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 More Yankees NewsYankees LinksRoger Clemens has still not decided if he will pitch in the major leagues this season, so the Yankees are ready to pounce if he elects to return. Clemens plans to pitch for the United States in the World Baseball Classic next month, gauge how he feels and then make a decision. While it seems likely that Clemens will retire or pitch for the Houston Astros, Cashman knows how much George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' principal owner, likes Clemens. So he is monitoring the situation in case Clemens can be coaxed back to the Yankees. "At this point, he hasn't put himself into the area as a player looking to play in 2006," Cashman said. "If he does that, we'll have to take a look at it." Since the Astros did not offer Clemens salary arbitration in December, they cannot re-sign him until May 1. But the extra month off may be a positive for Clemens, who turns 44 in August, since it might enable him to remain fresher later into the season. In October, Clemens left his final World Series start with an injured hamstring. If Clemens left Houston, he would be leaving a cozy situation. The Astros have allowed him to skip some trips and games to spend time with his family, and the Yankees have said they will not allow a player such an unusual arrangement. |
