Clemens is Back Baby: Signs on with the Yanks

Roger Clemens, the soon to be 45 year-old right-handed pitcher has signed a one year deal with the Yankees, rejoining the team he won a world series with as well as long time teammate and friend Andy Petite. Petite's signing with the Yankees surely made Clemens decision a little easier. Clemens played for the Yankees from 1999-2003 with before signing with the Houston Astros. He proved last year he can still be effective going 7-6 but with only a 2.30 ERA.

Some players such as David Wells and Greg Maddux have voiced strong opinions about Clemens and his coming back midway through the season as well as the fact that Clemens does not have to travel with the team to away games. However, when you are Roger Clemens, you can pretty much do whatever you want and you have the whole world wrapped around your little finger. That's just the way it goes so get used to it fellas.

The Clemens signing comes at a time where the Yankees desperately need pitching help. They have lost Carl Pavano yet again and Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina are on the disabled list with hamstring injuries. Phil Hughes, a AAA stand out who was brought in to stop the bleeding also has an injured hamstring. Hamstring injuries are especially difficult for pitchers, for obvious reasons like needing to push off your legs for power or following through with the wind up.

There was a lot of debate in the off-season as to whether Clemens would return or not, Clemens likes to spend time with his family and the fact that he does not have to attend games was probably a big factor in his decision to come back. A player of his age and stature deserves all the accommodations and rewards for his accomplishments in the league, which includes seven Cy-young awards and two world series rings and perhaps a third one this year with the Yankees. Perhaps the players who feel like Clemens is not deserving of his treatment are simply jealous.

It should be interesting to see how Clemens preforms this year at age 45 and back in the American League where the line-ups tend to be more deep as opposed to the National League. The NL also doesn't have a designated hitter either. Clemens has however, dominated hitters his whole career, so it is feasible that he will continue to dominate hitters until he walks off the mound for the final time.