RE:Clemens to Rangers???

[VAredsox]

Has anyone else read up or heard any more talk about this subject?

[DOrtiz4prez]

You should put this in the Rumor Mill, but no I haven't. Where'd you hear about it?

[yankeessuck013]

I Have heard a little about this..and it would make sense to me

[CalvnHobs6]

Two articles on the subject:

Report: Rangers

in Clemens hunt

Astros' ace would be closer to home

if deal with Texas can be worked out

Roger Clemens is 3-3 with a 1.30 ERA for the last-place Astros.

The Associated Press

Updated: 3:28 p.m. ET June 2, 2005

 

CHICAGO - If Roger Clemens does end up getting traded by the Houston Astros, he may actually not go that far.

 

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Although most of the trade rumors involving Clemens have him being linked to the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, it looks like the Texas Rangers could actually be the big winner.

 

Newsday reported Wednesday that the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has expressed interest in joining the Rangers, according to two people familiar with Clemens' thinking.

 

Newsday reported in February that Clemens, who will turn 43 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, the newspaper said.

 

Clemens, however, has had a change of heart ... partly because of the Rangers' solid play this season.

 

Newsday said any trade of Clemens would likely not occur until closer to the July 31 non-waivers trading deadline.

 

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

 

ALSO ON THIS STORY

 

* Ventre: Who will be the next Clemens

* Celizic: Yanks, Red Sox want Rocket too

 

Clemens is 3-3 with a 1.30 ERA for the last-place Astros.

 

Newsday said 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, which is a four-hour drive.

 

The newspaper said the Rangers 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.

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

Rocket to Rangers?

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

 

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

And a contradicting article:

Clemens to the Rangers? Don't hold your breath

 

So now Roger Clemens is headed to the Texas Rangers. Hey, don't shoot the messenger.

 

He had barely gotten his bags unpacked in New York when a ticket to

Arlington was punched. The man is racking up some serious frequent-flier miles.

 

Since the beginning of the season, various sportswriters have had him

going to New York, Boston, Baltimore and St. Louis.

 

And now Arlington.

 

At least, that's the word today from a sports columnist from one of New York's dozens of suburban newspapers.

 

He says sources close to Clemens say the Rocket is open to pitching for the Rangers.

 

There's just one teensy weensy little problem with the report.

 

It's wrong. Way wrong. Way, way wrong.

 

The only way Drayton McLane would ever trade Roger Clemens is if Clemens asked to be traded. Clemens has never offered even a hint that he'd consider making such a request.

 

I think his friendship with Andy Pettitte would make a request highly unlikely. I think he's comfortable with an arrangement that allows him to skip some road trips. Speculation persists because Clemens hasn't said: "I ain't going anywhere."

 

If he says that, the stories die quickly.

 

He has said: "If Mr. McLane decides to go young and wants to trade

me . . ."

 

He'd apparently consider it.

 

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when he tells McLane he wants to pitch for the Rangers.

 

First, he'd have to revive his boss.

 

I would suggest having one of Drayton's flunkies nearby to apply

mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

 

I have one particularly annoying little man from Drayton's hometown in mind, but I'm not naming names.

 

 

Once Drayton woke up, he'd ask Clemens: What did you say?"

 

"I want to be traded to the Texas Rangers," Clemens would say.

 

Fifteen minutes later, after Drayton has again been revived, they could have a discussion.

 

Actually, the discussion would consist of Drayton begging Rocket to find another team.

 

Much of Drayton's tenure as owner has been played out against the

backdrop of the franchise's darkest day.

 

That's the day Ryan was allowed to leave the Astros for the Rangers after the 1988 season. McLane took over knowing the damage and hurt that stupid decision had done.

 

As quickly as he could, he brought Ryan back into the fold as an adviser.

 

He's not about to allow Clemens to make the same trip.

 

 

Discuss.

[Manny Goes Boom]

The last guy has a point, he (McLane) doesnt want to see that happen again, but I would rather see him to go Texas than New York...or even better, stay in Houston, but thats just me

 

And I dont see him coming to the Red Sox, were loaded with starting pitching, but again thats just me, I could be wrong

[CajunSox]

No chance he comes to the Sox, we need to make some trades but none involving starting pitchers, we are pretty loaded in that category

[soxie thefangirl]

are you kidding? we need pitchers like crazy. but relievers mostly.

[26 to 6]

i doubt clemens would want to go to Arlington, its 4 1/2 hours away from his home (though NY and Boston obviously multiply that he has pitched in those 2 cities before and established himself in those cities, something he has not done with Texas)

[VAredsox]

It was on Foxsports.com a few days ago. Basically, the Rangers seem to be more willing than anyone else to allow Roger to continue his flexibilty. Like not having to attend games if he isn't starting, being able to choose whether or not he travels and so forth. Plus it's a heck of a lot closer than New York. Don't forget that Clemens' idolized Nolan Ryan who retired from.....The Texas Rangers. The Rangers' explosive offense could definitely treat him a lot better than the pitiful Astros lineup. Texas could be a true contender with someone like Clemens.

[VAredsox]

By the way....we're not loaded with starting pitching. That's been one of our weakest points this year. Not to mention our bullpen. Theo will be on the market looking for a hired gun soon...trust me.

[soxie thefangirl]

That's what I said.

[Sizzlin22]

It all makes sense to me in my mind they should be the new front runner to get him.

[CajunSox]

I know we need relief pitching desperately, but once Schilling comes back we will have Schilling, Wells, Clement, Miller, Wakefield, and Arroyo as our starters which isn't too bad.