Alan Hendricks, agent for aging Red Sox ace Roger Clemens, was at Fenway Park last night and exchanged greetings with general manager Dan Duquette. If they exchanged anything else - say, numbers on a new deal for Clemens - Duquette wasn't giving the media a peek into the club's pockets.
``Traditionally, we approach that in the offseason,'' said Duquette. ``Historically, that's better for the club and the player.''
The 34-year-old Clemens, a lackluster 6-11, will be a free agent at the end of the season. The Sox can retain minimal compensation rights if they offer salary arbitration, but Duquette made it sound as if he would like to sit down with Hendricks and negotiate a new deal for Clemens.
``We've been consistent with Roger,'' said Duquette. ``We didn't want to trade him, and he has an opportunity to be the preeminent pitcher in the history of the franchise. Hopefully, there's enough common ground that we can make a deal to keep him in Boston.''
Clemens ahead of Cy Young? A quick look at the numbers:
Young spent eight of his 22 big league seasons with the Red Sox (1901-08) and forever will be remembered as the game's preeminent hurler. For his career, Young was 511-316 (.618) and tossed no fewer than 750 complete games and 7,356 innings - records that probably never will be surpassed.
Clemens is wrapping up his 13th big league season, all with the Sox, and will carry a lifetime mark of 188-109 (.633) into tonight's game against the A's. He has pitched 2,7141/3 innings and 97 complete games.
Speculation for the last couple of years has been that Clemens, a native Texan, might want to finish his career in the Lone Star State.
Believe it or not
Duquette and his chief lieutenants will sit down today and discuss, among other things, a 25-man playoff roster. ``For us even to be talking about it,'' said manager Kevin Kennedy, ``it's brought some excitement back.'' ... According to Duquette, Jose Canseco will report Monday to Fort Myers, Boston's affiliate in the Gulf Coast League, and slowly start stepping up his rehabilitation after surgery last month to repair a ruptured disc. ``He should be able to join our club after we're back from the West [Sept. 9],'' said Duquette. ``And shortly thereafter, he should be able to participate.'' ... Kennedy on Darren Bragg's sensational catch in right field Tuesday night: ``No knock on anybody else, but we didn't have that kind of defensive play earlier this year.'' Duquette on the same subject: ``What, you don't think [Kevin] Mitchell would've had it?''
McNamara has clot
California Angels interim manager John McNamara, who was in Boston to face his old club last weekend, was hospitalized in New York yesterday with a blood clot in his right calf. McNamara, 64, who has had trouble walking in recent weeks, was admitted to Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and is expected to remain there for four or five days.
Joe Maddon, the team's third base coach, took over as manager.
Walking tall
Mo Vaughn walked in the sixth, his 79th this season, tying his career high set in 1993 ... The Sox scored on a double steal in the fourth, John Valentin taking second and Vaughn rumbling in from third. It was Boston's second double steal of the season, coming only 16 days after Mike Greenwell stole home in Toronto when Mike Stanley snatched second.
This story ran on page d5 of the Boston Globe on 08/22/96.