Update: N.Y. reports of Clemens signing with Astros are false

yep espnnews is reporting it as well.

 

nice. will be a nice boost to say the least.

 

And not a second too soon...

 

Now, if they can only get a decent closer.

 

Now that he's coming back to Houston, watch the national media... who was praising him big-time when he was supposedly going to the Yankees or Red Sox... start to point out reasons why he won't be effective:

1.) he's turning 44

2.) he took half the year off... won't get back into shape fast enough

Of course, if the Astros are not in contention by the trading deadline, his name will come up again as a "guy the Yankees/Red Sox have to get... and Houston would be idiotic to not trade him."

 

but wait! steve philips was saying that houston was out and that boston would be roger's pick, and steve philips is NEVER wrong!!!

 

PS:

i hope espn burns to the ground.

 

hahah...so true

 

GREAT NEWS! This should be the shot in the arm this team needs right now. I'd be willing to bet you see a different team as soon as tonight.

 

Ironically, Norm Chad was all over him in the chronicle this morning. can't say I disagree too much, but it doesn't bother me.

link


This is the type of work we all wish we could find


By NORMAN CHAD


Position wanted: Hall of Fame-caliber pitcher, soon to be 44, seeks part-time employment with MLB contender. Will not travel extensively. Requires base annual salary of $20 million, prorated. Available to start after July 1.

Roger Clemens is about to decide whether he is going to pitch again. This has become an annual rite of spring, like the return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano, except the swallows don't mind flying and they fly for free.

There is "rent-a-player," and then there is paying top dollar for the penthouse of part-time pitchers. Clemens is a curious sort: He just shows up when he's ready to go. This year, he might be ready to go, oh, by midseason or thereabouts, and even then, he'll want some personal days.

(You think Laurence Olivier ever wandered in during Act Two of Hamlet?)

If Clemens were the pope, he might ask for Sundays off.

You know how at spring training, pitchers and catchers report early? Clemens' idea of spring training is oiling his glove during the All-Star break.

In 2006, Clemens has hung around the house and worked out on his own while the four teams interested in signing him — the Astros, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox — wait to see if he will make a belated entrance into the pennant race.

The team that lands Clemens will get a seven-time Cy Young Award winner with a 341-172 record and 4,502 strikeouts who, in 2005, had a career-low 1.87 ERA. But to land him, Clemens has certain conditions that must be met.

The No. 1 condition is simple and obvious: money. Clemens is going to want $3 million to $4 million a month, plus someone to lug his bags.

(As you may recall, Clemens once complained — when he was with the Red Sox, I believe — about having to carry his own luggage through an airport. Yo, Rocket Man — if that's such an issue, take Amtrak and use a redcap.)

The No. 2 condition is not as simple and obvious: Clemens wants to limit his travel schedule. Unfortunately, this conflicts with the general MLB routine, which requires out-of-town travel, uh, every other week. When not pitching, Clemens prefers to skip most trips. It's as if he's under self-imposed house arrest — heck, he's a latter-day Howard Hughes, with a slider.

(I assume Clemens likes to cozy up into the den, watching the Gunslinger Channel and OLN, and if any of his four sons want to see him, wife Debra just crouches down like a catcher outside the window and signals with her right hand — one finger for Koby, two for Kory, three for Kacy and four for Kody.)

Anyway, assuming he decides to take the mound again, Clemens has to choose which team.

I can't believe he would return to the Red Sox or the Yankees.

Boston? Why indulge those insufferable Red Sox fans again? They finally got their World Series title; for the next 86 years, it's all downhill and destitute.

New York? Have you been to Times Square lately? It's Six Flags without the roller coaster. Granted, there's a pretty nifty ESPN Zone, but who needs the Boss and the tabloids and the crowds. Plus, last time I checked, a McDonald's value-menu meal there was, like, $6.49.

That leaves the Rangers and the Astros.

(At this point, I feel compelled to fully disclose my somewhat negative predisposition toward the state of Texas. As I once contended in a yet-unfinished Ph.D. dissertation, if the South had seceded from the Union, the good news is that Texas, Florida and Braves games on TBS would no longer be part of these United States. Here's all you need to know about the Lone Star State: There are condos overlooking Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.)

Frankly, you only go to play for the Rangers if you lose a bet.

Which puts Roger Clemens squarely in Houston, at Minute Maid Park, pitching for the Astros against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 9 on ESPN. I just hope he gets there by the third inning.

 

steve phillips is only wrong every time.

seriously, how do these people have jobs?

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/Astros says they're still waiting on Clemens


By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

ST. LOUIS – Roger Clemens may very well be ready to announce he’ll play this season, but Astros owner Drayton McLane and general manager Tim Purpura were still waiting on Tuesday afternoon.
“We haven’t finished the deal yet,” McLane said via phone from Temple. “They told us a month ago or longer that Roger has to make the decision that he has to come back.”

A report out of New York stated that a decision could be announced today, but McLane and Purpura were surprised because they were still waiting for an answer from Clemens’ agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks.

“We’ve been standing by,” McLane said. “Tim or I have talked to him every two or three days. They haven’t given us a decision. They haven’t said a word to us about it. That’s complete news to me. We haven’t finalized the deal yet nor has he told us. Boy that’s total news to us.”

