Roger Clemens says he won't have any regrets. He'll be too busy pitching for his first World Series ring to spare any nostalgic thoughts for Fenway Park.
After 13 seasons with the Red Sox, the three-time Cy Young Award winner agreed Friday to a $24.75 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.With an $8.25 million average annual value, it's the highest ever for a pitcher, topping the $7.75 million under John Smoltz's $31 million, four-year contract with Atlanta.
"It was a tough and long decision," Clemens said during a news conference at SkyDome. "We had to think about it for quite some time, but I know this was the right thing. I'm working for that world championship ring, so I'm extremely happy."
Clemens also was courted by the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Red Sox. But the Blue Jays prevailed, and now have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball - including this year's AL Cy Young winner, Pat Hentgen, and the AL ERA leader, Juan Guzman.
Although Boston remained in the hunt until the end, Clemens and his agents said Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette had signaled early on that the team wasn't keen on matching the big offers coming from elsewhere.
"I know from my heart he didn't really want me back," Clemens said, suggesting Duquette would be happy he was leaving. He said some of his former Red Sox teammates - including Jose Canseco and Mo Vaughn - were "pretty distraught at the situation there."
Randy Hendricks, one of Clemens' agents, described the Red Sox's attitude as "seeming indifference" as they suggested the pitcher was past his prime.
Clemens, 34, made $5.5 million last season, when he was 10-13 with a 3.63 ERA and led the league with 257 strikeouts. In his career, he is 192-111 with a 3.06 ERA and holds the major-league record of 20 strikeouts in a game, which he set in 1986 and matched last season.
In Boston, Red Sox CEO John Harrington said it was unfair to suggest the team was glad to see Clemens go.
"We always attempted to treat him fairly, with appropriate compensation and respect." Harrington said. "We made every effort to get him. There is no one in this organization who is happy that Roger has left."
Boston, according Hendricks, offered Clemens a $20 million, four-year deal before he filed for free agency last month but only was willing to guaranteed $10 million of it.
After Clemens filed for free agency, the Red Sox raised their offer to $17.5 million guaranteed over three years, with a 2000 option that could have made the package worth $22 million. Harrington said the club offered additional bonuses that would have added up to more per year than the Blue Jays' offer.
Clemens said his final decision came down to Toronto and the Yankees, and he told of running through each team's roster in his mind, trying to gauge which had the best shot at a championship.
He said Blue Jays president Paul Beeston told him during negotiations that Toronto was prepared to do whatever it took, including midseason moves next year, to get into contention.
According to a management official speaking on the condition he not be identified, Clemens contract includes $2 million signing bonus, $5.5 million in 1997, $7.5 million in 1998 and 8 million in 1999. Toronto has an option for 1999 at $8.1 million with a $1.75 million buyout.
"Roger is not just a pitcher, he's a leader," Toronto general manager Gord Ash said. "He's a presence for this ballclub and someone that we think is going to take us to the World Series this year."
Clemens sounded envious as he spoke of Blue Jays such as Joe Carter and Ed Sprague, who played for the World Series winners of 1992 and 1993.
"They're wearing those rings. They've got something I want," Clemens said.