TAMPA – The sound of a Roger Clemens fastball crackled in Joe Girardi's catcher's mitt, bounced off the cement walkways above the Legends Field bullpen and dissipated into a perfect spring-training blue sky.
If there is such a thing as Yankee Baseball Nirvana, this was it as the best pitcher in the American League participated in his first workout after joining the World Series champions.
Of course, the moment didn't carry the emotion of last October in San Diego, when the Yankees won their second World Series in three years. But that was then and this is now, a new year that starts with Clemens on top of their rotation.
Above the bullpen, the crowd oohed and aahed as Clemens worked through his deadly arsenal of fastballs, sliders, forkballs and changeups.
While Clemens stored it away as nothing special from a performance standpoint, he used the word "excited" countless times to describe joining the team he loved to hate as a member of the Red Sox and Blue Jays.
However, Girardi doesn't need to see much more of Clemens' repertoire to formulate an opinion.
After 60 seconds of stretching his No. 12 jersey – the reverse of his usual No. 21, which Paul O'Neill wears for the Yanks – Clemens played catch with pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre in the outfield of a back field for three minutes. From there it was to the bullpen, where Clemens threw to Girardi for 13 minutes in which he fired 59 pitches.
Every eye that was open was trained on Clemens.
Clemens, who had been throwing at home in Texas, goes right into the pitching program starting today. He returns to the bullpen mound tomorrow. From there, the Hall of Fame lock foolishly hopes to blend in.
Even a hardened baseball man such as Torre couldn't control his glee when he handed Clemens a Yankee uniform to pose for photographers with.
"Oh, those pinstripes are going to look good," said Torre, who managed Hall of Famer Phil Niekro but has never had a hurler in Clemens' class.
Much was made of George Steinbrenner's decree Friday that Clemens would receive no special privileges, that he would obey the Yankees' rules. When Clemens heard that, he went directly to Torre to make sure he wasn't being perceived as a problem maker.
The only real change Clemens will be forced to make is that his sons, fixtures in the Blue Jays' clubhouse before games, will have to wait until after the games to get into the Yankees' room.
As far as Clemens and his sons working out together in the afternoon at Yankee Stadium, that's OK as of now. And Clemens insists his maniacal workout programs won't interfere with his attendance in the conditioning program that is mandatory for Yankee pitchers.
Perhaps the toughest challenge Clemens will face as a Yankee is finding a place to take his long-distance runs. Historically, he has carved out a route near his home ballpark. However, jogging isn't a very popular activity on River Avenue and 161st Street after Yankee games.
Known for a fierce desire to win, Clemens is banking that the clutch Yankee offense, air-tight defense and solid bullpen can give him his first World Series ring.