Look for Rocket to un-retire

Re-hashed, but believable scenario. For the scenario to become reality the 'stros would have to be in the race after the Olympics.

If I'm Drayton, and I am not, I would hire Clemens for broadcast work -- at least home games? Up those ratings while attaching Clemens to the 'stros, physically and emotionally.

 

Nice journalism , he doesn't even know how many Cy Young awards Clemens has won (6 if you were wondering).

 

6 Cy Youngs. That is sick. He seems underappreciated for everything he accomplished.

What if he came back, brought bagwell to the world series, and beat the Red Sox in game 7 on a bagwell HR. Would there be a curse then?

 

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2172052

[font size=4]Game 4 is last call for Clemens[/font]

310-game winner having no second thoughts about retirement

By RICHARD JUSTICE
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle

MIAMI -- Roger Clemens emphasized that once he gets on the mound tonight, it will be business as usual.

For the final time.

Unless there's a dramatic change of heart, a career of 310 victories, six Cy Young Awards and a relentless work ethic and competitive fire will end tonight in Game 4 of the 99th World Series.

Clemens said he hasn't ruled out playing in next year's Olympics, but he emphasized his plans to move to a private and relaxed life in his hometown of Houston are firm.

"My final start. This is it," he said. "We're at that point now. I'm glad I'm able to say that. It is what it is. My emotions will be happy and sad. Happy that I know it's over and I'm healthy. I pretty much touched on every aspect of the game that I could. I did it right. I put the time in to be successful at this level."

Before tonight's game, Clemens will deal with "upward of 50" tickets for friends and family coming in for the event. Afterward, Yankees manager Joe Torre will hand him a lineup card for safekeeping.

Clemens will also keep his cap and uniform. He'll scoop up a bit of the dirt from the pitcher's mound. And sometime after the game, he surely will feel the emotion of this being the last time.

He laughed Tuesday as he recalled his first professional start in Winter Haven, Fla., in 1983.

"I was pretty nervous getting ready to walk into the professional clubhouse to see a bunch of other guys that were already pros and already had their time in the league," Clemens said. "It was pretty intimidating. Even though I was the No. 1 pick, it was still pretty nerve-wracking."

He remembered his first major-league start as well. That one was in 1984 for the Boston Red Sox. Cleveland's Brett Butler, long since retired, was the first hitter Clemens faced. He walked him, then picked him off first.

Mike Hargrove was the first of Clemens' 4,099 strikeout victims.

"They did everything to me as a rookie," he said. "I think they hit-and-ran, they bunted, everything."

Some have wondered if Clemens, 41, could be talked into returning for another season. Other than Sandy Koufax, who retired in 1966 after going 27-9, few other great pitchers have left at the top of their game.

Even Koufax pitched that final season with an arthritic left elbow. Clemens is healthy and coming off a 17-9 season.

He was again asked if he could be talked into changing his mind.

"I'm dead serious on what I'm doing," Clemens said. "I'm pretty set on it. There's some other neat stuff that's been brought to my attention as far as the Olympics and things like that. It's stuff that's just going to have to wait.

"At the point that next summer rolls around, I don't know how my body's going to feel. I don't know if I'm going to feel that I want to get up off that couch and do the arm exercises, the running, the lifting that I need to do to be a power pitcher. All I know is right now I still enjoy competing, and I'm going to try and make the most of it (tonight)."

His primary reasons to retire are his family and the fact he has accomplished more than he ever could have imagined. Clemens said he wants to spend more time with his family and not be restricted by a workout schedule that has become tougher as he has aged.

"My family has made a lot of sacrifices to share me with everyone," he said. "They've basically stood in the background while I've had all this success. I've been very blessed. My body's held up great. It's been by no means an accident. I know the reason why I'm able to do the things I'm able to do at my age. It's the time that I put in and the respect I have for myself and the game and the guys around me.

"It's just been a pleasure for me. I feel very blessed as an individual that I've been able to pass and put my name alongside some of these other great pitchers. I'm happy with that."

 

i think i mentioned it here before...i have a really good source who said he was considering playing one more year in an astros uniform many months back.

 

I don't see it. Clemens has had a storybook career and is leaving on top, probably with another ring. Why in the world would he sully that by playing for the Astros. Winning 90 games and losing in the first round of the playoffs for the Stros can't be as perfect a career ending as retiring while winning World Series and wearing pinstripes. Plus, he'd have to learn a new league, new hitters, new umpires, and be forced to bat. Sure, I bet he's considered the option. That doesn't mean that he'd actually follow through.

 

Sam -- his words were (paraphrased), "i'd sure like to play one more year...but i sure want to sleep in my own bed at home if i do."

 

Do you guys really think that he could help the astros He's 41 he may not be able to pitch the hole season .The astros need help at starting pitching Clements is not going to be of much help. true it would sell tickets but would it help the team WIN

 

he won...what? close to 17 games this season?? yeah...i think that would help. that would have won the division this year, here.

 

Maybe we can sign Pettite and Clemens.

 

Maybe we could sign the whole Yankees roster for discounts.

 

True He did but that in the AL he \'s got to bat the in NL .

 

Rocket would actually be well suited to pitching in the NL because he doesn't go that late in games very much anymore. A manager would have no problems pinch hitting for him in the sixth or seventh inning. As long as there is a quality bullpen behind him that is.

 

The Astros should go after him NO MATTER WHAT !!

His leadership and ability to intimidate the batters is something the whole pitching staff needs to learn.

DD

 

He was still throwing 95 in the 7th inning tonight. Amazing for this guy. Nolan Ryan played until is mid 40s and was successful, seems like clemens can do the same thing.

He would be a great fit teaming with the Astros young pitchers.

 

what in the world does that mean??? randy johnson had to bat in the NL, and he still kicked ass. 3 AB's in a game isn't going to kill him.

so what...he only wins 15 games ?? i'll still take it.

 

I don't know...maybe I'm getting a different meaning from the words "my final start, this is it" than you guys are...

 

His leadership and ability to intimidate the batters is something the whole pitching staff needs to learn.

IMO, you've either got the disposition to pitch inside, or you don't. Nobody taught Clemens to intimidate the batters, he did that all on his own. Do you think Bob Gibson needed someone to teach him that? Pedro did it without a tutor.

Really though, the current staff is just mediocre. Oswalt's injury prone, Miller's inconsistant, and Redding has yet to harness the skills that made him a heralded prospect. The rest of our starting staff don't have the stuff to back up an inside pitching game.

 

How about we don't sign Roger and use that money to re-sign Oswalt and Miller.