NEW YORK -- "Roger Clemens is a Yankee." With those five words, displayed on Yankee Stadium's matrix screen in a surprise announcement during the seventh-inning stretch on Sunday, the 44-year-old right-hander ended all the speculation and confirmed his return to the Bronx.
The Yankees officially announced that they have signed Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, to a Minor League contract. The deal is worth $28 million on a prorated basis from the day Clemens is added to the Yankees' 25-man roster.
Following the playing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," public-address announcer Bob Sheppard instructed the crowd to draw its attention to the owner's box and the video screen.
The image of Clemens, holding a microphone, drew a loud ovation from the crowd at the game between the Mariners and Yankees, but his comments would soon be drowned out by an even more raucous ovation from the paid attendance of 52,553.
"It's a privilege to be back," Clemens said. "I'll be talking to you all soon."
Clemens returns to the Yankees, where he pitched from 1999 through 2003, serving as a member of two World Series championship teams in 1999 and 2000.
"He's older than most guys," said Yankees manager Joe Torre, "but he still takes care of himself very, very much."
As a Yankee, Clemens -- who was originally acquired from the Blue Jays prior to the 1999 season in exchange for Homer Bush, Graeme Lloyd and David Wells -- compiled a record of 77-36 with a 3.99 ERA, striking out 946 batters in 157 starts.
On June 21, 2003, Clemens became the 21st pitcher in Major League history to reach the 300-win milestone, while also recording his 4,000th career strikeout in a 5-2 victory over the Cardinals.
Clemens made 19 starts for the Astros last season, posting a 7-6 record with a 2.30 ERA after signing a Minor League contract on May 31, reprising his role as the Astros' in-season acquisition after going 13-8 with a career-best 1.87 ERA in 32 starts for Houston in 2005.
"We just felt he was a great addition for more than one reason," Torre said. "Roger will certainly add a lot of stability to what we're doing."
Dating back to this past offseason, Clemens had declined to say if he expected to pitch at all in 2007, but he hedged his bets by saying through his representatives, Alan and Randy Hendricks, that he would consider playing for only the Yankees, Astros or Red Sox.
Clemens, who also said that he would pitch only for a team with hopes of playoff contention, will join a Yankees club that has seen its starting pitching suffer through an extended stretch of inconsistency and injuries.
Clemens' good friend, Andy Pettitte, has twice been pressed into relief action to help out a beleaguered bullpen, while Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Jeff Karstens, Phil Hughes and Carl Pavano have all spent time on the disabled list.
Pavano, the Yankees' Opening Day starter on April 2, could miss the remainder of the season, which created an even more glaring void for The Rocket's liftoff to fill.
Clemens would likely need a series of Minor League appearances, likely beginning at Class A Tampa, in order to prepare for Major League action. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did not rule out a return to the mound for Clemens on June 1 against the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
"Obviously, I'm not ready to step on the mound at Yankee Stadium yet," Clemens said, "but I'm going to do everything I can to get back here ASAP.
"Make no mistake about it: I've come back to do what they only know how to do with the Yankees, and that's win a championship."
Clemens ranks second all-time among Major League pitchers with 172 career strikeouts in the postseason, behind only Atlanta's John Smoltz (194). He leads all active Major League pitchers in wins (348), strikeouts (4,086), games started (690), innings pitched (4,817 2/3), complete games (118) and shutouts (46).
