Rogahhh, Rogahhh, Rogahhh...

Roger Clemens is going to pitch again this year. That much has become pretty inevitable. The mystery is in regards to which uniform he will be donning. Will it be the hometown pinstripes of the Houston Astros, the pinstripes of the New York Yankees, or the scarlet hosiery of the Olde Towne Team? It's becoming pretty obvious that it's going to be the New York Yankees. It makes the most sense in a few ways. The main being that the Yankees need him, or at least they think they do. The 44-year old Clemens has shown nothing but the ability to keep pitching well. So the Yankees would be interested in adding another pitcher, especially after trading away Randy Johnson, in an attempt to get younger. Right, signing a 44-year old kind of contradicts the youth movement, but apparently the Yankees are willing to put that on hold for the chance to sign the Rocket. Also, the Yankees inked Andy Pettite (who is in my opinion, not going to do much this year), who is painfully well-known as Clemens' work out buddy and best friend. A little sidetrack here, but who gives a damn? Clemens is a big boy, does he really need to confide in Pettite when he makes decisions? When Clemens is at Subway debating on whole wheat or Italian herbs and cheese on his foot-long BLT, does he call Pettite to see what he would choose, or chose recently? Whatever. Also, it's clear that Clemens is going to want a lot of money for his short-term service. No surprise that the Yankees have that cash. This is where the Red Sox come into the picture. As a Sox fan who doesn't want Clemens to come "full circle" and end his career in Boston, I feel that the Red Sox do not need him. They already have one of, if not the best rotations in the American League (Daisuke-pending). I just don't see the point in investing all of that money into a guy who will pitch half a season. That, and I'm still bitter about Clemens pissing away his last few years here, when it seemed he was more likely to hit the clubhouse buffet harder than he hit the gym. But from a financial aspect, after spending the money the Red Sox spent this offseason (Dice-K: 103 mil, Lugo: 36 mil, Drew: 70 mil, Piniero: 6 mil), is there really room for Clemens? I think they financially don't need him, along with having a solid enough rotation as it is. And don't get started with nostalgia, or "he can teach the young guys new stuff". Jon Papelbon is already a stud, and will get that much better and polished with innings. Not Roger Clemens. As far as the Houston Astros, Clemens' most recent employer go, he's not going back there. Sure, he's got the whole being home thing, and not going on road trips going for him, but he also won't get any run support. He'll get more run support in 8-10 starts with the Sox or Yankees than he will in 20 with the Astros. So if he really wants to win, he'll go north.

I'm putting the odds of Clemens going back to the Bronx at like 60%. I really can't wait either. There are so many Red Sox fans who are talking about how excited they are about the possibility of Clemens coming back and being one with the chapel of Fenway Park again. So what happens when Clemens gets an absurd amount of money to go pitch against them with the New York Yankees? What happens to the Clemens advocates then? Are they still going to be ready to embrace the Rocket when he's pitching for a division title in Fenway in September wearing the visiting grey? I can't wait for that at least. I just hope that if he ends up in New York, he goes (big) belly up come this fall.

-MC