Return to Sox unlikely for Clemens

This is all about the art of negotiation. Roger Clemens may come to the Red Sox in June (Clemens says he will not play before then), but this should go down to the final days before a decision is reached.

Texas, Houston, the Yankees and the Sox are in the bidding war. Clemens’ agent, Randy Hendricks, met with Houston officials this week and said of the Astros’ offer, “It’s competitive with the others. If Roger decided to play, it’s not going to be the matter of one team jumping in front of the other. They’re all competitive.”

Let’s translate that. Hendricks is saying it’s not about the money. So we know it’s about the money. Hendricks is saying this will not become a bidding war. It is a bidding war.

Hendricks says, “Right now, that horse named retirement is still in the lead.” Translation: Not only do teams have to compete against one another for the honor of his majesty the righthander, they have to bid against the lead horse: retirement.

Clemens wants to play. On day one in Texas when the Sox opened there, he met with both sides. He just happened to be in the park.

The Houston offer is $18 million, pro rated for the time Clemens actually pitches this year. That is the same amount Clemens made last year.

Houston GM Tim Purpura said, “We put forth a very strong number. It’s always hard to know, it’s impossible to know what numbers are out there.”

Translation: Everyone knows the starting point would be what Clemens earned last year. What Clemens would like to do is earn that same amount, with added incentives for making the postseason and winning a league championship or World Series. The key is, he wants to earn that same amount, but not start until June and not have to travel unless he is pitching.

Texas is not going to win anything, with or without Clemens. If he goes there, it will be to stay in Texas, his home.

Houston won on pitching last year and they have started this year with a new-found offense. If Clemens believes that will continue, Houston becomes attractive again as a team that has a shot at the whole deal. He would also get to rejoin the staff with his buddy Andy Pettitte and get to live at home.

The Yankees are the Yankees. Clemens would just as soon avoid the big city again, but there could be a ton of dough once the bidding war heats up.

The Sox are a long shot. Their postseason probabilities attract Clemens the most, but, like New York, he would have to deal with the unending adulation.

A former major league pitcher made this point to me recently. As to whether Clemens might seriously consider retirement after an amazing season last year, what about the steroid issue?

Clemens’ name was bandied about last year by those in the game when MLB said stars would be linked to steroid use. He was not named.

Has he used? Only he knows. If he did, what impact would it have on his pitching ability? Said the former pitcher to me, “No one knows for sure who used, but we are seeing, daily, more pitchers named. If Roger used some performance enhancer and does not now, he would have to be worried about returning without them.”

Sad that drug usage has resulted in a constant wondering about every turn in sports today. However, better our heads be out of the sand than buried. Whether Clemens retires or plays, he will be asked and we should have both answers in a couple of weeks.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.