Clemens to Return Against Sox

Too bad it will be against the Chicago White Sox, and not the Red Sox. Manager Joe Torre does not want Roger Clemens to pitch against the Red Sox because that would fly in the face of the skipper's strategy to fall behind the Sox by more than 20 games before June 1.

Now, some might want to pin this on Roger, but don't be that guy. Clemens is many things, chicken is not one of them. Remember, Roger took his beaning like a man when he went to Shea Stadium in the year following his head-hunting of Mike Piazza. So the dude isn't afraid of anything. And hey, maybe Torre's strategy is sound, considering he doesn't want to upset his murderer's row of front-line starters.

But how pissed are executives from ESPN right now, who would want nothing more than for Clemens to return to Fenway Sunday night? So close chumps. Maybe Roger can pitch in one of the networks other numerous showings of this rivalry during the summer.