When teams and players submitted numbers to arbiters on January 18th, RHP Roger Clemens asked for $22M while Houston offered $13.5M. Clemens' request broke Derek Jeter's record of $18.5M for largest salary requested in arbitration. Coincidentally, Clemens wears #22 on his jersey. The distance between the Astros' offer and Clemens' request was the largest in history, but the two sides quickly reached a compromise. Houston signed Roger Clemens to a one-year, $18M contract yesterday. The deal sets new records as the most expensive single season contract as well as the largest salary for a pitcher. Including incentives, Clemens only made $6.8M in 2004, so a portion of this salary can almost be considered deferred money. I suspect few people would have objected had he signed a two-year, $24.8M contract prior to last season.

Clemens struck out over a batter an inning last year, maintained a G-F better than his career average, and walked only a slightly larger percentage of batters than his average. Furthermore, the 42-year-old lacks any injury trouble spots that require monitoring. I expect another stellar performance from him in 2005 and support the Astros' decision to retain the reigning NL Cy Young winner despite the cost. This contract includes the clause that appeared in his first deal with the Astros, allowing him to remain home with his family rather than ride along on road trips on which he is not scheduled to pitch.

The Astros settled on a one-year, $500,000 contract with Brandon Duckworth a day before the two sides would have needed to exchange arbitration numbers.

On January 11th, Houston avoided arbitration with UT-L Mike Lamb, signing him to a one-year, $1.3M contract. The deal also includes an additional $200,000 in potential bonuses based on plate appearances. Lamb appropriated the Astros' starting third base job from 3B-R Morgan Ensberg last season, hitting .288 with a .356 OBP and .511 SLG on 80 H, 14 2B, 3 3B, and 14 HR with a 31:63 BB:K and 1/2 SB% in 278 AB. The 29-year-old possesses solid plate discipline and substantial power, making him an economical choice whether Houston chooses to continue to start him at third or if the Astros move him back to the bench.

Houston also signed RHP Dave Burba, UT-R Charles Gipson, Phil Norton, Carlos Rivera, and Turk Wendell to minor league contracts. If Burba is added to the major league roster, he will receive a one-year, $650,000 contract that will include an additional $250,000 in potential bonuses.

Gipson spent last season in the Devil Rays' organization, playing most of the year for AAA Durham in the International League with a two brief tours of the majors. He hit .296 with a .381 OBP and .384 SLG on 88 H, 14 2B, 3 3B, and 2 HR with a 35:57 BB:K and 8/16 SB% in 297 AB at Durham.