Clemens: 'Right now, I don't see myself playing'

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Roger Clemens said Monday that he plans to retire after the World Baseball Classic ends later this month, according to a story in Tuesday's edition of USA Today.

 

"Right now, I don't see myself playing," Clemens told the newspaper on Monday. "I'm not going to start the season with anyone. I made my mind up. And when I do shut it down, I'll be walking away with a smile on my face. There will be no regrets, because I feel like I've done it the right way."

 

Clemens, who turns 44 in August, left himself an out, however. He could sign with a team -- most likely a contender -- later this summer.

 

Clemens is scheduled to start for Team USA on Friday against South Africa in pool play in the World Baseball Classic.

 

Houston, Texas, the New York Yankees and Boston have all expressed interest in Clemens pitching for them. He can't sign with Houston before May 1.

 

"It's very flattering that teams still want me," Clemens told USA Today, "but hopefully I can just fade away. I'm going to watch my sons play. I'll see Koby (a third baseman in the Astros organization) play a little bit and get my other one (Kory) out of high school. I'll stay active. There are a lot of things I want to do.

 

"But the only thing is if I'm sitting in the stands in Boston, or New York, or somewhere in May, and get the itch again, who knows what will happen?"

 

Clemens has 341 career victories and 4,502 career strikeouts. He led the major leagues with a 1.87 earned run average last season for the Astros.

 

He still has the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox pleading for him to pitch. He turns 44 in August, but he led the major leagues with a 1.87 earned run average last season pitching for the Astros.

 

"I'm proud of what I've accomplished in this game. I've been real lucky. But a big part of that is the people you meet along the way. Guys like Nolan (Ryan) and (Tom) Seaver and (Don) Drysdale and (Bob) Gibson. I probably talked four to five times with Ted Williams, which I consider special because he didn't like to talk to pitchers. I played nine holes of golf with Mickey Mantle before he passed.

 

"I think the boys here, especially the young ones, are going to have the experience of a lifetime."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2359276

This is becoming Favre-like in how it is dragging out. Could somebody please stop this ride? Its boring and I want off.....

Finally. The Clemens love fest at the Houston All Star game made me wanna puke. Go away and let some of the younger pitchers who are up and coming get the coverage.

Clemens: 'Right now, I don't see myself playing..................without the juice'

At least Favre makes his decision by training camp.

LOL, the bottom line on ESPN reads:

 

"Roger Clemens tells (various news outlet) that he is retiring after the World Baseball Classic

(bottom line rolls over)

But he may change his mind"

 

GMAFB!

Clemens paid a visit to the Rangers today.

It's amazing that a 300 plus win, 4,000 plus strikeout, 40 year old plus legendary pitcher has to be such an indecisive attention whore.

Sucks for fantasy owners

It's amazing that a 300 plus win, 4,000 plus strikeout, 40 year old plus legendary pitcher has to be such an indecisive attention whore.

 

Or get so much grief from snotnosed teenagers...

QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Mar 9, 2006 -> 03:07 PM)

It's amazing that a 300 plus win, 4,000 plus strikeout, 40 year old plus legendary pitcher has to be such an indecisive attention whore.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I blame it more on ESPN's obsession with ex-yankees AND ex-Red Sox players.

If he retires I, and everyone else at game 1, can say they saw his last major league game

It's amazing that a 300 plus win, 4,000 plus strikeout, 40 year old plus legendary pitcher has to be such an indecisive attention whore.

 

^^^

If he retires I, and everyone else at game 1, can say they saw his last major league game

 

It is probably his small motivation to come back and play, so everyone can forget his last game in the World Series.

"Retirement" is such a meaningless word to Clemens. He's "retired" before and returned. I think a man s***s in his own nest when he claims to be on the verge of retiring and then retires and then comes back a while later. It just makes you seem like a sham, indecisive and sometimes dishonest. Money-grubbing, too.

 

Words mean things.

Clemens is just upping his price by talking about retirement and visiting the Rangers camp. He only wants to play for Houston but he's going to make the Astros pay up.