Yankees Get Their Rocket-man

Following Sunday's uber-dramatic announcement that Roger Clemens will return to the New York Yankee pinstripes, "the Rocket" is considered by many Yankee faithful as their team's savior. As of Monday, a snapshot of the Yankees' mediocrity suggests a superstar like Clemens is just what the Yankees needed. A 14-15 record might be a sign of hope in other baseball towns like Pittsburgh or Kansas City; in the Bronx, though, it's a sign of baseball apocalypse.

Already, some pundits are suggesting Clemens' obscene contract - which will likely give him more than $1 million per start - was a mistake. "The man either has a lot of misguided faith in that team or an unhealthy belief in his own ability to change the course of baseball events," writes CNNSI's John Donovan. Donovan then went on to describe the deal as "one honking huge gamble that Clemens is playing in his old age." This chorus is sure to strengthen.

Fair enough. Given the magnitude of Clemens' contract, and the ballyhoo he brought with him, naysayers like Donovan might have a point. Clemens is old, and probably prone to breakdown -- even this Rocket could be a 2007 dud. Is it reasonable to think he's going to transform this team?

But anyone who'd watched the Yankees in the week or so leading up to Clemens II knows there were already promising signs in the Yankees pitching staff. Chien-Ming Wang, last year's AL Cy Young runner-up, had returned Saturday with a near-perfect gem. Andy Pettitte's been solid, and Mike Mussina's stint on the DL will soon be over. Rookie Phil Hughes, prior to his hamstring pull, showed real signs he'd be able to contribute to the staff - in his second start, he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He'll be back in a few weeks.

To be sure, the Yankees needed another solid arm in their starting rotation. Carl Pavano may finally be headed for permanent non-Yankee status. And his unsurprising demise, combined with hideous performances by the likes of Colter Bean and Kei Igawa obviously underscored the Yankees' need for more arms, particularly those capable of delivering more than 4 2/3 innings per start.