Mike Lupica, who has been "on" lately when it comes to the Yankees, brings up all the Roger Clemens-back-to-New York talk and asks:

Say everybody involved does want this to happen in July. What do the Yankees give up to get a guy who is the best pitcher in the sport right now, even at the age of 42? What do they have that Houston wants? Do they give up Robinson Cano, perhaps the first middle infielder produced by their farm system since Derek Jeter? Do they trade Chien-Ming Wang, who has a chance to be the first starter they have developed since Pettitte was a kid? Just when their farm system seems to have produced at least snapshots of an actual future, do the Yankees trade it away?

These are just rhetorical questions. The answer: No. You don't give up Robinson Cano or Chien-Ming Wang for two months of Clemens, to see him leave the Yankees for "one more last hurrah" with Boston next year. The Astros decided to shell out megabucks to steal Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Now let the Astros choke on that budget.