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Clemens won’t be invited

Right-hander Roger Clemens won't be asked to pitch for the U.S. Olympic team. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
Right-hander Roger Clemens won't be asked to pitch for the U.S. Olympic team. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Roger Clemens isn’t welcome on the U.S. Olympic baseball team.

United States general manager Bob Watson said Wednesday he isn’t considering the 45-year-old right-hander for his roster for the Beijing Games.

“From my standpoint, we don’t need that type of distraction,” Watson said.

In addition to his duties as vice president of on-field operations for Major League Baseball, Watson is general manager of professional baseball operations for USA Baseball and works to select manager Davey Johnson’s roster.

A former GM of the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, Watson said he didn’t anticipate being overruled by higher-ups.

Ailing Yankees rehab

Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Phil Hughes are expected to travel to the New York Yankees’ spring- training facility in Florida today to continue rehabbing their injuries.

Rodriguez (strained right quadriceps) is eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday. Posada, who went on the DL on April 28 with right rotator cuff tendonitis, could start taking batting practice Friday. Hughes has a stress fracture in one of his ribs and the right-hander isn’t expected back before July.

BoSox make history

For the first time in baseball’s modern era, the Red Sox had two pitchers older than 40 years old combine on a shutout. Tim Wakefield, 41, gave up two hits in eight innings and Mike Timlin, 42, got the last three outs of a 5-0 win at Detroit Tuesday.

That’s the only time that’s happened since 1900, the Elias Sports Bureau said.

Clearing the bases

St. Louis starter Mark Mulder has a mild rotator cuff strain in his left shoulder, causing the team to stop his injury rehabilitation assignment. … Pittsburgh shortstop Jack Wilson will remain out of the lineup for at least two more weeks with a strained left calf that has sidelined him for all but three games. … Atlanta closer Rafael Soriano can resume his throwing program after tests on his sore right elbow revealed no major injuries. … MLB considers the blow up over blowup dolls in the Chicago White Sox clubhouse a team, not a league, issue. Executive vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred said the league had discussions with the team after a player placed two nude blowup dolls in the clubhouse at Toronto, but called it “fundamentally a club issue.”