You Can't Change a Tiger's Stripes

Roger Clemens announced that he will be returning to the New York Yankees yesterday.

Clemens’ announcement confirms the suspicion that he is more interested in money than in winning or in the comforts of home and family.  His hometown Houston Astros offered Clemens the chance to be near his family.  The Red Sox offered Clemens a chance to win another World Series, the opportunity to set the franchise record for victories, and a superior bullpen.  The Yankees offered nothing more than money.

I had mixed feeling about Clemens before his announcement.  The Red Sox don’t have a pressing need for another starter, especially one only capable of going 5 or 6 innings.  Jon Lester will soon be back in the Sox rotation and he potentially offers more upside than Clemens.  Clemens would have been a great feel good story in Boston, though, if he decided to return.  His jersey sales would have been through the roof. 

His decision takes away half of the emotion.  Go back to loathing him with a passion.  He is a backstabbing liar who is interested more in money than his legacy at this point.  I expect him to pitch like Josh Beckett of 2006.  He will be bull-headed and resist changing his ways, have an E.R.A. around 5, but win the majority of his starts.

If the Yankees continue to crash and burn, and if they continue to ravage their bullpen, Clemens will be nothing more than a footnote in the worst season $200 million can buy.