Astros: Clemens not a done deal

maxdemo · May 30, 2006

05/30/2006 5:25 PM ET

ucking:

Astros: Clemens not a done deal
Purpura says club waiting for Rocket to make decision
By Jim Molony / MLB.com

report of a Rocket re-entry in Houston on Tuesday was news to the Astros.

A Newsday report claiming seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens had signed a one-year deal with the Astros was shot down by Astros general manager Tim Purpura as well as Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. Clemens was not available for comment.
"Absolutely not true," Purpura said when asked to confirm the report that Clemens, 43, had signed a one-year deal with Houston. "There's nothing to it at this point. We had some discussions with his agents (Randy and Alan Hendricks) over the weekend but we're waiting for Roger to make a decision."
Newsday reported the contract is believed to be worth about $3.5 million per month or approximately $10.5 million for the season, depending on when Clemens returns to action.
"I can assure you a deal has not been done," McLane said. "The Hendricks have said to us all the way through that 'the first decision is Roger has to tell them, and he'll tell us if he wants to come back.' They said that as late as last week. They have not gotten back to us. We're waiting on them."
Clemens, who turns 44 in August, helped the Astros reach the World Series last fall following a season in which the right-hander led the Major Leagues with a 1.87 ERA. The Astros declined to offer him salary arbirtation last winter, forefeiting the right to re-sign him until May 1.
Since then Clemens, who lives in Houston, has indicated if he does return it would be for one of four teams: the Astros, Rangers, Red Sox or Yankees.
The Astros hope to lure Clemens back and are optimistic they will convince him to return for another season. Purpura said no timetable has been given but that he expects an answer soon.
"He knows we'd love to have him back, and I think our chances are as good as any if he does decide to play another year," Purpura said. "I think we'll know something soon one way or another."
McLane was in Temple, Texas and was also surprised at the report. "I've been confident since January," McLane said. "We waited on them and they said they would get back to us. I talked to Tim about an hour and a half ago. We're very very optimtistic, but we knew that we have to wait to hear back from them. That has not happened yet."

maxdemo · May 30, 2006

All reports out of Houston say that he has yet to sign...maybe the NY paper jumped the gun here

Journeyman · May 30, 2006

:monsters-

maxdemo · May 30, 2006

Both the Houston Chronicle and the Astros website are stating that Roger has not signed yet

maxdemo · May 30, 2006

"We've been standing by," McLane said. "Tim or I have talked to him every two or three days. They haven't given us a decision. They haven't said a word to us about it. That's complete news to me. We haven't finalized the deal yet nor has he told us. Boy that's total news to us."

Journeyman · May 30, 2006

You know they must talk shit about Clemens behind his back, the way he works them...I have lost interest in rooting for him.

whalewager · May 30, 2006

Maybe Clemens can put one is barrys ear.

Clemens OWNS barry

maxdemo · May 30, 2006

Astros GM says Clemens situation is 'status quo'

ESPN.com news services

http://log.go.com/log?srvc=sz&guid=...bile&source=ESPN_ROS_146x46_BaseballGetScores


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top>Houston Astros general manager Tim Purpura denied a report on Tuesday that Roger Clemens had picked a team for 2006, saying the situation was "status quo."
Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, and Astros' owner Drayton McLane also denied the report.
Newsday reported on its Web site that Clemens had decided to re-sign with the Astros and an announcement would be made as soon as today.
Purpura denied the report, telling ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, "It's status quo, except for all the media attention we've had."
"We've had no conduct with Roger's people today," said Purpura, adding that the last time he talked to Hendricks was Sunday.
Purpura said he was told then that "Roger was still in the mode of trying to decide what he wants to do." So essentially, Purpura said, "We're just awaiting his decision."
Hendricks told ESPN.com that he hasn't spoken to the Astros on Tuesday.
"Contrary to Newsday, there is no agreement with the Astros," Hendricks said.
McLane also reiterated that Clemens has not signed with the team.
"We haven't finished the deal yet," McLane told the Houston Chronicle. "We've been standing by. Tim or I have talked to him every two or three days. They haven't given us a decision. They haven't said a word to us about it. That's complete news to me. We haven't finalized the deal yet nor has he told us. Boy that's total news to us."
Another baseball executive, whose team has been involved in the Clemens discussions, told Stark on Tuesday that he believes Clemens could sign with the Astros in the next 48 hours. Among the reasons: Clemens' son, Koby, is about ready to come off the disabled list in the Astros' minor league system, making it possible that Clemens could pitch to Koby in his tuneup starts, either in extended spring training or for one of the Astros' minor-league clubs.
A source who has talked to Clemens this month says Clemens spoke about that possibility and seemed intrigued by it. Father and son have been working out together recently, as they both geared up for a return, the source told Stark.Meanwhile, two baseball men who have been in contact with Clemens told Stark the only other team Clemens is seriously considering is the Red Sox, because they are more willing than the Yankees to give Clemens the kind of schedule and travel concessions the Astros offered him over the last two years. Nevertheless, Houston is still viewed as the favorite. Texas has also been considered a possibility.
In December, the Astros declined to offer Clemens arbitration after he went 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA in 32 starts. However, Clemens began to wear down late in the season and lasted just two innings in Houston's Game One loss to the [URL="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=cha"]Chicago White Sox[/URL] in the World Series due to a hamstring injury.
In his two seasons with the Astros, Clemens posted a 31-12 record with a 2.43 ERA.
An 11-time All-Star, Clemens has more wins than any other living pitcher and ranks ninth all-time with 341 victories. In 672 career games, he is 341-172 with a 3.12 ERA and has recorded 4,502 career strikeouts, trailing only Nolan Ryan (5,714) on the all-time list.
Information from The Associated Press and SportsTicker was used in this report.

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blueedwards · May 30, 2006

whalewager said:
Maybe Clemens can put one is barrys ear.

Clemens OWNS barry

maxdemo · May 30, 2006

Rumors Of Clemens' Return To Astros Premature
Purpura Denies Clemens' Signed With 'Stros

POSTED: 5:00 pm CDT May 30, 2006
UPDATED: 5:20 pm CDT May 30, 2006

HOUSTON -- Reports that Roger Clemens is making another comeback with the Houston Astros may not be true, KPRC Local 2 reported Tuesday.

New York newspaper Newsday reported that the star pitcher has signed a one-year deal with the Houston Astros. It reported that the 43-year-old would pitch for the remainder of the season for $11 million.

However, Astros general manager Tim Purpura told KPRC Local 2 that Clemens has not signed with the club and denied that anything is imminent.

Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, also told KPRC Local 2 that no deal was done between Clemens and the Astros. Hendricks said he has not even spoken to the Astros Tuesday.

Owner Drayton McLane also denied the New York story.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner has been open in naming the four ball clubs he would consider signing with this summer -- the Astros, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers.

The Astros and Red Sox are considered frontrunners.