Clemens nears end of historic career

ST. PETERSBURG - Today, just like he has done pretty much every five days from April to October over the past 20 years, Roger Clemens will walk on top of a pitching mound in the big leagues.

The Yankees pitcher will walk back out there again Friday, and perhaps a few more times in the postseason. And, most likely, that will be it.

One of the great pitching careers in history is expected to end after this season. Clemens has gone on the record saying this will be his final season in the majors.

"He has one of the great careers pitching-wise of anybody that has pitched in this game," Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella said. "He has been a winner. He had been durable. And extraordinary. He's a sure-fire Hall of Famer. He has pitched as well as any pitcher who has put on a uniform."

Clemens has won a record six Cy Young Awards. He has made the All-Star team nine times. He is third all-time in strikeouts. He has won 20 six times. He has won an MVP award (1986) and shares the major-league record with 20 strikeouts in a game.

What's incredible is he is still doing it. He comes into today's game with a 15-9 record and one victory short of taking over 16th place in major-league history.

"The longevity of his career might be more impressive than anything else," Rays veteran Terry Shumpert said. "I wouldn't be surprised if right before spring training next year he decides he wants to keep playing. You know he still will be capable. If he does quit, it's only because he doesn't want to play anymore, not because he can't do it anymore."

Clemens has hinted he might want to pitch in the Olympics, so perhaps his career isn't done just yet. And Piniella agrees with Shumpert: Clemens probably could pitch as long as he wants because of his incredible work ethic.

"I've heard about how hard he works and when he goes out there, it shows," Piniella said. "To go out there and throw as well as he does at age 40, that's pretty impressive. But he has been impressive his whole career. He's a credit to the game in every aspect."

MATSUI SPEAKS: The Yankees' Hideki Matsui, who is a leading contender with the Rays' Rocco Baldelli for AL Rookie of the Year, spoke out when told Piniella thinks Baldelli should win the award. Piniella, like many others, thinks Matsui isn't a true rookie like Baldelli because he spent 10 years playing professionally in Japan.

"Everybody has an opinion," Matsui was quoted in the New York Post. "And I really don't have much to say, but one thing I am curious about. I wonder what Lou went through when he was at Seattle and Ichiro (Suzuki) and Kazuhiro (Sasaki) were Rookie of the Years."

Piniella did address that issue a few weeks ago, joking that he changed his stance since moving from Seattle to Tampa Bay.

STILL A CHANCE: The season of reliever Jesus Colome was thought to be over when he went down with strained oblique while warming up in the bullpen Sept. 4. But there's a chance Colome will pitch before the season is over.

"He's getting close," Piniella said. "He wants to pitch before the year is over and we would like to give him that opportunity. But we're not going to push it. If he's not 100 percent, he's not (going to pitch)."

OOPS: The Rays had a chance to tie a team record for consecutive games without an error, but their seven-game streak was snapped when shortstop Julio Lugo made a throwing error in the second. Then second baseman Antonio Perez made a throwing error in the sixth.

Going into Saturday, the Rays had made three errors in the past 22 games and one infield error.

MISCELLANY: Andy Pettitte is the third pitcher to seek a 20th victory against the Rays and get it. Toronto's Roy Halladay did it two weeks ago, and David Cone, then of the Yankees, got his 20th in 1998. ... Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is getting today off, but it has nothing to do with being hit by two pitches Saturday. Jeter said after the game that he was fine.