As he has said all along, however, McLane remains optimistic.

“I’m very optimistic because we haven’t heard anything to the contrary,” McLane said. “So I’m extremely optimistic we’re going to get a deal done. If it will happen, I don’t know when. I’m very optimistic.”

The Astros opened negotiations on May 1 with a prorated deal worth a little over $20 million for the season. Since then, the Astros have raised their offer a bit, a person close to the negotiations said.

“We’re still in the discussion phases with Roger and his representatives,” Purpura said. “No news until they tell us we have a deal or don’t have a deal. So there’s really no news. I’m pretty neutral. I think it’s something that we certainly have a compelling situation. I think it would be great for roger and something positive for our ballclub and the city. It’s his decision to make and not ours.”
front/3915497.html

 

All Mets fans have to say is, Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano... and that happened after Phillips made the apparent bone-headed move of drafting Kazmir in 2002 (they knew Kaz was gonna hold out for big money... and that soured relationship played a role in the trade).

 

sorry.... http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3915497.html

Astros says they're still waiting on Clemens


By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

ST. LOUIS – Roger Clemens may very well be ready to announce he’ll play this season, but Astros owner Drayton McLane and general manager Tim Purpura were still waiting on Tuesday afternoon.
“We haven’t finished the deal yet,” McLane said via phone from Temple. “They told us a month ago or longer that Roger has to make the decision that he has to come back.”

A report out of New York stated that a decision could be announced today, but McLane and Purpura were surprised because they were still waiting for an answer from Clemens’ agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks.

“We’ve been standing by,” McLane said. “Tim or I have talked to him every two or three days. They haven’t given us a decision. They haven’t said a word to us about it. That’s complete news to me. We haven’t finalized the deal yet nor has he told us. Boy that’s total news to us.”

As he has said all along, however, McLane remains optimistic.

“I’m very optimistic because we haven’t heard anything to the contrary,” McLane said. “So I’m extremely optimistic we’re going to get a deal done. If it will happen, I don’t know when. I’m very optimistic.”

The Astros opened negotiations on May 1 with a prorated deal worth a little over $20 million for the season. Since then, the Astros have raised their offer a bit, a person close to the negotiations said.

“We’re still in the discussion phases with Roger and his representatives,” Purpura said. “No news until they tell us we have a deal or don’t have a deal. So there’s really no news. I’m pretty neutral. I think it’s something that we certainly have a compelling situation. I think it would be great for roger and something positive for our ballclub and the city. It’s his decision to make and not ours.”

 

Sounds like all the stuff they HAVE to say, before a deal becomes official. The fact that Roger hasn't physically "signed" yet (which involves passing physicals, and having the contract approved by MLB) is likely what is holding this up.

 

Astros GM says Clemens situation is 'status quo'
ESPN.com news services

Houston Astros general manager Tim Purpura denied a report on Tuesday that Roger Clemens had picked a team for 2006, saying the situation was "status quo."

Newsday reported on its Web site that Clemens had decided to re-sign with the Astros and an announcement would be made as soon as today.

Purpura denied the report, telling ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, "It's status quo, except for all the media attention we've had."

"We've had no conduct with Roger's people today," said Purpura, adding that the last time he talked to agent Randy Hendricks was Sunday.

Purpura said he was told then that "Roger was still in the mode of trying to decide what he wants to do." So essentially, Purpura said, "We're just awaiting his decision."

Hendricks did not return a call or an e-mail to ESPN.com.

Clemens has accelerated his workouts in recent weeks in anticipation for his return. The Astros, Red Sox, Yankees and Rangers have been rumored as possible landing spots for the Rocket.

In December, the Astros declined to offer Clemens arbitration after he went 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA in 32 starts. However, Clemens began to wear down late in the season and lasted just two innings in Houston's Game One loss to the Chicago White Sox in the World Series due to a hamstring injury.

In his two seasons with the Astros, Clemens posted a 31-12 record with a 2.43 ERA.

An 11-time All-Star, Clemens has more wins than any other living pitcher and ranks ninth all-time with 341 victories. In 672 career games, he is 341-172 with a 3.12 ERA and has recorded 4,502 career strikeouts, trailing only Nolan Ryan (5,714) on the all-time list.

Information from The Associated Press and SportsTicker was used in this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2463566

Now why would Purpura know, because according to previous reports once Clemens is ready he'll tell Hendricks who will in turn contact the team and a deal will be made within 24 hours. We could be in that time frame right now. Either that or Purpura obviously can't say anything cause it's not official.

 

I think Justice was hinting at something like this happening sooner rather than later when he said in his article yesterday, "1. Patience, my sons. Things will look better on July 1. Trust me on this one."

Justice article

I think the plan all along was to sign Roger on or before June 1 and let him work up his arm strength and have him ready to go July 1. The only kink in this plan was that he was to get to play with Koby, but that's not gonna happen now that Kid Rocket is injured.

I hope Clemens comes back to shore up our starting rotation. Putting a power arm like Nieve in the bull pen can do wonders for the days when Oswalt/Pettitt/Clemens aren't pitching!

GO STROS!!!!!!!!!

 

$3.5 million a month...wow talk about a paycheck

 

Hell, we need something to jump start this team...