Rocket signs on in Houston.

[Alth]

Roger Clemens is pushing back his retirement, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Houston Astros, ESPN has confirmed.


Clemens, the game's only six-time Cy Young Award winner, will be paid about $5 million to play next season, Houston television station KRIV reported Monday. He had said for more than a year that he planned to quit after pitching last season for the New York Yankees.


But Clemens was persuaded to join the Astros, his hometown team, after close friend and former Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte signed with Houston last month.


The Astros called a news conference for Monday afternoon.


"I wish him the best of luck," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told Olney. "I'll always think of him as a Yankee. His time here was special. One of the best moves we made was making Roger Clemens a Yankee.


"I am surprised [that he's not retiring]. There was never any 'I'm 90 percent retired,' or '99 percent retired.' It was always communicated he wanted to go out a Yankee. But people have a right to change their mind. We weren't allowed to be a part of the process [of negotiating for 2004], for whatever reason. But I'm not going to dwell on this."


Clemens, 41, was 17-9 with a 3.91 ERA last season, his fifth with the Yankees. He spent his first 13 seasons in Boston, then went to Toronto for two years before moving on to New York, where he won World Series titles in 1999 and 2000.


His 310-160 record puts him 17th on the career wins list, and his 4,099 strikeouts place him third behind Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Steve Carlton (4,136).

Clemens' outlook on retirement started to change Dec. 11, when left-hander Pettitte -- who also lives in the Houston area -- agreed to a $31.5 million, three-year contract with the Astros. -http://www.espn.com/


Houston and Anaheim both seem like forces to be reckoned with based on their free agent signings, not to mention Houston barely missed the playoffs last year, now adding Rocket and Pettite... boy this is gonna be a good year.

[Bloodice]

N.L. Central will be tight. Cubs made some moves as did the cards, and when you look at houstons pitching staff and their bats, fans in Houston finally have hope and a reason to look forward to a good season.

[Oeo]

can't anyone stay retired?.....he had the perfect sendoff, but now we must watch him in an Astro's uni.....

however, who would want to face that starting pitching in a series now?.....

[Rebel]

I just wonder what Stienbrenner is thinking right now.

[The_One]

Well,he can still get it done..The N.L Central has never been close to the best,but always the tightest..usually the cubs,cards,and astros all stay a little bit above 500. which always makes it tight..

[Kara]

looks like two definate contenders this years will be stros and o's

[STICK]

On paper, the Astros staff looks really nice.


Oswalt, Pettitte, Miller, Clemens, (5th starter?).


But the game isn't played on paper. It's played at (whatever the name the ballpark has now in Houston). That place is so small and so many HRs are hit there. I know Oswalt and Miller have pitched really well there, but I think Pettitte and Clemens will have to really get used to that park. It is so much different from Yankee Stadium a completely different atmosphere. I think that if they can adjust, and do it quickly, they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with down the stretch.

[Kara]

I think they may go after maddox next

[Alth]

The ballpark is called Minute Maid Park, and the 5th starter in the rotation would probably be Tim Redding. But I don't know about going after Maddox, it will be interesting to see how that pans out.

[Dre]

Well its nice to see Clemmens is still screwing over teams, I'm just glad the Yankee got there's like we got ours. Steinbrenner has to be pissed that he lost Andy and Roger to Astro's with Jimmy Williams at the helm

[Dade]

I'm kinda iffy w/ Andy even though he's a hometown guy. He always came off as streaky IMO. I just hope the bats step up this year, and help out.

[Oeo]

you just wonder if Rocket will still be a semi-headhunter now that he will have to face pitches as well.....it's still a great pickup for the Astros, imo.....

[Kara]

you know he will as admitted several times what I am curious about is if he will go after the pitcher instead of a player