Roger Clemens: "I don't want to play."

[savafan]

http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...at_20_percent/

By From Wire Services | February 17, 2007

Roger Clemens has given himself just a 20 percent chance of returning to the mound next season.

"[My son] Koby asked me when we were working out, he was doing more of a workout than I was," Clemens told Houston television station KRIV-TV in an interview quoted on MLB.com yesterday.

"I still told him 80-20 that I wasn't going to play.

"We get little notes at my foundation about people saying they wish I would make up my mind and decide because I am leaving people hanging. I'm not leaving anybody hanging.

"I don't want to play," added Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner.

If Clemens, 44, does return for a 24th season, it will probably be back with the Astros, Yankees, or Red Sox.

"The teams that are involved, I think they've got really good clubs that are together, and if somebody stubs their toe and my phone rings in May, I might have to think about it," Clemens said.

[oneupper]

Just retire already...sheesh.

[Red in Chicago]

if he doesn't want to play, then why is it 80 - 20? fuzzy math

[Chip R]

Translation: No one has offered the right kind of deal yet.

[Krusty]

I love Roger's negotiating tactics. Too bad I can't use that line with my employer.

[redsfan30]

I've grown so tired of Roger Clemens and Brett Favre's acts over the past couple years. If you want to play, play....if you want to retire, retire.

[macro]

Translation: No one has offered the right kind of deal yet.

...and Roger doesn't just want the money and the special priviledges, but also for someone to beg.

[blumj]

It's not really them as much as it is the media. I mean, they're allowed to be undecided for a while after every season, aren't they? Isn't that just normal when you're getting up there? Most athletes who are over a certain age have some of that uncertainty, the problem is that the media obsesses over it in advance with some stars. It's not a story until there's a decision to report, it's the media trying to make the uncertainty itself into a story that drives everyone nuts. It was a story when Roger said he was going to retire, it was a story when he said he changed his mind and was going to pitch, all the other stuff, the "I haven't decided yet" stuff, if they had a brain in their heads or any standards at all, they'd just ignore it. Not a story, talk about something else until it becomes one.

[KoryMac5]

So 80-20 doesn't leave fans hanging, yeah right.

[UKFlounder]

It's not really them as much as it is the media. I mean, they're allowed to be undecided for a while after every season, aren't they? Isn't that just normal when you're getting up there? Most athletes who are over a certain age have some of that uncertainty, the problem is that the media obsesses over it in advance with some stars. It's not a story until there's a decision to report, it's the media trying to make the uncertainty itself into a story that drives everyone nuts. It was a story when Roger said he was going to retire, it was a story when he said he changed his mind and was going to pitch, all the other stuff, the "I haven't decided yet" stuff, if they had a brain in their heads or any standards at all, they'd just ignore it. Not a story, talk about something else until it becomes one.

Great post. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I doubt he is picking up the phone, calling the media and saying "I'm not sure."

They ask him a question, he answers it, they turn it into a story, and it appears that he is begging for attention. I know he likes the attention, and he can always refuse to answer the questions, but if has no definite answer, why report that?

[Blimpie]

That means there is an 80% chance that his agent will be asking the Yankees/Red Sox for $20 million to pitch this season.

But only after they break camp this Spring. Because there is a 100% chance that he will not be attending Spring Training.

[KronoRed]

Gotta keep his name in the news till he announces his inevitable return

[fearofpopvol1]

I've grown so tired of Roger Clemens and Brett Favre's acts over the past couple years. If you want to play, play....if you want to retire, retire.

Brett Favre at least makes definitive decisions long before the seasons start. Can't say the same thing about Roger.

[redsfanmia]

Please go away, I am so tired of your act.

[Spitball]

I doubt the Red Sox would even want to mess with their rotation by signing Clemens. It looks pretty well stocked from one through five.

I do believe Clemens is at least partially motivated to come back by his desire to stay ahead of Randy Johnson in the all-time strikeout list.