. Anybody nearby for a brew (or two)?

Bear

Dont know where you have been but I have appreciated Clemens for a long time !!!

I will warn the Boston Township you are coming to town and I hope that Terry Doyle , BC has his stuff to show the Terps and the Campbell kid is swinging the bat well--could be a tough weekend at Chestnut Hill for the Terps.

By the way have your heard from Edmund?

Hope you have your tickets already.

quote:

He can sure pitch and I certainly respect him highly for that.

Obviously, so can your son. I notice he has been put on the Roger Clemens Award watch list.

Here is a link.
www.rogerclemensaward.com/candidates.html

....along with two teammates and alot of other excellent players. They are very deep in starters, which is nice at tourney time.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
.... I have appreciated Clemens for a long time !!!

I will warn the Boston Township you are coming to town..............
....BC has his stuff to show the Terps and the Campbell kid is swinging the bat well--
....could be a tough weekend at Chestnut Hill for the Terps.

1. Do we need to un-archive Rizzi's post #1850?
I remember it as if it was yesterday! Almost sacrilegeous when you trashed him!

2. I am grateful for the pair of great seats near the visitors dugout! It's who you know boys!

3. Would that warning be one if by land, two if by sea. Would trains be three?
A game (or maybe two) are in Brockton at Campanelli Stadium.

4. Every weekend is tough. Dah.
BC vs MD may become the war for the proverbial Toilet Bowl series this weekend.
BC's could be finishing their first ACC season better than it began yet out of conference schedule is a cake walk.
MD seeks a .500 season yet was set back following injuries and consecutive swept weekends.
Both are home for the Jacksonville party!

5. I might be best for me not to respond w/r to EB, as you went nuts about it over losing $$.

If you were worth millions, adored by millions. hounded by fans for the last twenty-plus years, signed autographs till hand fell off - - you would avoid the public every opportunity you get as well. CLemons is well known for not exactly avoiding the public in most situations.

Clemons is a great guy and has character as well as being among the top ten all-time greatest pitchers.

Ran into him on a golf course once when he was playing a round with Rich Gedman when the Yankees were in town a few years back. He was cordial. He seemed very appreciative that I wasn't falling all over myself and asking for autographs. He WAS a Yankee after all. But my prediction is that he ends his career in Boston and has his #21 finally retired. I think the silly rule that the Red Sox have is that you have to end your career with the team to have your number retired. Oh that can't be right because Pudge Fisk has his number up there.

quote:

Rumor mill (at the Owner & GM level) says Clemens will sign this month
and with the NYY
and for $20M!

Houston has offered Clemens...$20M! WOW!

He can sign with any team at any time, except the Astros. The Astros did not pay to protect their rights to him, and because of that, were not allowed to contact him regarding a new contract until May 1.

Houston Astros to sign Roger Clemens to $22 million contract to pitch for the for the rest of 2006.

Wow!

whoooooo. That was close. He can really use the extra money.

Obscene...

Bear, the $22M is not for the rest of season. $22M is what it would come out to for the entire season, it is prorated and he will be getting approx $14M for the remainder of season.

quote:

it is prorated and he will be getting approx $14M for the remainder of season

For 4 months work? He really should get an agent next time.

We have a single A Astros affiliate here in Lexington! Roger will be here tomorrow for a workout with them and will pitch in Tues game!!! Very cool!!! It is thought his son will also play Tuesday!