KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Goodbye, Hummer. Goodbye, Roger.
Astros owner Drayton McLane said this morning that it’s best Roger Clemens not work with Houston’s minor leaguers, another blow to the seven-time Cy Young winner. Clemens was scheduled to work with the youngsters today, and this figures to be his last day working with them for quite a while.
“We’ve got to let the minor leaguers play with each other,” McLane told the Post. “They don’t need a Cy Young Award winner out there with them, not at their level. And it’s too much pressure with all the reporters there.”
Added McLane’s son, Denton, “The players need to focus on their jobs and being players.”
Thursday, the FBI officially opened its investigation into whether Clemens lied to Congress when he said he has not used performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens has a 10-year, $3 million personal services contract with the Astros that kicks in when he retires. Drayton McLane said that deal will be honored as it stands now.
“We’ve got to wait until he retires,” Drayton McLane said. “We have a valid contract that we entered into in 2004, and when he’s ready to retire, we will certainly honor it.”
The Astros thought they would be getting 10 years of goodwill with the deal, not this, especially the unwanted media attention.
The elder McLane made it clear that despite the fact that Clemens is an icon in the Houston area, the Astros do not want to have such a disruptive situation in their camp. Clemens was in camp Wednesday and Thursday, working with minor leaguers that include his 21-year-old son Koby, a catcher. When Roger Clemens left the grounds at 2:25 Thursday afternoon, refusing to answer or even acknowledge questions from the media, he seemed irritated.
The owner pointed out the Astros have a new look, some key new players, a new manager in Cecil Cooper and all that should be the focus. One of those players is Miguel Tejada, who has his own Mitchell Report problems and may be under investigation for perjury.
Drayton McLane said Thursday that Clemens was just “doing something informal with his son Koby and two or three other minor league players that are here.”
It’s more than that, however.
The first two days Clemens threw batting practice to all the minor leaguers in the minicamp and has worked with and spoken extensively to the minor league pitchers here. Clemens has said many times that working with young players is one of his favorite things to do.
The young players have been listening intently to the advice given to them by the 46-year-old, but to the outside world Clemens is in the middle of this drug storm while wearing Astros colors.
McLane also said it’s much too early for the Astros to decide if they will chase after Clemens if he decides to pitch again. Clemens came back in the middle of last season to pitch for the Yankees.
“A real important factor is what steps the government is going to take and we’ll have to wait and see. This is unprecedented,” McLane said.