Rocket Update

Details of Clemens' deal were announced today. He gets $5 million this year and another $3.6 million deferred and interest free in 2006. That ups the number that will be needed to sign Maddux. He now costs between $7 million and $9 million per year to sign and for a minimum of 2 years. Although Rozner reports that an offer will be made today, Phil Rogers has either an angle or a negotiating point in one of the worst blind quotes of all time:

(Maddux's agent Scott) Boras declined to comment, but a source said the Maddux negotiations parallel the ones that led to his exit.

"This is like 1992 again," the source said. "He felt like he was forced out of Chicago. He wants to come back, but he doesn't know if Tribune Co. will pay him."

As that quote has a 97% probability of coming from Boras, my guess is "negotiating point."