A New York re-entry likely for Rocket

[BuckFoston]

Roger Clemens will very likely wind up back with the Yankees this summer for two reasons, according to a person familiar with the Astros' situation: 1) Clemens feels bad about the way his return to baseball upset Yankees fans, and 2) Drayton McLane would "oblige" Clemens, a personal favorite.

Newsday reported Feb. 6 that McLane and Clemens have a side agreement to trade Clemens to the Yankees - but only the Yankees - if Houston falls out of the race, and McLane's murky denials haven't convinced those in the know that he won't do exactly that.

McLane is one of those too-involved owners. You know the type. "He's the Steinbrenner of the South," one NL exec said, "but with one-tenth Steinbrenner's baseball knowledge."

Incidentally, the Astros - and everyone besides St. Louis - are within weeks of falling out of it in the NL Central. As one Cardinals official put it, "I don't see how we don't win this thing."



Barry interesting

Barry Bonds told us in spring training that he'd be out "half the year or maybe the whole year," didn't he? And we didn't believe him.

Well, now look at him. He's a mess. He just had an I.V. removed and is still taking antibiotics for an infection in the knee that's been operated on three times.

No wonder there are conspiracy theories to suggest he wanted to sit out the year. While players on the DL technically can be tested for steroids, it's doubtful that Bonds has been tested. He may be mostly immobile, but he's scarce.

Adding to the intrigue, people close to Bonds insist he'll return sometime after the All-Star break. One Bonds operative insisted, "He's fine ... our guy is just anxious to get to his teammates."



No A's for A's

Congrats to GM Kenny Williams, assistants Dave Wilder and Rick Hahn, and other White Sox execs who had the foresight to emphasize speed and defense in this, the first "post-steroid" season. With the Go-Go Sox and Terry Ryan's solid-as-usual Twins both playoff possibilities, it's no guarantee two teams will come out of the East, an observation first made by Bob Ryan, who knows baseball, too.

We won't say which teams miss steroids most. But in an unrelated observation (wink, wink), has anyone noticed how weak Oakland and Houston are?



Howe could they?

It sounds as if more than the Royals' record caused Tony Peña to quit. The K.C. Star reported his name has come up in a neighbor's divorce case. Managing the no-money Royals is hard enough without distractions.

Bobby Valentine's name has come up. But Royals owner David Glass usually has his own brand of Glass ceiling. If he hired Valentine, Glass wouldn't be able to pocket as much revenue-sharing money.

Art Howe would come cheap, anyway; whatever they pay him would be deducted from what Howe's currently stealing from the Mets ($2.35 million annually).

If Howe's hired, he can bring that "steroid wall" of his with him to Kansas City - the photo collection of over-bulked-up players he managed in Oakland and Houston (you can guess who they are).



Eli detector

David Wells is talking so much about how he considered taking HGH but decided against it, he's raising suspicion where none existed. If he wants to take a lie detector, we'll gladly officiate. Then we'll know whether Clemens' nickname for Wells - Eli (short for "he lie") - applies.


http://www.newsday.com/sports/printe...y-sports-print

[RLA68]

I would take him but it would be have to be for virtually nothingin return. The Yankees have killed their far system by trading talent for rental players in the past.