My Gold Stars For Oppenheimer & Garrett

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/01/03/2008-01-03_roger_clemens_wont_be_yankee_in_2008-2.html



BY ANTHONY McCARRON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Thursday, January 3rd 2008, 4:00 AM


Is there a chance for the Rocket's third stage in pinstripes? Not likely, says Hank Steinbrenner.

So if embattled righthander Roger Clemens, who is fighting to restore his reputation after the allegations about him in the Mitchell Report, pitches a 25th season, it is probably not going to be in the Bronx.

"I'm not signing Clemens," Steinbrenner, the Yankees' senior vice president, said in a telephone interview yesterday. He said the Yanks are not looking for rotation stopgaps - like they were last season - because they are so enamored of their young starting pitchers. And Steinbrenner feels the Yanks already have a strong mentor to the young arms in Andy Pettitte, whom Steinbrenner praised for his "veteran leadership.

"Andy is (signed) for one year and he's only 35 and he knows how to pitch in the big games," Steinbrenner said. "Roger does, too, but let's face it, he's going to be 46 (in August).

"Pettitte is just as good with the young pitchers, though Clemens was great with the young kids last year. I don't think Roger is going to come back anyway."

The Yankees, like many teams, take very seriously the idea of veterans mentoring young pitchers. Last year, they put Joba Chamberlain's locker next to Clemens' in the clubhouse when Chamberlain was called up.

Clemens' personal trainer, Brian McNamee, accused him of using steroids and human growth hormone in the Mitchell Report, but the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has denied it. He is scheduled to address McNamee's claims in an interview with Mike Wallace on "60 Minutes," slated to air Sunday.

Joe Householder, a spokesman for Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said in an e-mail yesterday that Clemens will hold a press conference Monday afternoon "in or near downtown Houston."

Steinbrenner said he had not spoken to Clemens since the release of the Mitchell Report, but there's a reason for that. "I don't know him, really," Steinbrenner said. "Our paths didn't really cross. Never did."

Clemens has been "unretiring" since 2003, when most thought he waved goodbye to baseball when he came out of his Game4 start in the World Series against the Marlins. It is unclear whether Clemens will attempt to play next season, although there have been reports that say the Rocket will consider it. One of Clemens' agents, Randy Hendricks, did not return an e-mail yesterday seeking comment on his client's playing plans.

Since that 2003 Series start, Clemens pitched three seasons for the Astros and was 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA last year for the Yankees, who after being desperate for starting pitching, gave him a prorated $28million contract last season. He signed May 6 and made his first start in the majors on June9.

But he proved fragile, too. He lasted 2-1/3 innings in his Game3 start in the division series against the Indians because his left hamstring locked up. Groin issues delayed his first big-league outing and he started only twice in September because of an elbow problem, blisters on his right foot and a strained left hamstring.

Asked after his playoff start if he took a moment to consider that it might be his last game, Clemens curtly said, "No."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/01/03/2008-01-03_yanks_we_have_shot_at_johan_santana.html?ref=rss

BY ANTHONY McCARRON


After what he described as a "slow holiday season" for baseball business, Hank Steinbrenner is returning to his office Thursday to begin working on "a final decision" regarding a trade for Johan Santana. And he believes the Yankees have made the top offer for the Minnesota ace.

"I think the Twins realize our offer is the best one," Steinbrenner said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "I feel confident they're not going to trade him before checking with us one last time and I think they think we've already made the best offer."

Steinbrenner said the offer "does not include two of the three young pitchers" - Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, from a group that also includes untouchable Joba Chamberlain - "but it's still the best one. And let's face it, we're the best able to handle the kind of contract (extension) Santana will be after."

Steinbrenner would not divulge the Yanks' offer, but multiple reports have pegged it as Hughes, outfielder Melky Cabrera, pitching prospect Jeff Marquez and another prospect. Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, probably would require a huge extension with his potential new team to waive his no-trade clause. Some reports have said it could be as much as six years for $120 million.

The Mets remain in the mix, too, with prospects such as pitchers Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey and outfielders Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez. However, Jose Reyes won't be involved in any potential trade, GM Omar Minaya has said repeatedly. Some in the game believe the Mets eventually will land Santana, if only because they might need him the most and might be convinced to overpay.

There has been only minor dialogue between the Yankees and Twins lately, Steinbrenner said, but that figures to heat up soon. "We're not desperate, so we're not going to chase anything," Steinbrenner said. But, he added, "In the next two weeks, we're going to have to get everything done.

"I either have to do it (a Santana deal) or don't do it, same thing for the Red Sox, I guess," Steinbrenner added. "I think the Twins would like to keep him, so I don't think there's any hurry on anyone's part. It all depends on what he asks for in an extension. You obviously have to be very careful with pitchers, for obvious reasons."

There has been a popular theory among some in baseball that the Red Sox have talked to the Twins about a trade only to drive up the price on the Yankees, but Steinbrenner says he doesn't believe that's true.

"At the same time, we won't be in it to keep him from them," Steinbrenner said. "Each team is in it for what they can handle. We have great young pitching, that's the main plan. Do we want to put Santana in there, who's 29 (in March), to be an ace for a few years?

"I know a majority of fans don't want to lose Hughes."

Steinbrenner reiterated that he would be delighted to get Santana but also happy to "stay the way we are. We're going to have the best pitching by far in baseball in two or three years and we'll be tough this year.

"We obviously already have position players."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/01/03/2008-01-03_yanks_we_have_shot_at_johan_santana.html?ref=rss

"I think the Twins realize our offer is the best one," Steinbrenner said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "I feel confident they're not going to trade him before checking with us one last time and I think they think we've already made the best offer."

Some in the game believe the Mets eventually will land Santana, if only because they might need him the most and might be convinced to overpay.

"We're not desperate, so we're not going to chase anything," Steinbrenner said. But, he added, "In the next two weeks, we're going to have to get everything done.

"I either have to do it (a Santana deal) or don't do it, same thing for the Red Sox, I guess," Steinbrenner added. "I think the Twins would like to keep him, so I don't think there's any hurry on anyone's part. It all depends on what he asks for in an extension. You obviously have to be very careful with pitchers, for obvious reasons."


"I know a majority of fans don't want to lose Hughes."

Steinbrenner reiterated that he would be delighted to get Santana but also happy to "stay the way we are. We're going to have the best pitching by far in baseball in two or three years and we'll be tough this year.

"We obviously already have position players."