火箭人將回洋基?

[fightback (to be)]

Stage being set for Roger's return-
Jon Heyman-
SPORTS COLUMNIST-

May 13, 2005-

Roger Clemens and the Yankees are eagerly eyeing each other from a distance --
exactly 1,421 short miles -- and though a Rocket Reunion is by no means imminen
t, it may be inevitable.

No shot Clemens will want to sweat it out in Houston all summer the way this ho
peless Astros team hits. Though Clemens likes to share most experiences with An
dy Pettitte, last place isn't one of them.

Clemens' 2005 pitching numbers -- seven starts, six runs allowed, two victories
 for him -- are a recipe for unending frustration. A lesser man might start fir
ing beanballs soon. At teammates.

It's no wonder Clemens has begun talking casually to friends about a possible B
ronx revival. One thing holding him back today is prospect/son Koby's May 28 gr
aduation from Houston's Memorial High School. Presuming the Astros' futility co
ntinues and provided the hometown folks understand his lust for a third ring, a
fter May 28, he's good to go.

The Yankees are already salivating at this possibility. As one American League
executive said, "They'll get the welcome wagon out for Clemens."

Word is, it's already being gassed up.

Although general manager Brian Cashman said, "I can't comment on other teams' p
layers," he has to know his pitching staff needs this sort of boost. Clemens --
 2-1 with a Bob-Gibson-like 1.10 ERA -- is not just a potential savior but mayb
e the only potential savior.

If there's one thing needed by this Yankees pitching staff, which currently tra
ils everyone but Texas, Kansas City and Tampa Bay in ERA, it's the greatest pit
cher of all time. Walter Johnson isn't available, so Clemens fills that bill.

He's the perfect pitching mercenary, having improved his game after "retiring"
from superb to ungodly great. And who knows, maybe he takes Carl Pavano and Jar
et Wright under his talented wing and makes them better, even passable. To this
 point, excepting rookie Chien-Ming Wang, the Yankees' rotation is an across-th
e-board disappointment.

Yankees people have independently confirmed for themselves Clemens' interest in
 returning since Newsday first reported Feb. 6 that Clemens and Astros owner Dr
ayton McLane had a handshake agreement to trade him here should the Astros coll
apse.

There are hurdles, of course -- Cy Young Jr. isn't moved in a day. But they can
 be overcome.

The Astros would have to continue to plummet like Enron, very possible since Mc
Lane and minions badly messed up the winter, losing Jeff Kent and Carlos Beltra
n without lining up capable replacements.

Unlike in the case of Randy Johnson a summer ago, the prospects to go shouldn't
 be a problem. With Wang, Robinson Cano and Eric Duncan on the rise (and Clemen
s only a half-year rental), the Yankees are better positioned for that midsumme
r blockbuster.

The matter of Clemens' contract, which calls for a $3-million kicker if he is t
raded on top of his $18-million salary, shouldn't complicate matters. George St
einbrenner is already into this gruesome season for $203 million. Anyway, by th
en, he'll be paying Columbus' DH $17 million; $3 million will seem like chicken
 feed.

Clemens has never denied his reunion ruminations. As for McLane, after respondi
ng "anything's possible," and effectively confirming the initial report, he rec
ently told The Sporting News "there are no conditions under which I would do th
at" -- an unconvincing denial that did nothing to dry up the Yankees' salivary
glands.

Before trading Clemens, McLane would have to somehow sell the idea to Houston's
 fans, a task made easier the farther the Astros fall. As one Astros-connected
person put it, "Drayton's going to have to smooth things out."

Speaking of rough edges, we give you the Yankees' pitching staff, which got a r
espite from its monthlong pounding this week with a string of effective-to-impr
essive outings before Pavano's clunker Wednesday. But though the five-game winn
ing streak is a nice diversion, it's truly a mirage, happening against weakling
s Oakland and Seattle.

The Mariners obviously don't have their act together, and it's hard to say whom
 or what the Athletics miss most; is it Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder or the steroids
 that fueled them for 15 years? Moneyball, my eye. Muscleball was more like it.


But enough about others' problems; the Yankees have enough. And don't think clu
b executives are fooled by their mini-streak, either.

Wright, with shoulder woes, was tabbed to miss "four to six weeks minimum," the
 scary word in there being "minimum." Meanwhile, Pavano, their biggest free-age
nt pitching pickup, is being outdone by Jon Lieber, Jose Contreras, Javier Vazq
uez, El Duque Hernandez, Jeff Weaver and many others.

"Obviously, [Wednesday] wasn't very good. Prior to that, he had some quality st
arts without his best stuff," Cashman said of Pavano. "We've talked about it in
ternally. They're working on some things."

They can hope for the best, but lately the Yankees have a hard time harnessing
pitching talent once it heads south. The better solution will be to look to the
 south, to Clemens, the perfect midsummer antidote for a season in trouble.
Copyright ?2005, Newsday, Inc.

www.nynewsday.com/sports/columnists/ny-sphey0513,0,2823915.column?coll=nyc-spor
ts-headlines

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◆ From: 218.167.200.153
推 Mariano:不要..
推 MerinoSheep:拿三個潛力新人換一個本季投完可能退休的？
→ fnac:拿三台2005阿提司換一台1995賓士...
推 dreamysky:可不可以換點可以投久一點的ㄚ...>"<
推 HcdEing:如果真的換的話我會翻桌的...(／‵Д′)／~ ╧╧
推 jy71tsao:不要！
推 mgr:真的換下去，老子以後不看NYY了(／‵Д′)／~ ╧╧
推 mengju:小聲問 今年剛簽的不能換是不 不然給他們wright:p
→ mengju:外加KB 然後boss幫他們出薪水 :p
推 JOINSON:樓上的  然後看幾個賽揚獎一起跟wang排Rotation
推 ypwang:YES的小道消息越來越準 Rocket您終於回來啦？
推 mgr:別拿那三個去換啦.......
推 keppel:換下去...我看洋基就會陷入無限迴圈而無法自拔
推 mystique05:不要換啊！！！
推 atni:當洋基小聯盟的球員真可憐,打不好升不上去,打的好會
→ atni:被交易,真不知道洋基農場是拿來幹嘛的??