Monday, January 15, 2007

The Biggest Mercenary in Sports


Roger Clemens. Will he, or won’t he come back?

This week, his agent Randy Hendricks asserted, “better than 50-50'' that Clemens plays somewhere”.

We all know what that means. Sometime in June, the lead story will be Roger Clemens signs with X team. ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, the other cable networks, the media and the bloggers, including myself will spend countless hours wondering about the good ol’ Rocket.

Once again, one of the mot intriguing topics of the winter (ok, it is spring if you’re here in Maryland spring in Mid-January), is the ever-going saga of Roger Clemens. The man is a living legend, his feats are worthy of tall tales though they are true, and he’s a Hall of Famer for sure.

Roger Clemens once again does now know if he’ll be pitching in 2007, but we all know for the right amount of cheese and situation (a chance at the World Series) he’ll make himself available.

To most of us in the baseball world, he’ll be with BFF, Andy Pettitte. So, he’ll most likely in pinstripes, since the Yankees are the Yankees and they are contenders. Brian Cashman and the fanbase up there want him, and since Randy and Gary Sheffield have now been jettisoned, George and company will be hard charging for him.

From what I know, the Yankees are the typical corporate organization where everyone knows their role and plays by the rules. Do I think the team would allow him to do as he please and have the schedule he had with the Astros?

No, but the lore of winning leads to desperation. They’ll bend the rules for him if he can be gotten.

The Red Sox aren’t likely to go after him anymore, since their rotation is fairly set, but you never know.

The Astros will mostly go after him since they have had a history, but the situation may be fuzzy down there, as they didn’t resign Pettitte over a few million and it looks like they are rebuilding. However, in the NL Central, it looks anyone could be possibly win it, so Clemens returning might be a possibility. As well, Houston would be most likely the team that would allow him the most liberal schedule.

The problem I find with Clemens is that he’s all for the ring and a hefty paycheck, and not much else. I don’t know him, and I have heard he’s a great teammate, good for the young guys, but isn’t part of being a teammate also being there for your team through the thick and thin, through every out and defeat?

Yeah, Roger isn’t just any pitcher, but are we all not tired of the song and dance?

Sports are a business and winning is everything. Clemens is the typical capitalist in America – however, it is sad that he has no sense of loyalty to anyone except himself and the dollar whatsoever.

9 comments:

CHIC-HANDSOME said...

good year,
i like yankees

SAMO said...

If he returns it should be with Houston, not NY. I don't think the Rocket would be that great in the AL.

Let's look at his last few seasons with the Yanks.

2002 4.35 ERA
2003 3.91 ERA
2007 4.80 ERA ???? It might not be pretty.

Unknown said...

Mini-Me, most people tend to forget he is well into his 40's and pretty much ran out of gas in '06 at the very end.

His numbers will definitely rise in the AL, for sure.

Anonymous said...

His numbers will no doubt rise in the AL East, but playing for a team like the Yankees and their offense won't be so bad for him. I wouldn't mind seeing him in the back of the Red Sox rotation either.

Unknown said...

No doubt, Manny. However, he's still in his 40's. Based on his track record the last few seasons, I'd expect him to do well. However, his ridiculously low ERA in the NL to rise at least 1 run or more to the mid 3's or 4.

The Sox and Yankes have stacked lineups, and it will probably not be bad overall for Roger.

Considering I played some ball in college & some semi-pro, his self-centeredness really irks me and goes very much against the *team* concept.

Soccer Dad said...

What if Clemens realizes he doesn't have the stamina for a full season and that in four months he can help the team more than 95% of all pitchers but at the end of 6 months he might well be ineffective or unable to compete? It's not a sign of selfishness, but of self preservation.

Unknown said...

Soccer dad, my problem with Clemens is not with his self-preservation, it's the game he's playing to join the best team when he wants and under his terms.

I agree with your logic, but he's been playing a game of chess with teams for the last 3 years.

Hoodlum said...

Dude, the Clemens is the proletariat clown's dream. He's in a position of such strength that he can dictate terms to his employer.

Unknown said...

Hoodlum, you make an excellent point - in fact, you're right.

However, to most fans, he goes against the concept of what a team represents and is supposed to be.

Maybe there are some out like me who are idealists that think Clemens what is doing is just tiring.

Proud Partner: Ticket Network

We have top views at Orioles, games, plus a loaded NFL, schedule. Check these tix to Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Denver Broncos.

Proud Partner - Crisp Ads

CrispAds Blog Ads