Rocket Launch in Houston

Disappointing.

Sure, the Red Sox had a 25% chance to be the team Roger Clemens decided to "end" his career with. Apparently, they were the second runner-up (finishing ahead of the Yankees and Rangers) in a sweepstakes to land the most celebrated 43 year old right arm in major league history.

It would have been nice for the Rocket to land on the pad that launched his Hall of Fame career in 1984. He's still tied atop the Red Sox all-time wins list with Cy Young, a record easily attainable and breakable, that I thought sure would lure an ego like Clemens has back to Boston.

Plus, no one has worn his #21 in the ten seasons since he left to pitch for the Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros. A uniform number that certainly will adorn the right field facade at Fenway Park sometime in the next decade.

The Astros are paying Clemens $3.25 something million dollars per month to pitch for them for the remainder of the 2006 season. Though there's still a slim chance, in my opinion, that the Red Sox could get him this year. If the Astros tank over the next two months and it appears that they will not make the playoffs, then Clemens could ask for a trade, possibly to Boston.

Here's espn.com's reporting of the Clemens' signing by the Astros.