NEW YORK -- The Houston Astros still want to re-sign Roger Clemens, though his agent and the team said Tuesday that there is no deal.
The seven-time Cy Young Award winner plans on deciding soon whether to pitch this season or retire for good.
"Obviously, we're still hopeful. But nothing has been determined," Astros general manager Tim Purpura said. "We'd love to get a phone call that Roger is going to pitch for us. They know what our interest is, what our parameters are.
"We'd like to make a deal. But Roger still has decide want he wants to do and make his choice," he said.
Agent Randy Hendricks said the 43-year-old Clemens is "very close with a final decision." One website reported that Clemens had signed with Houston.
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| The World Baseball Classic may end up being Roger Clemens' spring training. (Getty Images) |
The Astros were 27-26 and 6½ games behind the NL Central-leading Cardinals after Tuesday night's 6-3 victory over St. Louis.
Pitcher Andy Pettitte said after the game that he knows what's going on "but it's not my place to say anything about that, really."
"I've been talking to Roger and I'll leave it up to him to let him share whatever he's going to share, whenever it's time to share it," Pettitte said.
Clemens pitched for the Astros last season and helped them reach the World Series for the first time. Houston, the New York Yankees, Boston and Texas have all tried to lure Clemens to pitch this season.
In the Houston clubhouse at Busch Stadium, Clemens was a big topic of discussion.
"False alarm," manager Phil Garner said. "I didn't see it, but one of the players came in and told me that it was on TV that we had signed him."
"I just talked to our GM when we heard that it was on TV and he has no news of it and he would be the guy that would know," he said. "We've said all along that we'd love for him to sign here. We think this is the right spot for him and we think it's a good home."
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