KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- It's a far cry from the 99.9 percent rate Roger Clemens has quoted in the last few offseasons, and if we're to take The Rocket at his word, it looks like he truly is leaning toward retirement. During an interview with KRIV-TV, a local television station in Houston, on Thursday, Clemens said there is only a 20 percent chance he'll play in 2007. "Koby asked me last night when we were working out, he was doing more of a workout than I was," Clemens told KRIV, referring to his eldest son. "I still told him 80-20 that I wasn't going to play." If he does decide to play, Clemens will be courted by three teams: the Astros, Yankees and Red Sox. Recent comments from The Rocket hint that he'll be keeping his eye on the standings as he ponders picking a team, so anyone struggling right out of the gate probably won't have much of a chance to land him. "The teams that are involved, I think they've got really good clubs that are together, and if somebody stubs their toe and my phone rings in May, I might have to think about it," Clemens told KRIV. Clemens, speaking from the grand opening of the Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza, which houses the Roger Clemens Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, added that he's not trying to cause trouble for the teams that may want him, or for the fans. "I find it comical," Clemens said. "We get little notes at my foundation about people saying they wish I would make up my mind and decide because I am leaving people hanging. I'm not leaving anybody hanging. I don't want to play," Clemens said.
What's the matter, Roger? Are you getting upset because the media is focusing on Tim Hardaway and Anna Nicole Smith instead of you? Poor Roger. Just can't get enough attention.
when he starts pitching, after every strikeout he needs to do that rick flair strut, throw his shoulders back, and yell "whoooooooooooooh" since he's acting like a pro wrestler now
I've got all the respect for Rocket on the mound in the world. But yeah...off the mound...total attention w****.
Here's a follow up story: Selig to Clemens: No World Series contracts. KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Roger Clemens's request to allow a free agent to sign a contract immediately before the World Series starts was denied by the Commissioner's office today. The 43 year old right hander asked Commissioner Bud Selig if he would be allowed to sign a contract with a Major League team right before the 2007 World Series, an unheard of situation in professional sports. The World Series is scheduled to begin on October 23rd. Selig called the request "preposterous". "I've never heard of such a request", said Selig, who was appointed Commissioner of Major League baseball in 1992. "I thought it was a prank call, at first." "I don't see what the big deal is", said the 7 time Cy Young award winner. "When you look at little league games, birthday parties, karate practice, and back to school clothes shopping, I'm pretty much booked solid until October anyways." Clemens has been granted a very flexible schedule by the Houston Astros, with whom he has pitched the past three seasons. He has been allowed to attend his children's little league games, and has not had to accompany the team on road trips on which he was not scheduled to pitch. Clemens hinted at retirement before the 2006 season, but signed a contract in June. He was quoted recently as saying that that the 2006 regular season was a "waste of time". If his request had been granted, Clemens stated that he would have signed the contract on October 22nd for 22,222.22. He says that his request probably would have been granted had he not asked for 22 warm up pitches, instead of the customary 8. "Hey, when you take that much time off, don't you need 22 warm up pitches?" Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, was supportive of his former teammate. "Roger just has to take things one day at a time, you know? I'm sure he would have given 110% out there. Roger brings it every night. Baseball will regret this. What's good for the goose is good for the gander", Biggio said.
Um....didn't he do this last season? I swear he's like the Micheal Jordan of baseball. Micheal's actual baseball career is null and void in this case.
man a-train that was hilarious. i didn't catch on till i read the "goose for the gander" part and i thought even biggio wouldn't go that far. if you wrote that, props.
Damn I'm so gullible. I thought A-Trains post was real till I got to the biggio part. I couldn't believe what I was reading. ROFL.
Seriously? I tried to cheese up the quotes as much as I could. I figured most people would have caught on by "karate practice"...
Why shouldn't he retire? Would you want to take showers with other men for 6 months when you can sleep in bed with this????
Clemens, speaking from the grand opening of the Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza, which houses the Roger Clemens Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance ... Yeah, clearly he's seeking all this attention. I'm sure no one in the media knew he would be on hand for this event. I'm sure NO ONE wants to hear an interview with Clemens and this is all just him trying to keep people interested. I guess he should lock himself in his home where no media can get to him?
Seriously though, I love Roger when he's sporting our jersey. But man, his off season "antics" are straight up annoying. MAKE UP YOUR DAMN MIND!
