Most people know me. I have been working sporadically here at MOPSquad for some time now. I am thankful to the brass here for the chance they allow me to spew my venom when something really ticks me off. Well something has.

No, it's not Barry Bonds. Although, he is a waste of typing skills, as well as oxygen.

No, it's not the Yankee half a billion dollar payroll.

No, it's not the fact that my favorite baseball team is setting me up for another fall from grace, this time from first place, it would seem, that team, by the way, being the New York Metropolitans.

Ladies and gentlemen, the topic for my tirade today is,

Roger Clemens.

While I salute the man for being 43 years old, and still at the top of his game.

While I salute the man for being a bona-fide first ballot hall of fame pitcher.

While I salute the man for having difficulty to step away from a game he loves, I think.

I cannot, under any circumstances, condone the audacity of the money this man is liable to be making for three months worth of work. $4 million a month to sign with Houston for about 15 starts? Let's do the math...approximately...

When it comes down to it, ladies and gentlemen, this talented idiot is going to probably make in the neighborhood of over a quarter of a million dollars per START.

I mean, come on. When the hell does it stop? What's next? Bonds is liable to jump in to this game in a heartbeat, play half a season, and still manage to break Aaron's record, just do it in his own terms. What left does Clemens have to prove? He made his money, and then some. He has his ring. He has 300 wins. Tell me what's left to prove, ladies and gentlemen, outside of padding his already over inflated wallet and ego, for the love of all that's holy.

What truly boggles the mind is baseball doesn't say jack about this. No, actually, its taken by baseball as "We have a hall of fame pitcher coming back as a marquis name to sell tickets!" Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the tickets are proposterous in price, and even if you get in to the damn ball park, to ENJOY YOURSELF, speaking for myself as a father of three boys, you gotta be prepared to almost put down $500, when it comes to parking, concessions, souvenirs, etc. And, baseball thinks there is nothing wrong with this? Here, let me elaborate further.

My son, my eldest son, 12 years old, his name is Nicholas. He is in LOVE with the game of baseball. Can't get enough of it. He drives me nuts every single day listening and watching the games. He's practically jumping down my throat to get tickets to a game so he can try and get an autograph from one of the baseball players. One of these so called entertainers, these athletes that make such an ungodly amount of money each and every day they step out on to the field, how would we as the common fan, be fortunate enough to get a moment with a player of high stature? No, not the people that pay their salaries. Guys like Clemens, Beltran, A-Rod, and the rest of those hall of famers just come out, do what they do, and leave. There's no attempt to pay the people something in return for their hard earned money that pays for their obscene salaries. Which brings me back to the general point here.

Roger Clemens. If you have the slightest sense of decency in your soul, Mister, I would be the first one at the gate, and the last one to leave, to say hello and thank you to every hometown fan of Houston, Texas that comes to see your team play, whether you're pitching or not. Because it's acts like this that are going to force Major League Baseball some day, maybe not today or tomorrow, but some day, to contract the teams like they threatened to do a few years back. There is no way on the planet that Major League Baseball can stomach a 4 million dollar a month rental player. It's absurd.

Debate my thoughts if you wish at KLAC1102@AOL.COM.

Thank you for your time.