What does this tell us about Roger Clemens?

[Lefty]

It tells me Roger is all about money.
http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3333862

The Houston Astros clearly won't be getting a hometown discount this time around.

The Sporting News has learned that Roger Clemens has requested a record $22 million in salary arbitration from the Astros.
The Astros offered $13.5 million in return, leaving an enormous $8.5 million spread. So either way if the team, which has already lost free agents Carlos Beltran, Jeff Kent and Wade Miller, retains Clemens, it's going to cost them dearly.

The two sides could settle somewhere in between, but the point is that Clemens, who signed a one-year deal for $4.75 million last off-season, wants to be paid this time around even if his requests hamper Houston's abilities to make other moves and surround him with a contending-caliber team.

If Clemens won his case and got his $22 million, his salary likely would be more than half of the Devil Rays' entire payroll for 2005.

Last year's $4.75 deal proved to be quite the bargain, as Clemens won his seventh Cy Young award after going 18-4 with a 2.98 ERA.

 

[AZZenny]

LOL - No more mister nice guy - I guess he decided pitching is still hard work, even if he gets to stay home for his kid's ball games. And he of course heard the rumors that Drayton McClain was so turned on by the postseason experience he was willing to loosen his purse strings a bit.

You know, seeing what RJ got, and Pedro, its going to be really hard for the arbitrator to accept the lower number.

If I were the Astros, I'd run screaming about now. They must have been psychotic to offer arbitration.

 

[dogpoo32]

It tells me that he's an ass. I can't stand him. Why can't he just retire already and save me the headache?

 

[Stan C]

Interesting article from the New York Post, may be correct as well.




THERE are certain signs that you have been at one job too long. Here's mine: Roger Clemens signs a pitchers' record $18 million contract yesterday with the Astros and the first thought is not "Good for him," or "Good for Houston," or even "Wow." The first thought is a contract like that means Roger Clemens is going to end the 2005 season as either a Yankee or a Red Sox.
A more serious consideration of a new job would have been necessary, except an AL executive said this yesterday: "If the Astros are a non-contender in July, I would put it at 80 percent that Clemens would be a Yankee or a Red Sox. The reality is those are the only two places he would consider going."

The Yanks and Red Sox both came sniffing at Clemens last year when Houston appeared a pretender, 51-52 on July 31. Houston management decided to keep Clemens and Carlos Beltran, and the go-for-it panache was rewarded with a major league-best 41-18 record thereafter and the NL wild card.

That choice was easier then. Clemens' base salary was $5 million ($3.5 million of which was deferred), and he was more than paying for himself by packing Minute Maid Park. Can the Astros be so blasé this year if non-contention comes when Clemens' payday is more than three times greater? Or are we looking at Kevin Brown's late-season substitute in New York? Clemens just replaced Pedro Martinez as the highest paid pitcher ever; could he go back to where he started to finish as Martinez' Boston stand-in?

Clemens and Randy Johnson in one rotation is a fireballing George Steinbrenner dream. Curt Schilling pitching with his mentor, Clemens, would be another sign The Curse is gone forever. Ever since Clemens received that standing-ovation, Fenway sendoff in September 2003, I have sensed an open door for him to return. Wade Boggs, who also left under bad conditions, will go into the Hall of Fame this summer as a Red Sox. Maybe Boston has just begun an era of righting all past wrongs. The Boss, of course, will not let that happen without a spirited tussle.

But we are ahead of ourselves. First, at 42, Clemens must be healthy enough to warrant a New York-Boston fight. Second, he would have to forego his no-trade clause to leave the comforts of Houston and rejoin the rigors of the AL. Third, Astros owner Drayton McLane would have to be willing to absorb the barbs of trading away Houston's favorite son. But the seeds have been planted for the move because Houston's roster has gotten poorer while Clemens has gotten richer.

By banking its whole offseason on negotiations for Beltran, Houston missed out on interested players such as Moises Alou and Steve Finley while losing Beltran, Jeff Kent and Wade Miller. Lance Berkman tore up his knee. Andy Pettitte is returning from elbow surgery. The already declining Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio are a year older. Contention will be tougher. Yet Clemens returned. Why? Well, once the Astros took the incredible p.r. hit on Beltran, Clemens knew the organization was forced to retain him at any price.



Clemens took the $5 million last year to return home, play with pal Pettitte and get special contractual covenants that allowed him to, among other things, watch his kids play organized ball on company time. He more than earned special treatment, raising his record Cy Young cache to seven and helping Houston win a playoff series for the first time. To know Clemens, who has equated paycheck to stature throughout his career, is to know he would not be accepting a discount again off of that kind of performance, not when he saw Astro-nomical dollars waved at Beltran.

So Clemens asked for a record $22 million in arbitration — 22 just like his uniform number and the total years he will be in the majors come the 2005 season — and put the Astros between a Rocket and a hard place. They had to re-sign him, even at a record price. But by doing so, the Astros also might have taken the first step toward a July bidding war. Yankees vs. Red Sox. The Rocket Redux.

 

[black]

Clemens is a liar, always has been. It's about the money, not the city. Clemens is a good pitcher, no check that, he's a great player, but he needs to man up and admit he's a money player. He left Boston, Toronto, and New york because of money, not because of his family or team preferrence. The whole show of Clemens rubbing Babe's face was sickening. He was drawn towards retiring then changed his mind to go to Houston to be closer to his family. He was to get his contract worked out to only pitch home games then when the season started, he changed his mind because of.....money.


Rodger Clemens is a liar.

 

[CardinalChris]

It tells me Roger is all about money.
http://msn.foxsports.com/story/3333862

The Sporting News has learned that Roger Clemens has requested a record $22 million in salary arbitration from the Astros.
The Astros offered $13.5 million in return, leaving an enormous $8.5 million spread. So either way if the team, which has already lost free agents Carlos Beltran, Jeff Kent and Wade Miller, retains Clemens, it's going to cost them dearly.

Houston decided to waive Kent and not offer arbitration to Miller, THEIR CHOICE while chasing Beltran. If you wanna think of a shmuck, blame the guy who focused on Beltran and let the belly of the team walk.

The two sides could settle somewhere in between, but the point is that Clemens, who signed a one-year deal for $4.75 million last off-season, wants to be paid this time around even if his requests hamper Houston's abilities to make other moves and surround him with a contending-caliber team.

This is poor journalism......How does he know Clemens wants to get paid, even to hurt the team? But last year when he made well under what he was worth? What about that?
QUOTE]

Wait, he made about 10 million less than what he was worth last year (yeah, what a jerk). His mother is getting older and is sick and Clemens has said he'd like her to see him go into the hall of fame (at least 5 years from his retirement). So dang, if the guy is gonna play, they need to make it worth his while, otherwise, why would he do it? Houston is willing to pay to kep him from retirement, and Clemens is giving up things in his personal life to play one more season, what's the problem. Remember, he didn't do this until Houston whiffed on the free agency process. At least he'll put people in the seats.