[Lefty Noob]

He's baaaaaaaaaack!

Roger Clemens has signed a $22 million contract with the Houston Astros and will effectively make over $3 million per month of work to come back for a 23rd MLB season. He is currently scheduled to start his first game on June 22. The full story can be seen over at http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns.

What are your reactions to the Rocket's return to Houston?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

He's baaaaaaaaaack!

Roger Clemens has signed a $22 million contract with the Houston Astros and will effectively make over $3 million per month of work to come back for a 23rd MLB season. He is currently scheduled to start his first game on June 22. The full story can be seen over at http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns.

What are your reactions to the Rocket's return to Houston?

I saw that, and my regret was someone beat me to him in our fantasy league...He will be well rested for the second half of the season...great gig if you can get it....Are you sure that $3 a month?...the season is 50 games in?

[Lefty Noob]

ESPN's math, not mine. Anyway you slice it, it's a ton of money for 2/3 of a season. Is even the great Roger Clemens worth that?

[MVB]

22 million dollars.... Man, has he done something right...

[legend]

Personally, I hope he goes out and gets bombed. He has become a mercenary, dictating to teams in need of pitching and a gate attraction his own terms. What kind of a "team" player, which he professes up and down to be, goes out and gets himself a deal that nobody else on the team can possibly get? I would have preferred remembering him as the guy who let his whole country down in the World baeball classic. losing to Mexico. now I'll just get to watch his " Oh my, I pulled my hamstring and had to come out early" routine when he gets in a big spot. Is he an all-time talent? Of course he is, and an all time phony faking fraud to go right along with it.

[ThePundit]

No surprise at all. Houston was crazy to pay him so much money. That's the only place he was going. The Yanks and BoSox were mentioned just for negotiating purposes only. At 44 years old, no way he was leaving Houston and playing in the AL.

[MJHMarc]

As I can see, we have recieved some interesting and controversial comments so far in this recent thread. It seems as if baseballs fans are either "Pro-Clemens" or "Con-Clemens". I don't think there is anywhere in between.

I heard that Roger "The Rocket" Clemens is actually a great mentor for the players on the team. Andy Pettite, his friend, speaks very highly of him (as does the ESPN anchor who covering the story). I hope the Clemens can boost the Houston Astros team chemistry with his "pep-talk" and physical ability.

You make a very good point, ThePundit. You stated, "

At 44 years old, no way he was leaving Houston and playing in the AL

". I completely agree with that. Since "The Rocket" is 44-years old, I do not see him moving back to the East Coast. He has settled down in Texas and won't move to New York or Boston, just to move back to Texas in a few months. He will only be pitching for a few months, and I don't think he wants to make this a big deal.

[MVB]

Plus, he gets to face the much less-dangerous NL lineups... His fastball isn't what it used to be. I think the Astros were really foolish to spend all this money on one guy- he'll pick up 10 wins and the Astros still won't make the playoffs.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

Personally, I hope he goes out and gets bombed. He has become a mercenary, dictating to teams in need of pitching and a gate attraction his own terms. What kind of a "team" player, which he professes up and down to be, goes out and gets himself a deal that nobody else on the team can possibly get? I would have preferred remembering him as the guy who let his whole country down in the World baeball classic. losing to Mexico. now I'll just get to watch his " Oh my, I pulled my hamstring and had to come out early" routine when he gets in a big spot. Is he an all-time talent? Of course he is, and an all time phony faking fraud to go right along with it.

A bit harsh my friend...the man has a Hall of Fame career and would have been fine without the gig...why begrudge him what he can get?...Say you are able to sell a Roger Clemens story for 5X the highest you ever sold a story etc...would Cleemns hold it against you? Would anyone?...

Why fault Roger?...Did he take out a gun and point it at the Astro ownership?...Why is he a phony then?...And it took 25 guys to lose it for the USA if I remember correctly...

