Out in the dugout, Roger Clemens was speaking his piece, that he would love to finish his career in Boston, but ... And, by the way, Clemens went on, Mike Greenwell shouldn't be kept hanging by the Red Sox, either, because "Mr. Greenwell got the best swing on the club," but "he can't get an answer."
In the locker room, Tim Naehring was uncertain, too. Just once, said the Red Sox third baseman, ``I'd like to know so maybe I could buy a house in Boston. Just once. Instead of renting for seven months, instead of not knowing ...''
A few lockers away, John Valentin was saying how ``it's a shame'' that much of the core of the Red Sox is uncertain about its future. Especially since this core - from Clemens to Mo Vaughn to Naehring to ``Mr. Greenwell'' to Naehring - would like nothing more than to play for the Red Sox, ``because it's the organization we signed with and it's the pride we have in being on the Red Sox. We're all emotional about it.''
A few lockers away, Greenwell did not know whether this would be his last homestand in Boston. All of them - except Mo Vaughn - are uncertain of their position here.
Clemens was pointed about it. Naehring, too. Likewise Greenwell and now Valentin. ``All of us want to stay with the Red Sox,'' said Valentin, ``but whether that is going to happen, I don't know.''
``If this can happen to Roger,'' added Valentin, then it's no surprise the uncertainty can hang over other players. ``Roger is the Boston Red Sox,'' said Valentin.
Outside Clemens was saying, ``I've never been in this situation before, not knowing about the uncertainty.
``It's a gamble that, again, [general manager Dan Duquette is] real big on his one-year contracts and playing guys out, which he's done to, you know, you take a guy like Mr. Greenwell. He's had an operation on his finger, which everybody doubted, he's got the best swing on the team but yet he can't get an answer from anybody where he might be. And now we're going to lose another great player that's come through here. So again, I find that very disheartening to me. But again, he's got to do what's best for him. And I'm kind of in the same situation. I knew once the season started and there was no extension or anything like that, I was under my existing contract, and so be it. And, uh, it hardens you a little bit and I try to put my blinders on to the business side aspect of it.
``I don't know any of their plans.''
Greenwell, for his part, said, ``Signing Clemens is a no-brainer.'' But, added the left fielder, ``You [the media] will find out as much from Duquette as we do.''
Outside the air was cool, almost cold, signaling the end of the warm, good times of summer. Confusion was reigning.
``It's the first I've heard about it,'' said manager Kevin Kennedy of Clemens saying he might not pitch anymore this season - a most unlikely event. ``I'm going to talk to him about it.''
Inside Naehring was saying much of what Clemens was saying, that Duquette's penchant for short contracts, the team's refusal to negotiate during the season, the fact that baseball management does what it is paid to do in the 1990s - treat the game like a business - has led to mass uncertainty.
``That's the way Dan does things,'' said Naehring. ``Dan likes one-year deals.'
Naehring already was frustrated that a rash of injuries forced him out of the lineup in September. ``If I had played 25 or 30 more games,'' said the third baseman, ``who knows what kind of season I'd have had?''
Even more, he went on, it would have gone a long way toward silencing critics who claim he is injury-prone. ``I would have had two [injury-free] seasons in a row.''
Even so, said Naehring, he came up with the Red Sox and wants to remain with the Red Sox. ``I would like to have a two- or three-year contract and have enough security to buy a house here and just knowing what my future will be.''
But he does not know where he stands, just like Clemens and Greenwell. ``When you see a Roger Clemens and all that he's done,'' Naehring went on, ``when you see a Roger Clemens wondering about his future ... I feel for the guy.
``It's just the way things are done around here. It's a business.''
Valentin said he is secure in his mind (``I consider myself the Red Sox shortstop; that's how I feel''), even though some sharp eyes spotted a rookie at the position when Naehring went down and Valentin was moved to third earlier this month. But, looking down the row of lockers toward Greenwell and Naehring, Valentin said, ``We've got a few people in here who don't know where they stand.''
It's a business, one and all said. But Valentin and Naehring said it is more - much more - when it comes to playing in Boston. ``Once you put that uniform on,'' said Valentin, ``there is such a pride ... that even players [on other teams] don't understand.''
One and all want to stay here. One and all say they do no not know if loyalty counts anymore when, as Naehring put it, ``you see guys playing on three teams in one season.'' Money counts because money can be counted, but Naehring was emotional when he said, ``I want to stay with the Red Sox. I'm not looking for a huge contract, what I consider fair-market value.''
And all are uncertain in this last week of the season. ``It's a shame,'' said Valentin. But ``it's a distraction'', added Naehring. ``Baseball is a business.'' Cold, too, said the third baseman. Just like the weather.
This story ran on page f1 of the Boston Globe on 09/25/96.