Boston's Clement seeking bounce-back year

FORT MYERS, Fla. --Rebounding from a series of setbacks last year, Matt Clement has enough to worry about this spring training. Being the subject of trade rumors doesn't top that list.

The mild-mannered right-hander was hit in the head by a liner, struggled in the second half of last season, had a terrible playoff outing and underwent knee surgery after the season. Then David Wells' change of heart on his trade request this month left Boston loaded with starting pitchers.

Would Clement be the one to go?

"I've gotten traded the last day of spring training twice," he said Monday. "This year I just tried not to pay attention to it."

After pitching in last year's All-Star game, Clement's season deteriorated.

He was hit in the head by a line drive off Carl Crawford's bat on July 26 at Tampa Bay and never returned to form.

The low point came in his final start, Game 1 of the AL division series against the Chicago White Sox, when he allowed eight runs in 3 1-3 innings. The White Sox swept the three-game series, and now Clement is eager to pitch well again for the team he admits he let down.

"You be a man about it. You stand up for what you did. I stunk in the game," he said. "You never want to leave a bad impression."

He left a solid one Monday in Boston's 7-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He started and pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out three in his first exhibition appearance this year against a major league team.

"I thought Clement was very good," Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Clement also pitched against Northeastern University and in an intrasquad game against Red Sox minor leaguers.

But Boston also has starters Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield, Bronson Arroyo, Jonathan Papelbon and Wells.

"I want to be a part of this team. I love playing in front of the fans. I love the passion that's in Boston," Clement said. "If it doesn't work out that way, there's nothing I can do about it."

He was 10-2 with a 3.85 ERA before the All-Star break but just 3-4 with a 5.72 ERA after. Then he had knee surgery and now he's focused on working hard on the things he can control. Monday's outing was an excellent start.

"I'm pretty satisfied," he said. "It's only spring training and nothing to get excited about, but also it's nice to walk away with a positive result."

The effectiveness of his sinker, a pitch he's gotten away from despite the success he had with it on his rise to the major leagues, could be a positive indicator.

"I think that's as good as I've thrown my sinker since maybe one of my first couple of years with the Cubs," said Clement, who left Chicago after the 2004 season. "This is a pitch I want to establish early. And the best part about (catcher Josh) Bard today was he went and used that as my main pitch."

Having the confidence just to throw it again is impressive since the damaging pitch that Crawford hit back at him was a sinker.

"I'm not fearful to go out there," Clement said. "It's like a car wreck. You're never going to forget it. It's never going to leave your mind but it's not something I think about every pitch."

Clement thinks he's ready to make at least 30 starts again, a feat he's accomplished in his seven previous major league seasons. While it's not certain that those starts will for the Red Sox, Clement knows it's out if his hands.

"If they trade me, they're going to trade me," he said. "There's nothing I can do about it."