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Rocket Likely To Pitch In Tampa

Published: May 9, 2007

TAMPA - Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens likely will begin his latest comeback with a short stay in Tampa.

It is expected Clemens will spend at least a couple of days training next week with the Tampa Yankees of the Florida State League before taking the mound at Legends Field. The Tampa Yankees are at home against Fort Myers, May 17-19. Barring setbacks, Clemens' start probably would come in one of the first two games of that series.

Clemens, who will turn 45 in August, announced Sunday he will return to pitching with the New York Yankees for a contract potentially worth $28 million. He probably will have at least three minor-league starts before resuming his major-league career.

"He'll be in Tampa - we just don't know when yet," Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said.

It is undetermined whether Clemens will pitch more than one game in Tampa.

Clemens is 348-178 in 23 big-league seasons. He was 77-36 in five seasons with the Yankees, including 20-3 in 2001, before joining the Houston Astros for three seasons. Last season in Houston, Clemens was 7-6 with a 2.30 ERA after joining the team in midseason.

His first regular-season appearance here is likely to come during a series July 12-15 at Tropicana Field when the Yankees play the Devil Rays.

Clemens began his return to the majors on Tuesday, working out at the University of Kentucky's baseball complex at Lexington.

Hurdle Wants MLB To Revisit Instant Replay

ST. LOUIS - Colorado Rockies manager Clint Hurdle wants Major League Baseball to take another look at instant replay.

Twice in three games, Hurdle contends, wrong calls by umpires cost the Rockies home runs. He spoke the MLB office Tuesday to voice his concern.

"It's a very difficult call and my point of contention is it either is or is not a home run," Hurdle said. "I don't think that's an area where the umpires' discretion should be involved."

The NFL, NBA and NHL all use some form of instant replay. The issue has been raised in recent years by baseball officials, but never gotten very far - commissioner Bud Selig is among those against it.

DRAFT ON TV: The Major League Baseball draft next month will be televised for the first time, with four hours of live coverage on ESPN2.

Tampa Bay will have the first pick in the June 7 draft in Orlando, and the cable network will broadcast each team's first-round choice. The draft will last for two days and 50 rounds.

"I am glad that this agreement will give fans access to see this critical function of an organization's development," Commissioner Bud Selig said. "This is an idea whose time has come."

San Francisco will have three first-round picks, and Toronto and Texas will have two each.

ANGELS: Reliever Justin Speier was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of what the team called a medical condition unrelated to baseball.

Speier wasn't at Saturday's game against the Chicago White Sox, but returned Sunday and said he had flu-like symptoms. He said at that time he was getting better and hoped to be available to pitch in the near future.

DODGERS: Utilityman Marlon Anderson will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery Friday and is expected to be sidelined at least two months.

Anderson experienced lingering problems following offseason surgery, and an MRI exam Monday in Los Angeles revealed bone chips and scar tissue.

MARLINS: The sophomore jinx struck again for right-hander Anibal Sanchez when he went on the minor-league disabled list.

Demoted last week to Triple-A Albuquerque, Sanchez was placed on the DL complaining of a sore right shoulder. The injury was diagnosed as tendinitis, and he'll wait at least a week before he resumes throwing.

Sanchez threw a no-hitter for the Marlins last September and finished his rookie year 10-3 with a 2.83 ERA.

PHILLIES: First baseman Ryan Howard, bothered by a sore left quadriceps and batting only .200, is being rested on the road against Arizona until he can be examined by team physician Michael Ciccotti on Friday in Philadelphia.

RANGERS: Eric Gagne came off the disabled list and immediately returned to his role as the Texas Rangers' closer. Akinori Otsuka, who has four saves and a 1.54 ERA, will go back to his job as setup man. To make room on the roster for Gagne, the Rangers optioned right-hander Wes Littleton to Triple-A Oklahoma.