ROGER!!!

He’s back!!!

He just announced it from King George’s box during the game. Details forthcoming…

(Big ups to Scotty for sticking up for his teammates. It’s about damn time someone did it.)

Update 1: Kay just said he’ll be in the rotation within a month. But then again, this came from the same guy who asked Al Leiter if he “ever ate cotton candy” earlier in the game.

Update 2: Clemens is in the YES booth with Kay and Leiter and said that the deal was in place last night, but he didn’t tell anyone until it was finalized today. No one on the team knew, not even Andy. He also mentioned that we was looking at the 3 teams (I assume Yanks, Sawx and Astros), and said that “things changed in a hurry.” That’s gotta mean they pressed him because of these injuries.Â

Update 3: Roger says he hopes to be on the mound by the end of the month, if not then by early June. He also said Jeter was bugging him “once a week.” Rocket also said he looks forward to working with all the young pitchers.Â

Update 4: Clemens said the deal doesn’t included any of the special travel provisions he had with the Astros.

Update 5: When asked, Clemens said he choose the Yanks because of “his teammates,” because “they know how to win,” and also cited the “the manager” and “the best closer in the game.”

Update 6: Clemens said he doesn’t know the details of the contract, but said it might be a 3 or 4 year deal…then laughed. I’m not sure how applicable Update 4 is then…

Update 7: Just a thought on my part, but the biggest winner in this deal is Phil Hughes. There’s not a better mentor imaginable…

Update 8: Clemens said he’ll sit down with the Yanks within 48 hours to determine how he prepares (ie minor league starts, etc). Clemens is done in the booth with Kay and Leiter.

Wang-Pettitte-Clemens-Moose-Hughes…fucking awesome!

Update 9: There will be a press conference on YES after the game.

Update 10: Hideki Matsui gets his 2,000th career hit and joins an exclusive club, benches clear and near a brawl, and neither is the biggest story in the game. Wowza, what a weekend. Jeter just said he knew Rocket was coming back (then giggled) and said he WAS NOT bugging him every week. Derek, you’re such a tease.

Update 11: The Worldwide Leader finally caught on.