The largest hurdle for the Yankees in their pursuit of Roger Clemens last season -- had they ever gotten really serious -- might have been Clemens' preference to leave the team in between his starts, a perk he has always had with the Astros. The Yankees didn't want to set that precedent while bringing Clemens on board because they had another pitcher almost equal in stature to the Rocket: Randy Johnson, also a future Hall of Famer, also a multiple winner of the Cy Young Award.
The Yankees were leery of creating a situation in which Johnson -- and perhaps other players -- would also want days away from the team.
But now Johnson is gone, and it seems very likely that the Yankees would be much more flexible with Clemens if he requested to leave the team between some starts. They are in a much better position now to give him that kind of special treatment. Mike Mussina, another well-established veteran on the staff, is not the type who would ask for that kind of perk, and Andy Pettitte has played with Clemens for years and never suggested in Houston that he should get the same kind of treatment as his friend.
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Buster Olney
