In a matter or hours the Houston Astros can begin negotiations with Roger Clemens again. Under MLB rules, teams can re-sign their former players who became free agents through December 7th or January 8th if offered salary arbitration and again starting May 1st. Clemens agent said Roger is willing to listen, but don’t count on him pitching until June at the earliest. The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers are also interested in talking with the baseball icon. When it comes time for Roger to make his decision you can bet your bottom dollar he will end up pitching for the Boston Red Sox. They have the best chance to win a World Series and they are already discussing the idea of retiring his jersey at the end of the year should he come back.

Albert Pujols broke the record for most home runs in April yesterday in a win over the Washington Nationals.  In the eighth inning Albert blasted his 14th home run in April and put the Cardinals in the lead for good 2-1.  The St. Louis slugger hit the 411 foot bomb off Jon Rauch.  Pujols also tied the St. Louis team record for April with his 32 major league leading RBI’s.  Call me crazy, but I suspect Albert will hit another bomb today against Zach Day to further enhance what has been one hell of an April.

Delmon Young, outfielder for the Durham Bulls, decided he had had enough on Wed. night. When called out on strikes (the nerve of an umpire to do that!), Young threw the bat at the umpire. Seriously. What in the world could be going through your mind to make you want to do something like that. Young is one of the better minor league players, as he was the first pick in the draft in 2003 and won the Baseball America minor league player of the year in 2005. His older brother is Dmitri Young of the Detroit Tigers. Now, I know what you’re thinking…it was a replacement ump….a scab (the regular minor league officials are on strike…nothing good ever comes from strikes). BS! You throw a bat at someone, you should have charges brought against you and you should be suspended for the very minimum of a year, maybe even two. The spoiled brats are going to have to get it into their tiny little minds that you DON’T rule the world and that the world DOESN’T cater to you and only you. Throw the book at him!

Four times out to the mound this year so far for Greg Maddux and four times now he has won. Maddux threw seven scoreless innings today against the Cardinals in the 7-3 Cubs win. Maddux is the only 40-plus right-handed starter in MLB yet he is still at the top of his game. He threw a season high 93 pitches and lowered his ERA 34 points to a league leading 0.99. Maddux beat the Cardinals for the second time this year and helped the Cubs avoid a three game series sweep.