Clemens makes visit to clubhouse

ARLINGTON, Texas -- There was no place to hide. Probably just as well. Roger Clemens didn't seem to mind that everyone in the Red Sox locker room knew he was there.

In one of the more bizarre scenarios accompanying any Red Sox Opening Day, Clemens yesterday made his first appearance in a Sox clubhouse since 1996, when he cleaned out his locker days before the end of his final season in Boston. Ostensibly, Clemens was at Ameriquest Field to see University of Texas football coaches Mack Brown and Darrell Royal honored in a pregame ceremony, but it looked more like he was interviewing for a possible return to the Red Sox.

Clemens and his agent, Randy Hendricks, sat in the clubhouse office of visiting equipment manager Kelly Terrell and welcomed a procession of visitors, including Sox owner John W. Henry and chairman Tom Werner, general manager Theo Epstein, coaches Al Nipper and Bill Haselman (both former teammates), and former teammates Tim Wakefield and Trot Nixon (Nixon played two games with the 1996 Red Sox). This went on in full view of a horde of Boston media and the Red Sox. Terrell's office is a virtual glass house, and every player coming in and out of the clubhouse was privy to Clemens's job interview.

When the meetings were over, Clemens and Hendricks spoke with members of the Boston and Texas media. Clemens was not offered arbitration by Houston and therefore cannot pitch for the Astros until after May 1. Meanwhile, he is free to sign with any team, and says he has narrowed the field to the Astros, Rangers, Red Sox, and Yankees. Clemens and Hendricks both said he might retire, but the agent said the decision to come back could come as late as the All-Star break.

''Basically, I'm here to see the Texas [football] team being honored," said Clemens. ''But it was great to see Nip and all the others. I saw Nip and Wake last night." (He also met Jonathan Papelbon at the Sox hotel Sunday night.) ''And today I told Theo and Mr. Henry, 'Thank you.' They've made a huge commitment and I appreciate it very much."

The Rocket kept saying that he could not see any situation in which he would return to play this year, while allowing that he might change his mind depending on circumstances. He said nice things about his time in Boston and indicated he wanted to visit Fenway this season to watch a few games.

''I'm probably going to kick back and watch," he said. ''If somebody goes down or needs help, that could change and I might decide to do it, but I'm not coming back just to wave my hand. I would want to hold up my end of the deal.

''I'm in great shape. I feel strong. Obviously, Boston is one of the teams I have fondness for. And the other three teams are in the same situation."

Clemens said he'll be in Houston tonight to see the Astros play the Marlins. He had a cushy deal with the Astros last year, pitching close to home and with little requirement to make road trips or be at the park when not pitching. Hendricks was asked why Clemens would opt to return to the majors with any club other than Houston and answered, ''We have a unique set of circumstances with Houston. He won the ERA championship and they didn't offer him arbitration and that's difficult to accept. I don't rule Houston out as an option, and Roger still has to decide if he wants to play baseball. Does he want to grind it up one more time?"

Hendricks said money would be a factor in the decision. Asked how that was possible given Clemens's astronomical wealth, the agent answered, ''A player's salary is another number on the back of his baseball card. It's a matter of pride, a measure of his accomplishments, and a measure of his success."

The agent said a Clemens return to Boston would be ''a completion of the cycle. We all understand that."

Henry was asked if the Sox had sincere interest and answered, ''Absolutely. Did you catch any of his statistics last year?" Warned that the Sox might risk being used to jack up the price for Houston, the owner said, ''I don't believe that scenario."

''My two little ones are warming up to the idea [of Boston]," said Clemens. ''Boston is very special to me. The video they made had a little bit of everything and brought back a lot of memories. I got to see the young me.

''If I end up coming back and playing with that club, it has nothing to do with the offer, it has to do with my mind-set. But I have a fondness for all these teams we're talking about.

''Nip ran over all the scenarios, and they have got a great ball club. I don't think I could add a lot. Those guys knocked out a World Series a couple of years ago and I hope they're not satisfied with that one.

''I like everything they've done in Boston. I totally enjoyed my time there and everything worked out for the best in my career."

Finishing his career in Boston? ''It would be something special. Extremely special. No doubt."

Bet he says that to the Rangers, Astros, and Yankees, too.