[ESPN] Pettitte, Clemens unsure about playing in 2007

Andy's comments really speak volumes as to his health.Guys his age shouldn't be mulling retirement.....

 

Bah. I can ignore it, and I bet the Astros' front office and players can ignore it even better.

The media is a three-ring freaking circus, and most of the time an incompetent one at that. Let them do whatever it is they do; if Clemens comes back in June or July then great: the Astros just acquired a 300-game winner for the stretch drive. Who *wouldn't* do that deal?

 

Yea but still. Either you are coming back or not. No need to say the same b.s. to the media the entire offseason and draw attention to yourself.

 

It's not like he's calling the media or holding press conferences. They're calling him and asking him, as if he's going to know. Then, when he says *nothing*, they print it anyway! I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to make this guy out to be a bad guy because our media is overpopulated and has ADHD.

It's a classic example of a non-story getting airtime because there is too much airtime available to fill it with relevant stuff. Have you watched ESPN lately? 95% drivel, 5% relevant content.

Roger's not the media w**** people make him out to be. If you want to see a media w****, look no further than the "Reverend" Jesse Jackson.

 

Im not sayin he is a bad guy. All im saying is stop being selfish and let the team know what direction you are heading in. Im sure if he comes out now and says he is finished then the astros would make a play at Zito but if he keeps sayin that 50/50 b.s then it leaves the stros handcuffed and they wont go after a top of the line pitcher like Zito because it would be too much on the payroll. Plus they still have to add a couple of bats to the roster and that wont be cheap.

 

I think that Purpura has said he's proceeding the same regardless of what they hear from Clemens. Clemens, Purpura says, is a "special case". IOW, just like '06, if the Astros have a $90M+ payroll and Clemens still becomes available, they just tack his millions on to that.

 

Well, Clemens should retire, but Andy, I think he has some left in the tank...We need at least one of these guys back...

 

Purp said that again about a week ago. Clemens & his potential salary has no effect on what they plan to do this offseason.

What *will* effect their plans is Pettitte's (in)decision, which they don't expect until after the Winter Meetings.

 

What about Rocket's performance, when compared to Andy's, makes you say that?

Obviously dude is older, but based on his performance it's a risk I'll take.

Not that I believe Andy's done; I'll take both, thank you very much.

 

If something can be had before then, it seems they should do it. If it falls through, they can then work hard on AP. If they score, perhaps *both* can be had.

 

i agree...because if andy is truly that burned out, i think he'll take less to stay at home, anyway.

 

I'm very surprised (or maybe I'm not) that people are so against doing the same in '07 wrt Clemens.

I've yet to hear a single good reason why the Astros shouldn't bring back a pitcher who can give them quality innings down the stretch.

 

yeah, i don't understand it, either. if it meant we weren't going to get someone else, i could understand. but if the astros are treating it as a special budget item...or outside of the budget...then no worries, mate.

 

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), i think its a package deal...hopefully they both come back. Unless we end up dealing for Willis...and maybe get a Backe-like guy as our 3, our starting pitching will be hurting

 

Agreed, but having an extra hole at the top of the rotation & ~$10M hanging over the available payroll does complicate things a bit.

 

clemens is an a$$ but he's an a$$ that i'll take on this team for as long as we can get him. i don't really get the problem, from a fan perspective, about him getting benefits(not traveling if he doesn't have to, pitching half a season) for being on the team. if his teammates don't care, why should we? i'll take him in august if he wanted to start then.

pettite should be priority #1. he's still way better than average and after roy that's all we might be looking at if andy and/or roger doesn't come back.

 

I say sign him for a the full year, but let him skip starts to keep him fresh, especially when going up against the bottom feeders. Save him for the top quality teams early in the year and then put him into the rotation full time by the all star break. That way he won't have to make visits to all the minor league teams for his warmup games.

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4314642.html

Clemens, Pettitte file for free agency

Astros pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were among six players to file for free agency today, but both players are still undecided whether they want to pitch next year.

The move came as no surprise by the Astros, who were informed last month by agent Randy Hendricks that his clients planned to file for free agency. The Astros have until Dec. 1 to offer salary arbitration, but Pettitte and Clemens can begin negotiating contracts with other teams beginning Sunday.

"It's no surprise," Astros general manager Tim Purpura said. "It really doesn't change the situation."

The situation for the Astros is they'd like an answer soon whether Clemens and Pettitte plan to pitch next year, but a decision probably won't come any time soon.

Clemens went 7-6 with a 2.30 ERA after joining the Astros in June, while Pettitte went 14-13 with a 4.20 ERA in the final year of a three-year contract. Pettitte was bothered by elbow trouble late last season.

Also filing for free agency Monday were Minnesota pitcher Brad Radke, who has said he will retire, Texas pitcher Kip Wells, a product of Baylor University and Elkins High School, Pittsburgh outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, who played at Conroe High, and Philadelphia shortstop Alex Gonzalez.

A total of 169 players have filed for free agency since the World Series, and about 20 more potentially are eligible to file by Saturday's deadline.

 

Over/under is 1.5 days till an east coast newpaper starts getting romantic about having Pettite+Clemens go back to NY.

The media has already defined their stance... "Roger, don't play games with us this year about coming back or not coming back... and if you are going to come back, at least do it in a place that matters and will be fun like NY or Boston." (exact quote from Mariotti on ATH).

 

Too late. Cnnsi.com was waxing rhapsodic a couple of days ago about Pettitte going back to the Yankmees and Roger going to the Red Sawx, and Buster Olney over on ESPN has already flat out stated in his blog that if Roger pitches in '07 it'll be for the Sawx.

I still can't figure out their reasoning behind this cr@p except obvious East Coast bias. Why would Andy or Roger do this? Winning? Last time I checked, the Astros have been winning as much as either the Yanks or Sox (just no rings to show for it). Money? I'm fairly sure the Astros would be willing to open up the wallet for either of those two unless they got a rediculously overvalued contract. Media attention? Roger and Andy get plenty of that here. It just seems that the media still thinks of Houston in general as a cowboy boots, horse riding town and the teams are all small market, penny-pinching farm clubs for the "real" teams on the East coast.