05.19.07
Clemens contract clause revealed
Thanks to guest author Bill N. for contributing this article.
The Hendricks brothers have a history of inserting unusual clauses in
Roger Clemens’ contracts, and this time they’ve come up with one that
might prove a corker. Word from the Clemens camp is that if the Yankees
fall further than 15 games behind the Red Sox before The Rocket is
scheduled to pitch his first game, he can switch teams.
“It’s no secret that I want to be with a winner,” Clemens said as he
stepped out of the Yankees’ workout facility in Tampa. “If George and
Joe are now going to be big-time losers, why would I want to play for
them?”
The unusual clause gives Clemens the chance to select a team of his
choice and work for them, right up to the last week of the season.
“Roger can pitch for a team or two on a strictly rental basis, and then
when it’s pretty clear which team has the best chance to win it all, he
can make the jump,” said a Clemens confidant who chose to remain
anonymous. The secret clause was confirmed by a second source in Katy,
Texas who added that Clemens had confided in him, “I want to be with a
winning team, no matter what. I don’t really want to have to travel
with them. Of course not. But if the schedule works out nicely that I
can pitch here and there and end up on the team that wins it all, that
would be good. I’m a good teammate, no matter what they say. I just
don’t want to have to spend any more time that necessary associating
with the other players, but I’m sure they will admire my work ethic and
maybe a little bit of it will rub off on them and give them an extra
boost. I’ll say this, whoever’s on my team at the end of the year, no
matter what team that may be, will get a lifetime pass offering them 50%
off on visits during regularly scheduled hours to the Roger Clemens
Museum that we plan to build after I retire.”
Glum New York Yankees broadcaster Suzyn Waldman had no comment on rumors that she was seeking a position as a roving broadcaster, hired to work
Clemens games wherever they might be.
–Bill N.