[legend]

Anybody that thinks all of the Astros players like this deal, with him allowed a special set of rules, does not understand human nature. If any one of us had to work at a job, where somebody was allowed to come and go as they please just so the company could profit, would we sit there and grin? I know I wouldn't. If he loved Houston so much, why not play the whole season;he had already pitched in the Classic. He is a self promoting, self serving phony, who is all about Roger Clemens. First came the deal about retiring so his mom could see him go into the Hall of Fame, then his retirement from the Yankees and from baseball, then his comeback, and then his next comeback. I can only hope it goes terribly for him.
I don't begrudge anyone what they can make, just spare us the drama and the separate set of rules and go out and play with your team. Travel with them and be one of the guys, don't show up every fifth day and pretend you care.
If I was the Clemens of writers, I would tell the web site I was writing for when I would write and about what, and then tell them to forget about whatever rules they have, treat me differently from all the other people writing for them and allow me to dictate to you what I want. And they would tell me to go take a long walk off a short pier. But if they allowed me my way, and the other writiers found out, I doubt they would be happy for me and understanding.

[Lefty Noob]

The Rocket is set to make a start in a Class A game today. Could you imagine being a hitter in single A and finding out you all of a sudden have to face Roger Clemens? Yeesh!

[MVB]

Is it just me, or is ESPN really milking the whole "ROGERS BACK!!!!!" thing way too much? I mean, they're actually showing the game Clemens pitches with Lexington tonight on ESPN2. Come on! Rogers, gonna make...10-15 starts and go 7-2 or something lame... The Astros don't have the run-producers to back him up (like he had in Boston and New York).

[Lefty Noob]

ESPN2's going to be showing Roger Clemens pitch against a bunch of Single A ballplayers? Man... please let this be a cruel, cruel joke. Who actually would want to watch that?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

Anybody that thinks all of the Astros players like this deal, with him allowed a special set of rules, does not understand human nature. If any one of us had to work at a job, where somebody was allowed to come and go as they please just so the company could profit, would we sit there and grin? I know I wouldn't. If he loved Houston so much, why not play the whole season;he had already pitched in the Classic. He is a self promoting, self serving phony, who is all about Roger Clemens. First came the deal about retiring so his mom could see him go into the Hall of Fame, then his retirement from the Yankees and from baseball, then his comeback, and then his next comeback. I can only hope it goes terribly for him.
I don't begrudge anyone what they can make, just spare us the drama and the separate set of rules and go out and play with your team. Travel with them and be one of the guys, don't show up every fifth day and pretend you care.
If I was the Clemens of writers, I would tell the web site I was writing for when I would write and about what, and then tell them to forget about whatever rules they have, treat me differently from all the other people writing for them and allow me to dictate to you what I want. And they would tell me to go take a long walk off a short pier. But if they allowed me my way, and the other writiers found out, I doubt they would be happy for me and understanding.

If I am my company's best producer...and the reason they make money...and I can get away with a different set of rules...I would (and often do)...the rest of the Astros want some perks...show me a 95 mph fastball, and ERA under 2.00 and an against batting average in the .190's ...coupled with a Hall of Fame career and they can get all the perks they want...

and Drama sells papers and pay per view match ups...ask Ali, Tyson...Kobe...Shaq...and countless others...

That is sports in a free market economy...heck even the USSR hockey team of the 70's got perks...even in communist countries, the stars get the rock and roll lifestyle...

I would go a step further and say there is a pecking order for perks based on talent that goes back to grade school...Clemens is nothing new...or out of the ordinary...its jsut at a bigger scale.

[legend]

Boy, I would hope if I ever woke up in the body of a major league star that I could ask God for one more favor. Let all the pitchers I face be as forgiving and understanding as the guys in here are when I hit a home run and stand at the plate waving goodbye to it, and that I could dictate my schedule and travel arrangements to the team with nobody minding.
Hopefully, the Astros are about 12 games out when Clemens finally takes the hill for them. Without the possibility of being in the race, maybe somebody in that organization will say how they really feel about clemens being allowed to run his own show.
Oh, and by the way, Clemens owns a piece of the minor league team that he will be playing for. Might as well pick up some more money at the gate while you can.