There's an interview w/ Clemens over at IGN... a couple of noteworthy things: IGN Sports: What are your thoughts on your future in baseball? Roger Clemens: There's still a lot to talk about in terms of baseball here and you know my situation - I was not offered arbitration by the Astros. If I'm going to continue to play and continue to play for the Astros, I won't be able to start with the club until May. But my immediate schedule is to try and go train for a couple of weeks and see if I want to take on the World Baseball Classic. And then if I embark on that I will try to see how I feel for next season. IGN Sports: Do you think you'll be playing next spring? Roger Clemens: I will probably be on a field working out or actually whether I'm active or not, that remains to be seen. I need to find out how my body feels and I said that the couple years I tried to retire and it didn't work. I tried to sit on my couch and play a few more EA Sports games, but it hasn't worked out, and I am glad it hasn't. I'm glad I left that percentage point open because of what happened here the last two years, coming home to play has been a lot of fun. We will just wait and see. I'm a power pitcher, so a lot goes into it. I've spent a lot of time in the gym and running laps around some baseball fields away from the crowds to try to see how I feel. It's not much, but based on these statements, it makes me lean toward the thought that he'll play for the Astros or he won't play at all. Seems like he won't even make a decision on his future until after the World Baseball Classic which is a good sign for the good guys. http://sports.ign.com/articles/683/683734p1.html
Chron Clemens pitches BP at Astros minicamp Associated Press Roger Clemens made an unexpected appearance at the start of Houston Astros minicamp today, pitching batting practice to some of the team's minor-league prospects, including his son, Koby. Clemens, 43, still hasn't decided whether he'll play a 23rd season. He led the majors with a 1.87 ERA last year, but was plagued by back and hamstring problems late in the season. He limped off the field after just two innings in Game 2 of the World Series. Clemens said Monday his back and hamstring were healed, but he has doubts whether he could last another full season. "There will be a week I get up and I feel like I can do it again and then the next week, I don't want to get out in the outfield and start running those poles and doing those things," Clemens said. "If last year's World Series was it for me, I'm more than happy. I know we didn't reach our ultimate goal, but it was a lot of fun. I have a lot to think about." The Astros declined to offer arbitration to Clemens, leaving him free to sign with another team. The Astros cannot negotiate a new contract with him until May 1. But Monday, Clemens took the mound at Minute Maid Park, wearing a black Astros shirt and matching cap as he worked up a sweat pitching for about 20 minutes. "My body feels great, arm feels good," Clemens said. "I just need the conditioning with my legs. When I have a little extra-long session here, like I was able to throw BP and simulate a couple of hitters, it helps a lot." Clemens said he didn't overexert himself during Monday's workout, throwing only a handful of game-level fastballs. He was still sore afterward. "Two split-fingers hurt my elbow like you wouldn't believe, and I've got a heartbeat in the back of my shoulder right now," Clemens said. Clemens planned to throw again Tuesday and Wednesday. Clemens said his focus now is the World Baseball Classic, not the upcoming regular season. Clemens is on the U.S. roster and said Monday he hopes to tell manager Buck Martinez within 12 days if he can pitch effectively. If he can't, he won't play. "If I'm going to be active, I want to make a good showing," he said. "It's not an exhibition game, it's the real deal. It's not spring training, where I can get out there and I start getting hammered around, they just leave me out there to get my pitch count in." Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, a power pitcher like Clemens who retired at 46, expects Clemens to play this season. Ryan now works in the Astros' front office and chatted with Clemens before Monday's workout. "I don't expect him not to pitch because of the competitor he is," said Ryan. "If he can physically do it, I think he'll do it. That's his life." When Clemens signed with the Astros in January 2004, he also signed a personal services contract that would keep him with the team in some capacity for 10 years after he retires. Clemens said he showed up Monday mainly to work with the Astros' prospects, a hint of what he'll do after he's finished playing. "This is my home, whether I play here or not, no matter what, I'm going to come back and work for these kids and be around the organization," Clemens said. "I'll go out and shake hands and see everybody here, but I want to work with the kids behind the scenes in the minor leagues. Right now, that's the only deal I've got."
