All reports around the wire tonight is revolving around Roger Clemens coming back to play baseball.  That’s right, folks, Clemens AKA The Rocket is coming back to play some baseball and he’ll be doing it with the Houston Astros once again.  He’ll be paid about 12 million dollars or so for about a half-season’s worth of work as he’s expected to step foot on a MLB mound around the end of June or so, depending on Clemens.

Now, this is a sweet financial deal for Clemens, but the real candy-coating (if this new contract follows suit the two previous years and I don’t see why it wouldn’t) lays in the fact that Clemens won’t have to travel with the team on road trips except for when his turn in the rotation comes up.  The Rocket will also be close to home and be a dad and husband to his family without sacrificing having to spend three or more months away in a city like New York or Boston.

Speaking of New York and Boston and their respective MLB teams, it was thought that they had a chance to sign the Rocket, but I never thought he would.  He definitely would have gotten a ton of money from both, but Clemens has money already from his previous work in the majors and you can’t beat the deal he’s getting from the Astros because of the proximity factor.

With the New York Yankees, he’d get to play with guys like Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera again, as well as provide a devastating righty/lefty combo with Randy Johnson.  If Clemens went to play with the Boston Red Sox, the symbolism of “coming back home” and “coming full circle” would definitely be there.  However, in the end the Rocket chose his family, and I’m not just talking about his wife and kids.

The Houston Astros have been more than accomodating with the Rocket since his signing in 2004, acting like parents letting their son have his room back after graduating college.  His best friend in baseball, Andy Pettitte, pitches for the Astros.  And you better believe Pettitte played a huge role in talking Clemens out of “retirement” to pitch again.  But, just as important to Clemens, the Astros have gone to the National League Championship in both seasons he’s been with them.  And, the Astros now have a better chance to make it three straight seasons, thanks to the return of the Rocket.

Soon enough, the headlines around baseball will be - Houston, We Have Liftoff.  Welcome back, Rocket.