I've never liked Clemens. He's a headhunter and he always had the aura of a hired gun who wanted to come into town, pick up a World Series ring and move on. He behaved unconscionably during negotiatons this season: even though Clemens knew no other team was interested in having him for half a season under his terms (not Texas or Boston), he still stuck it to the Yankees and squeezed out a few extra million and the diva-like demand that he doesn't need to bother showing up or travel with the team when he's not pitching. (He's been too embarrassed to use that clause in New York, unlike Houston.) That was a big break with Yankee tradition and a big mistake.
Now look at him. According to the NY Daily News, "Clemens, who didn't return calls or e-mails from Joe Torre over the weekend, spoke with Brian Cashman yesterday, telling the GM that his sore right elbow was feeling better."
Did you catch that? I noticed yesterday that Torre said he hadn't heard yet from Clemens and hoped/trusted that was good news. It struck me as bizarre then. And now, showing great restraint, the Daily News casually lets slip that Clemens couldn't even bother to return repeated phone calls and emails from Torre. Ultimately, he either called Cashman on his own or simply felt he couldn't avoid them when Cashman called. how insulting is that to the manager? I'm sure Torre would downplay it because that's his skill -- turning mountains into molehills and not letting personal behavior become a public distraction.
Clemens is a punk and I just hope this carpetbagger doesn't dare to wear a Yankee uniform when he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame. (And if his name pops up in the ever-expanding steroid scandal, don't be surprised. Clemens had four consecutive seasons where he couldn't win more than 11 games when -- suddenly -- at the age of 35 no less, he pitched 21-7 and the following year 20-6 with his '97 ERA his second best of all time. Remarkable!)
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On the topic of Clemens and the HOF. I'm all for his hat reading "Your Company Logo Here", like he's a bus billboard, but I doubt the HOF will permit.
I can't see him going in wearing a Blue Jays, Red Sox or Astros cap. By process of elminiation he'll wear the NY.
I fear you're right. Its sort of like musical chairs -- he's with the Yankees when the music stops (obviously this is his last season) so the Yankees it is. The only way it wont happen is if he actually does get embroiled in the steroids/HGH scandal and his automatic ascension to the HOF gets derailed.
Bill Simmons said his HOF hat should have dollar signs on it.
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