Rocket to Rangers?

[Speedy]

Link
Rocket to Rangers?
People close to Clemens say he might agree to deal to Texas, though Yankees are still in mix

BY JON HEYMAN AND KEN DAVIDOFF
STAFF WRITERS

June 2, 2005


The Yankees could have some competition for Roger Clemens' services, after all, and this would be a battle in which George Steinbrenner lacked the home-field advantage. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner has expressed interest in joining the Texas Rangers, according to two people familiar with Clemens' thinking.

On Feb. 6, Newsday reported that Clemens, who will turn 43 on Aug. 4, made a handshake agreement with Astros owner Drayton McLane upon signing a one-year, $18-million contract for 2005. McLane agreed to trade Clemens to the Yankees if the Astros fell out of the pennant race.

In an interview with ESPN last month, Clemens, who refused to commit to playing the entire 2005 season with the Astros, said he would permit a trade only to the Yankees. Since then, however, the Rangers have surged, bringing a nine-game winning streak into last night's game in Detroit.

Any trade of Clemens would likely not occur until closer to the July 31 non-waivers trading deadline. McLane proved last season, when his club pulled off a remarkable late-season run, that he is reluctant to signal to his fans that he is surrendering. But McLane, with Clemens' help, could sell a trade by touting the prospects received, money saved and the possibility of Clemens' return for 2006.

Clemens owns a no-trade clause, and his $18-million contract for this season includes a $3-million kicker if he is dealt.

The righthander, 3-3 with a sterling 1.30 ERA for the last-place Astros, has privately expressed admiration for the Rangers' powerful lineup, speculating that his record would be far better with the support of Texas' offense.

Then, of course, there is the issue of proximity. The drive from Clemens' Houston-area home to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex takes about four hours.

Clemens' oldest son, Koby, has signed a baseball scholarship with Texas, in Austin, and will begin school in September.

Rangers owner Tom Hicks seems more likely than the Yankees to grant Clemens the liberal schedule he has with the Astros. He is not required to attend games he's not pitching. If Hicks agreed to that structure, Clemens could virtually commute to Arlington from Houston.

Hicks, who signed Alex Rodriguez to his 10-year, $252-million contract in December 2000, has been more financially conservative the last few years. Yet acquiring Clemens would present a short-term, if high-volume, investment that would be done by year's end. Clemens would essentially pay for himself in increased attendance and souvenir sales, as he has with the Astros.

Although Clemens will drive this decision, McLane will have a say. Clearly, a trade of the team's top draw (and ace) to the hated Yankees or neighboring Rangers would generate negative reaction from Astros fans. The more McLane got for Clemens, the easier it would be to convince fans that the deal was worthwhile.

The Rangers, by most accounts, have more to offer the Astros than the Yankees do. Although the Yankees have second baseman Robinson Cano and pitcher Chien-Ming Wang as trade chips, the Rangers boast a highly regarded minor-league crop, including pitchers John Danks, Thomas Diamond and Ricardo Rodriguez, shortstop Ian Kinsler and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

Yet the Yankees still have great appeal to Clemens. He greatly enjoyed his five seasons in the Bronx, so when his January 2004 "unretirement" drew the ire of many Yankees fans, Clemens felt bad. Part of him, friends contend, wants to mend that fence. Clemens enjoyed pitching for manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, and he even had a mostly positive relationship with Steinbrenner.

But Torre has said publicly that he wouldn't approve of Clemens' "part-time" schedule; given the Yankees' preponderance of superstars, it would be more difficult for such an arrangement to fly. Steinbrenner, not Torre, of course, would ultimately decide this issue.

Yankees people privately have expressed concerns about Boston's possible involvement but, for good reason, still seem fairly confident they won't lose Clemens to their archrival. There's little evidence to suggest Clemens is as interested in returning to Boston as he is in returning to the Bronx or going to Texas.

[u2sarajevo]

No thanks if it costs us the farm.

[mary]

Is it a foregone conclusion that we'd have to give up pitching prospects? What about a package of Ian Kinsler, Adrian Gonzalez and Laynce Nix and/or Gary Matthews Jr.?

[Chiwas]

Yankees' meat.

