Clemens is playing again in 2005 and maybe even beyond. I love it!
I also despise the media midgets who are all over Roger because he tried to get the best salary he could for this year, like anyone would and should attempt to do. Here's someone named Stephen Cannella ranting on SI's website today:
"Is anyone else getting a bit weary of Roger Clemens' act? First, the requisite rundown of his laurels: He's a 300-game winner; he has nearly as many Cy Youngs as toes; he's assured of a spot in Cooperstown; even after 20-plus years he's a flame-throwing intimidator; etc. Under the rules of baseball society, if anyone has earned the right to call his own shots and generally behave like a raving egomaniac, it's the Rocket. I'll also grant that he was underpaid last year, when he earned roughly $7 million in salary and bonuses. But Clemens went way over the line with his $22 million arbitration request.
"His endless should-I-stay-or-should-I-retire dance is bad enough. (Let's not forget that Clemens still hasn't said he's definitely playing this season.) The Astros, who made a counteroffer of $13.5 million, stand to benefit greatly on the field and at the box office from having Houston's favorite homeboy in uniform. But they've been exceedingly patient while Clemens hems and haws about whether he'll grace them with his presence in 2005.
"Roger, it's all about you and what's best for your family. But has it occurred to you that, with spring training a month away, Houston GM Tim Purpura might want to know if he has a giant rotation hole to fill? You have the luxury of making a last-minute decision to play golf on Opening Day. The Astros, on the other hand, are pretty much locked in to playing that day, and they're going to need a pitcher.
"How does Clemens show his appreciation for their patience? By smacking them with a salary request that would make him the highest-paid pitcher ever ... by $4.5 million. While the Rocket has boosted season-ticket sales and local interest in the franchise, the Astros still aren't the Yankees. Their payroll has an upper limit; if it didn't, Carlos Beltran would still call Houston home.
"Even if the Astros could afford $22 million for a pitcher who will soon be 43, Clemens' request turns the stomach because of his charade that he didn't come out of retirement last year for the money. He wanted to play in his hometown. He wanted to watch his kids play ball and spend as much time as possible with his family. (The Astros let him skip road trips when he wasn't pitching, a perk I suspect he's not willing to surrender even if he does get the $22 million.)
"We've been led to believe the comeback decision is time-consuming because Clemens needs months to consult his family and search his soul. Turns out he's actually been spending the time doodling dollar signs and zeroes on his arbitration paperwork."
Get a life, Stevie.
