Clemens Has No Regrets About Move
He borrows T-shirts from new catcher Charlie O’Brien and introduces his son to golf buddy Joe Carter. If Roger Clemens is having trouble adjusting to life with the Toronto Blue Jays, it doesn’t show.
He told the Toronto media about his progress in spring training and explained to a radio station from Texas why he didn’t sign there.
And for a Boston reporter inquiring whether he had any regrets about leaving, Clemens had just two words: “Nothing’s there.”
The greatest pitcher in Red Sox history is history now, his 13 years in Boston, three Cy Young Awards and dual 20-strikeout games just memories on his well-stocked trophy shelves. Fans debate whether he is mercenary or martyr, but Clemens has fired his last fastball for the Red Sox.
“He hasn’t said a word about it to me. I think that’s in the past,” O’Brien says. “I don’t know if he doesn’t want to talk about it or not. I think that’s good. He’s pitching for Toronto now.”
“He’s a traitor,” said Red Sox fan Jim Gregoire. “It seems like he took the money and ran. I feel betrayed.”
Gruesome scene
When they showed the replays of Robin Ventura wrecking his right ankle and leg, TV sportscasters warned viewers that what they were about to see was pretty graphic.
“Just to see him laying helpless like that, that’s tough to take,” Chicago White Sox first baseman Frank Thomas said. “These kinds of things happen all the time in sports, but when it happens so close to home, it’s not fun to see.”
Indeed, it was so severe that it caused a woman in the ballpark to faint and prompted Ventura’s teammates to prevent his wife, Stephanie, from seeing it up close.
The All-Star third baseman dislocated his right ankle and sustained a compound fracture of his leg when he slid into home plate Friday night during an exhibition game against Boston.
Moves
New York Yankees manager Joe Torre named Wade Boggs as the team’s starting third baseman over Charlie Hayes, whom the five-time American League batting champion had been battling.
The San Diego Padres cleared up any questions about second base when they traded Jody Reed to the Detroit Tigers for two minor leaguers. The Padres will start 25-year-old second baseman Quilvio Veras.
Concerned about the condition of shortstop Rey Ordonez’ sore shoulder, the New York Mets acquired infielders Manny Alexander and Scott McClain from the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Hector Ramirez.