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Retirement my ass!!
AP Source: Clemens shuns retirement to join Astros
By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
January 12, 2004
Roger Clemens is pushing back his retirement, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Houston Astros, a baseball source told The Associated Press on Monday.
The six-time Cy Young Award winner had said for more than a year that he planned to quit after pitching last season for the New York Yankees.
But he 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. Clemens agreed to a contract Sunday, the source said on condition of anonymity.
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' last appearance for the Yankees was a memorable one, in Game 4 of the World Series against the Florida Marlins. Flashbulbs popped repeatedly as fans photographed what they thought would be his final pitches.
Fifty friends and family members flew to Miami to watch the game; Clemens didn't get a decision as the Yankees lost to Florida 4-3 in 12 innings. Even the Marlins' players applauded after Clemens struck out Luis Castillo in what was thought to be his final major league pitch.
``So many people were using flash photography, it was quite amazing,'' Clemens said then. ``I think everybody started understanding that it was going to be my last inning, my last hitter, my last pitch.''
Clemens thought about pitching for the United States at the 2004 Olympics, but the Americans were eliminated in qualifying in November.
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.
Houston, which has never been to a World Series, will head to spring training with a projected starting rotation that includes Clemens, Pettitte, Roy Oswalt and Wade Miller.
Updated on Monday, Jan 12, 2004 12:22 pm EST
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