Excuse me if you’ve heard this statement before, "Roger Clemens is retired and won’t pitch this upcoming season," because I know we have all heard it many times, but this charade has gone on for too long. Sure, Clemens is regurgitating the same old retirement spiel since the end of the 2003 season, insisting he isn’t sure whether or not he’ll play, but whenever a team (i.e. Houston) decides to throw an obscene amount of money his way and cater to his every whim then Clemens rediscovers his unadulterated love for the game and makes his grand return.
The first step to Clemens’ comeback took place at Legends Field on Wednesday. On the surface he was there just to watch his buddy Andy Pettitte pitch, but clearly Clemens was sending a message to the Yankees that his services would be available, at the right price. Three seasons ago, Clemens followed Pettitte to Houston and now that Pettitte is back with the Yankees, one has to wonder if Clemens will follow him once again. It is believed that Clemens wants to return in June and is seeking between $16-18 million. That’s a lot of money, though it’s hard to go against Clemens’ dominance. Since his “retirement” he is 38-18 with a 2.40 ERA.
Now, Clemens can do whatever he wants, but Major League Baseball cannot allow him to make up his own rules. If Clemens wants to come out of his annual hibernation and play ball, then he should start the season the same way everyone else does, at Spring Training. It isn’t fair to the other players that Clemens can basically come and go whenever he pleases because no one is bigger than the game. Clemens should not get special treatment just because his admission to Cooperstown is already in place.
It’s clear to everyone that Clemens doesn’t want to go through the monotony of a full season and would prefer to pitch in meaningful games. But life doesn’t work that way. Sometimes people have to do things that they don’t like. Heck, there are times when I don’t feel like doing my job, but I still show up for work.
If Clemens wants to come back at the midway point of the season, then he should have the decency to be upfront about his intentions. There’s no need for him to be so ambiguous with the media and fans. Quit jerking people around.
