Roger Clemens is a Yankee again.

Roger Clemens, 44 years old, has announced his return with the New-York Yankees in front of a surprized crowd yesterday. From the owner's box of the Yankee Stadium during the 7th inning break, he said that it was a priviledge to be back with the Bronx bombers.

Clemens has signed a $28 Million dollar, 1-year deal for this season. (a season that is already started by the way)

I really have a hard time figuring how an organization can pay that much for a 44-year old starter that had a 7-6 record last season with the Houston Astros. With such a deal, any ordinary starter around the league with a similar record will compare his stats with the rocket and want as much as Clemens come their next contract negociation.

A comparison game like this one already brought the National Hockey League to a work stoppage two years ago to eventually impose a salary cap. Such a measure was necessary to avoid a salary inflation that was slowly bringing hockey into a general bankruptcy scenario.

Logically, baseball cannot indefinatly infatuate the players salaries like this without running into a brick wall. There are already teams that cannot afford half of the Yankees' total payroll. Will a work stoppage be needed to fix baseball? Will baseball still deny that there is a problem in paying ball players hundreds of millions of dollars every year?

(Picture: Canadian Press)