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: mary
Is it a foregone conclusion that we'd have to give up pitching prospects? What about a package of Ian Kinsler, Adrian Gonzalez and Laynce Nix and/or Gary Matthews Jr.?

In a heartbeat. All of those guys are good players but all are blocked on the major league team. I do that deal immediately.

[Jamisonite]

ill send them adrian gonzalez, and juan dominquez...or alfonso soriano by himself....nothing else for the most part

[jthig32]

I'd include Danks or Diamond along with Agon and Arias if that's what it took.

Clemens would make it very likely for us to make some noise in the playoffs. Danks or Diamond, if we're lucky, will someday be quality major league pitchers.

Last time we had a chance for Celemens we decided Greer and Mateo were too much I believe.

We later traded Mateo for Rob freaking Bell after his amazing fall.

I do this deal for almost anything, as long as it doesn't include Danks AND Diamon, and it doesn't include Chris Young.

[ocelot_ark]

I'm hesitant to trade our top prospects for one shot in the playoffs. The way things are going right now with our starting pitching, I say leave it alone.

[jthig32]

Neither Danks or Diamond are considered can't miss.

I'm excited about them as well, and I wouldn't trade both of them, but one of them, in a package with Aria and AGon? Couldn't do it fast enough.

[kg_veteran]

One pitching prospect, along with Adrian Gonzalez. That's a no-brainer.

[Drbio]

Originally posted by: kg_veteran
One pitching prospect, along with Adrian Gonzalez. That's a no-brainer.

Without question or hesitation.

[Murphy3]

Originally posted by: mary
Is it a foregone conclusion that we'd have to give up pitching prospects? What about a package of Ian Kinsler, Adrian Gonzalez and Laynce Nix and/or Gary Matthews Jr.?

If it's going to cost anything near that much, then no deal. The Yankees can't match that. I cannot imagine that the Rocket would want to go anywhere other than NY or Texas. You don't give up that much to rent a player for a couple of months especially when that player has a limited amout of places that he's willing to go...and when the competition cannot remotely match your talent in the farm system.

You give up a Botts/Adrian Gonzalez, and a Ricardo Rodriguez type pitcher and maybe another decent prospect and nothing else of note.

As for Gary Matthews, I can't say that Houston would be terribly interested in him. Sure, they'd take him, but he'd be nothing more than a throw in.

[ocelot_ark]

What happens next year when Rogers and Clemens both retire?

[dalmations202]

Let's see. You offer them Adrian Gonzalez and nothing more before the trading deadline.

They either keep Clemens, and don't make the playoffs while paying him big $$$'s. They trade him to the Yankees (who have no farm system now), or you get Clemens for a half year push.

I like Adrian, but he doesn't move Tex now. I also wouldn't want to trade a pitching prospect unless I had to. Would I do Danks/Gonzalez now --- in a heartbeat? But, I wouldn't include Danks or any other prospect unless I had to.

Just keep developing these ground ball, hard throwing pitchers.

[kg_veteran]

Nothing will happen until right before the deadline, and honestly everything depends upon where the team stands then. If you think the team has a legitimate shot to make a World Series run, you have to be willing to do what it takes (within reason) to get Rocket. He would give you the kind of pitcher you need to get it done in the playoffs.

[Drbio]

dalm- one thing to note on Clemens salary versus actual team expense. The Astros make money on days he pitches, both at home and on the road. The revenue on those days exceeds his contract value. That is a fact spoken here on campus by Drayton McLane (a regent here and obviously the Astros owner) himself. They will not need to trade him for any kind of financial relief whatsoever.

[jayC]

It might be differnt if Roger hadn't won a world series ring, but he has done it already. The dude has over 4,000 strikeouts and he also has around 324 wins. I could see him just finishing his career in Houston. If he changed his mind and asked to be traded I would love to see him in Texas. It is just a short plane ride away.

If there is trade talk, Roger Clemens' name is bound to come up. But Rangers officials stressed there are many hurdles that have to be overcome to obtain him. Most significantly, club officials have made it clear that they would want a commitment that he would pitch again in 2006. Clemens hasn't said he will pitch next year.
-- Fort Worth Star-Telegram