Let’s hope this isn’t a second career for retired pitching great Roger Clemens.
“The Rocket” penned a piece in Friday’s Houston Chronicle bidding farewell to Mariano Rivera. His final line encouraged Rivera to return to the mound next year.
“When you’re sitting at home next May and the Yankees are in need of a closer, remember … anybody can retire once!” Clemens wrote.
Clemens, who pitched for the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros during his 24-year career, came out of retirement several times in his career. Speculation over whether or not he would return to baseball was an annual offseason ritual.
In May 2007, after three seasons with the Astros, Clemens showed up in George Steinbrenner’s box at Yankee Stadium during a game and announced he’d be un-retiring – again.
“Thank y’all. Well, they came and got me out of Texas, and uh, I can tell you it’s a privilege to be back,” he said. “I’ll be talkin’ to y’all soon.”
Clemens, now 51, finally retired for good after last season. Sort of. Last year, he resurfaced back in Texas with the Sugarland Skeeters of the Independent League and it was rumored that he would find a way back to the big leagues with the Astros. It never happened.
Clemens’ column Friday praised Rivera, his former teammate, for his performance, stuff and longevity.
“I’ll say it just like everyone else is saying: ‘Please don’t go, Mo,’” Clemens wrote.
Fitting advice from baseball’s version of Brett Favre.