NEW ORLEANS – Pandora’s Pitching Box has been opened by George Steinbrenner.
It’s bad enough the Yankees let Andy Pettitte walk away – a huge mistake – but they now face the real possibility that Roger Clemens will join Pettitte on the Astros as another hometown hero.
The buzz at the winter meetings was all about Clemens getting back in the saddle with Pettitte, whom he views as his little brother. If the Rocket re-launches and this Batman and Robin mound act becomes a reality, Steinbrenner will be vilified even more than he has been since not lifting a finger to retain Pettitte, one of the most popular and successful Yankees of all-time.
The Astros certainly believe this dream duo can become a reality. Houston GM Gerry Hunsicker talked to Clemens’ agents, Alan and Randy Hendricks, on Thursday during the Pettitte press conference. The brothers also represent Pettitte.
“We just told the Hendricks that if [Clemens] reconsidered his retirement stance, we’d be interested in exploring the possibilities,” Hunsicker told The Post yesterday. “Who knows what he is going to do. He says he is 99.9 percent retired. I don’t know what that means.”
Clemens appeared to be reconsidering already and did so on the public airwaves yesterday. Clemens let it be known that if he did return he would be concerned about giving back the farewell gift Hummer he was presented by the Yankees.
Two Houston radio jocks, KKRW’s Dean and Rog, got on their show yesterday morning and made a plea to get Clemens a new Hummer. A local Hummer dealer, Lee DeMontrond, stepped up to the plate with the keys, and the three went to Clemens’ house to present the Hummer to the Rocket and his wife, Debbie.
When they gave Clemens the keys to the Hummer, he said, “This is getting very interesting. . . . I didn’t know making a comment like that, you guys would show up in my front driveway with a burnt-orange H2.”
Clemens, asked specifically if he would be in an Astros uniform in April, said, “Maybe,” according to an ESPN report. He added that the Hummer deal made things interesting. The radio station gave Clemens until Monday to re-join the Astros or the Hummer goes back. The old baseball saying “Hum baby” takes on a whole new meaning now.
Who knows? That could be the Astros new slogan.
The Yankees, believing Clemens was going to retire, did not offer arbitration and would not get anything in return for the free agent if he joined the Astros.
Some baseball sources said they believe Clemens will make like Michael Jordan and return. Clemens’ statistics from last season – 17 wins; 33 starts; 2112/3 innings; 190 strikeouts – would have led the Astros in each of those categories.
“He won 17 games last year, he can still pitch,” one National League official said. “This is the perfect scenario for him to return.”
Clemens was set to pitch next year in the Olympics and was extremely disappointed when Team USA was bounced from the competition during qualifying. He told friends he gladly would have gone right from the World Series to tournament play to help the USA earn a bid to Greece.
Clemens, 41, is a creature of habit. He is always on a fitness program of one sort or another. He is working out with Pettitte, which tells you something. He planned to pitch in the Olympics so his children could watch him climb another mountain. A comeback with the Astros and good friend Pettitte makes a lot of sense. Rocket’s kids can all pile into the Hummer and drive to Minute Maid Park to watch their dad pitch.
As for Pettitte Damage Control, a source who has spoken to Steinbrenner at length insisted Steinbrenner believes Pettitte’s elbow is about to blow. It didn’t hurt Pettitte this past season as he churned out 21 victories and three more in the postseason.
If Clemens joins Pettitte in this Hometown Hummer Market, Steinbrenner will look like a fool.