| | NEW YORK -- Chad Curtis' home run was still tearing through the air in the 10th
inning, not yet finished in its mission as a dagger through the Braves'
hearts. Still, it wasn't too early for the Yankees to turn their gaze to
Roger Clemens, who starts Game 4 Wednesday and gets a chance to end his season in style.
What happened to the
American League's one-time deity this year? It's no secret the Bombers were keenly
disappointed in Clemens' 14-win season in 1999 -- a performance that
particularly stung general manager Brian Cashman.
|  | | Roger Clemens got rocked in his last playoff start in the ALCS. |
After all, it was Cashman who decided to acquire Clemens in exchange for
David Wells, and if you think the Yankees weren't obsessed with those two
pitchers' won-loss records, then you don't understand the bottom-line
mentality that controls George Steinbrenner's world.
Wells, who had already carved out a superior reputation as an October
warrior, outperformed Clemens in the regular season, too, winning 17 games.
That won't cost Cashman his job, but the Rocket's wobbly summer made the GM's
life more difficult. And that was before Clemens failed to last even three
innings against Pedro Martinez in their ALCS showdown -- a meltdown that made
the Yankees look even sillier for cutting their ties with Wells.
All that can change in Game 4. Clemens can smooth over all the raw
edges of his sub-par season by getting the final out in the 1999 season. By
taking down the National League champions, by finishing off this Yankee sweep
and advancing the belief that these Bombers, from 1996-99, form
the core of one of baseball's greatest dynasties.
History will be our jury, but already, this much is certain: The Yankees
have demoralized the Braves -- shocked them in a way that left manager Bobby
Cox fumbling for answers.
In fact, he was reduced to blaming Chuck Knoblauch's two-run homer off Tom
Glavine in the eighth inning, which tied the game at 5-5, on Yankee
Stadium's short right-field fence. "That was a pop fly," Cox said,
conveniently forgetting that his Braves had the same chance to hit miniature
home runs, too.
But they didn't do so. The Braves made Andy Pettitte pay for every mistake in
his 3-2/3 innings, pounding out five runs and 10 hits, but then Atlanta's
hitters were rendered invisible by the Yankee bullpen. They never laid a
finger on Jason Grimsley and Jeff Nelson and Mariano Rivera, which means in
three games, the Braves had totaled just seven hits and two runs in 15
innings against Yankees right-handers.
That's probably good news for the right-handed Clemens, since he's the
hardest thrower among Yankee starters and still has the greatest
intimidation factor. As one American League executive said, "When he's on,
Clemens can still eat a hitter up."
Question is, does the 37-year-old Clemens still have that fastball to blow hitters away? Some baseball people are wondering if he's finally losing the war
with time -- which is really no sin at all. Others think Clemens is still
coping with the effects of an early-season hamstring injury, and those
closest to the Rocket, including Pettitte and catcher Joe Girardi, believe
there's nothing wrong at all.
If that's true, then Clemens is merely suffering from a first-year
anxiety attack in the Bronx. It's happened before. It's happened often,
actually, although no one would have ever believed a five-time Cy Young Award
winner would succumb to nerves.
That's why it'll be such great theater Wednesday night, with a sold-out stadium, with the familiar scene of October success in the air. It's became an annual ritual in the Bronx, watching the Yankees devour one postseason opponent after another, seeing the look in their eyes as they come to the realization that the Yankees are, simply, too talented.
That's why Clemens seemed like such a perfect fit. No one denied Wells'
talent, but Clemens had the proper breeding for a Yankee. He exuded
confidence; even as a member of the hated Red Sox it was impossible not to
sense Clemens' charisma. He was a billboard of power pitching. That first day in spring training in Tampa ... well, Clemens looked just perfect in pinstripes.
Six months later, the Yankees are still trying to solve the mystery. What
complicates the matter is that Clemens is entitled to demand a trade this
winter, since he was dealt from the Blue Jays in the middle of a long-term
contract. However, people close to the pitcher say he'll make no such request
and instead focus on improving his record in 2000 and testing his worth as a
free agent in 2001.
That's good news for the Yankees, who would've been caught in an awful
dilemma had Clemens headed for the exit. To keep the Rocket, they would've
had to offer him a contract extension and pay him far more than the $8
million a year he's currently earning.
But Clemens isn't worrying about his checkbook. Not now. He has nine critical innings waiting for him, and any amateur therapist knew Joe Torre was telling the truth when he said, "Roger's going to be pitching with a lot of emotion."
Bob Klapisch of the Bergen (N.J.) Record covers baseball for ESPN.com. | |
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