We gave you everything you asked for, Roger.
You wanted to be respected. We respected you.
You wanted to be paid well. We gave you millions.
Most of all, you wanted a World Series ring. And we supplied.
You retired. We were happy for you, proud even. Where every other team you'd been on had given up on you, called you a washed-up has-been, we had once again proven that they didn't know shit, and that you were able to "go out on top" because of us, made us both proud of you and of ourselves for helping you get there.
Your "retirement" was short-lived, though, as you joined the Astros a few short months later, without even a call to Darth George asking -- as might be honorable -- if he'd like to make an offer to bring you out of retirement first.
Well, here's to you, big guy. You coulda gone out and retired "on top of the world". Instead, you're going to be just another guy who wore the 'stripes for a while.
Did it ever occur to you Yankee fans that Roger might not have wanted to play for your team? Maybe he wanted to stay close to home. Maybe he wanted to play with his good friend.
The real title should be "Memo to Cashman: You were wrong about Contreas and Pettite"
Actually Roger did call George and ask his permission to play for the Astros. Even I remember that part of the story.
So he wanted to try to help his home team win one, big deal... All the Yankees would have done is burn him out and still not won another series with him.
Actually, I think with Roger on-board we get another ring or two. What's been most sorely lacking the last few years? Pitching.
Put Clemens back in that rotation and things gel pretty nicely. Even more so if we hadn't fucked up with Pettite like we did.
Roger was always a mercinary,like David Cone, Saberhagen, Schilling,Martinez, Jimmy Key. He chases the loot and his best chances of winning.