Rocket Set for June Launch

The imminent return of one of Baseball’s best hurlers is scheduled to take the mound sometime in June according to Jim Molony at MLB.Com. The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers are holding their collective breath as to exactly when the future Hall of Famer will take the mound. The Houston Astros head office will give their pitch to resign Clemens on May 1st after being relegated to watching the Clemens courting from the dugout. The Astros had to refrain from talking to the right handed strikeout artist because the team refused to offer arbitration at the end of last season.

Clemens spent the night at the Houston hospital Sunday night after his son Koby underwent surgery after breaking his right finger off a short hop during a Single-A Lexington game.

“He’s going to miss about six weeks,” Clemens said. “That’s kind of my main concern right now. He’s going to get through this week and we’ll get him back out there and that’s kind of what I’m focused on right now.”

A June return date for the seven-time Cy Young Award winner would mark his 23rd season in the Majors. Last season, Clemens led the league with a 1.87 ERA giving the Astros their first ever World Series appearance if franchise history.

One team that has their sights set on Clemens returning to the mound earlier than his projected date is the Brockton Rox out of the Can-Am league. The team reportedly offered the hurler a “deal to good to refuse” Monday night by agreeing to pay for round-trip airfare for the Rocket to return home in-between starts. They are also willing to provide an intern to carry his bags back and forth to the field along with a private parking space at the HIGH SCHOOL.

The Brockton Rox are sparing no expense for the 11-time All Star offering him the maximum monthly salary of $3,000. (The Rocket has reportedly asked for between $3 to $4 million dollars a month for the rest of the season to whoever is willing to pick up the tab.) Most importantly, they are offering what no other team can — an Opening Day start against the New Haven Cutters.

He’s got a really good chance of breaking his record of 20 strikeouts in a game and throwing his first no-hitter…every time on the mound.

Contrary to popular opinion around the league my thoughts are centered on several unanswered questions that have been swirling around in my head since Opening Day. Other than the 341 career wins and being an 11-time All Star not to mention seven-time Cy Young Award winner what gives Clemens the right to decide midway through the season that he is bored with staying at home and wants to return. What gives him the right to command a $3 to $4 million dollar price-tag per month when he does return?

Granted he is staying loose pitching batting practice every day but would that be good enough for him to forgo what he missed in Spring Training? I don’t know about you but that price-tag for only 16 possible starts throughout the season coupled with a handful of losses doesn’t make sense to me.

Surely their will be teams beating down the door to pay him what he wants and undoubtedly he will get his money but it sure sounds like he is making a mockery of the Major Leagues simply because of his right arm. If and when Clemens returns to the mound it seems to me that pitching batting practice wouldn’t be good enough to keep in “game shape” and that he probably would need at least a couple of weeks to get back to his expectations on the mound.