MAILBAG: June 20

Q: Why did the New York Mets want retaliation on Roger Clemens, since they retaliated when Glendon Rusch hit Tino Martinez two years ago? After all, Clemens did try to apologize and it was Mike Piazza who refused to take the call. -- Jack Roberts, Waldorf, Md.

	Clemens

PWG -- That's a good question, but this whole thing was a media obsession. Clemens was criticized for not saying he was sorry, but he did, indeed, try to call Piazza. It should have been over, but it wasn't, and I think some of the Mets fans have a complex about the Yankees, which plays into this. Clemens was ready for it, and to his credit he accepted everything. He could have thrown inside early and gotten the warning so that Estes would be ejected if he hit Clemens. But he didn't, and he stood there to take what happened. One Yankee player who talked to Roger said that Clemens had said that even if he were hit in the head, he would run to first base, period, over. The Mets fans who wanted more blood are, well ...

Q: Mo Vaughn hit the game-winner at Shea on Sunday, but he still didn't round the bases with that jolly trot that I used to love seeing in Fenway. Do you think his career would be resurrected with a trade to the Boston Red Sox? -- Douglas Meagher, Virginia Beach, Va.
PWG -- Mo would be helped by Fenway because of his hitting style, but that's not going to happen. He's frustrated, he's embarrassed because of his pride, and he has to get his timing back and learn to hit without the Green Monster.

Q: Why not use the DH for all interleague play? It's easier to add the DH if you're an NL team than to take it away from AL teams already used to it. And asking pitchers who may never have batted before to risk getting hurt seems ridiculous. -- Ron Jackson, Middletown, Conn.
PWG -- I'm all for it. The AL teams have a far greater disadvantage in NL parks than NL teams have in AL parks.

Q: Do you see any scenario where Bartolo Colon stays with the Cleveland Indians beyond his current contract? -- Adam, Denver, Colo.
PWG -- It depends on whether revenues increase for the Indians, but I doubt it.

	Thomas

Q: You have said that you believe Sammy Sosa is a no-doubt Hall of Famer. You have also gone on record as saying that OPS is the one true indicator of just how good a player is. So here are some stats ... Sammy Sosa -- career OPS: 895; MVPs: 1; batting titles: 0; years team won division: 0. Frank Thomas -- career OPS: 1.008; MVPs: 2 (back-to-back); batting titles: 1; years team won division: 3. So is Frank a lock for the Hall too? -- David, Long Grove, Ill.
PWG -- You make a good case, but we have to watch where they are at the end of their careers and their career paths. Sosa's path is remarkably ascending.

Q: Can you give us an update on Davey Johnson? Will he ever manage again in the bigs? During all of these recent manager changes, I never heard his name mentioned once. He could really give an organization a jolt. -- Brian, New Orleans, La.
PWG -- If Davey wanted to politic, he could get a job, but he is intellectually too proud to beg -- as Smokey Robinson once wrote -- and is happy playing golf, fishing and being with his family.

Q: This initially sounds crazy, but after reading Tony Gwynn's comments about the DH, I started wondering: Would MLB ever consider a hybrid-DH concept for both leagues whereby the pitcher bats but the manager gets two opportunities per game to pinch-hit for him without taking him out of the game? Strategy would be critical (with plenty of second-guessing) but the fans wouldn't have to suffer through so many of those horrible pitcher at-bats. -- Tim Miller, DeWitt, Mich.
PWG -- No, because it's too complicated. The fact that we have two different games is testament to the dysfunctional relationship between the owners' and players' lawyers.

Q: Will the Atlanta Braves ever try to trade for someone at first base, since they've lacked production since Andres Galarraga left? -- Brian Krueger, Augusta, Kan.
PWG -- They won't be able to move their first basemen in a significant deal, and I don't know if they can take on even two months' worth of salary if a strike is pending. There's no way, for instance, that they could take Carlos Delgado's salary, although the Toronto Blue Jays would virtually pay them to take him.

Q: Is it logical to hope that the Baltimore Orioles could develop into a playoff contender soon? Or is it just wishful thinking? What do they have to do to become a talked-about team rather than just a quick box score on Baseball Tonight? -- Sean, Frederick, Md.
PWG -- We have to see how Rodrigo Lopez, Sidney Ponson, Erik Bedard and their young pitchers develop. They don't have a lot of positional prospects, but they appear to be one of those teams that in the next two years, assuming owner Peter Angelos is out of the free-agent business, could win 86 games. Is that enough?

Q: What do you think would help Tino Martinez get back to his best? -- Lance, St. Louis, Mo.
PWG -- My guess is that he will hit .300 with 16-22 homers the rest of the season.

	Burrell

Q: To me, it seems the toughest position for an All-Star start is the outfield, since it's the fans' game and it's pretty much a popularity contest. That said, is it fair to say that Pat Burrell will be one of the most overlooked outfielders yet most deserving of a start this year? -- Randy Smith, Bear, Del.
PWG -- Burrell belongs on the team, but to start ahead of Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa or Jim Edmonds is a stretch at this point in his career.

Q: How far do you think the Florida Marlins can go this year with their pitching staff? Not having a veteran pitcher is hurting them. -- Julian, Coral Springs, Fla.
PWG -- No doubt. They can win 86 to 90 games, but it would be at max, and they need a front man.