Clemens Will Play in Classic

Resisting the pull of retirement for a third consecutive winter, Roger Clemens has joined the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Dontrelle Willis on a 30-man U.S. roster that will compete in the inaugural World Baseball Classic next month.

A free agent who revealed Tuesday that his mother, before her death in September, advised him to quit baseball after the 2005 season to spend more time with his family, Clemens also said he had met with several teams in recent weeks about pitching in 2006.

For the moment, Clemens said, he is focused on what he called “the world games,” the 16-team tournament in which the U.S. will open March 7 against Mexico in Phoenix.

“I needed a couple weeks to see where my body was going to be and to get my mind right for this,” he said.

USA Baseball and Major League Baseball on Tuesday announced the roster, pared from a provisional list of 52. Manager Buck Martinez said San Diego Padre right-hander Jake Peavy would start against Mexico in the first game of pool play, followed by Willis, the Florida Marlin left-hander, March 8 against Canada. Clemens or C.C. Sabathia, the only other starters on the U.S. staff, would start two days later against South Africa.

Ten of the 14 pitchers chosen are relievers, including seven closers, Houston’s Brad Lidge, Oakland’s Huston Street and the Mets’ Billy Wagner among them. Angel right-hander Scot Shields also was named, keeping with the U.S. philosophy that relievers will be better able to perform earlier in spring training.

The other pitchers are Chad Cordero, Brian Fuentes, Todd Jones, Joe Nathan, Mike Timlin and Dan Wheeler.

The team will carry three catchers (Jason Varitek, Michael Barrett and Brian Schneider), two first basemen (Derrek Lee and Mark Teixeira), one second baseman (Chase Utley), two shortstops (Jeter and Michael Young), two third basemen (Chipper Jones and Rodriguez) and six outfielders (Ken Griffey Jr., Johnny Damon, Vernon Wells, Jeff Francoeur, Matt Holliday and Randy Winn).

Martinez said Young could be used more often at second base and that Rodriguez could back up Jeter at shortstop. Also, he said he would talk to Damon, a career center fielder, about playing left field, opening up center for Griffey, Wells or Winn.

Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez and Met catcher Paul Lo Duca and third baseman David Wright were among the notable players on the provisional roster who were left off the 30-man team. Several players, including San Francisco outfielder Barry Bonds and Atlanta right-hander Tim Hudson, withdrew because they are rehabilitating injuries.

The WBC second round will be at Angel Stadium and in Puerto Rico with the semifinals and final at Petco Park in San Diego on March 18 and 20. By then, said Clemens, who at 43 has won 341 games and last season carried a 1.87 earned-run average in 32 starts, he’ll know more about the regular season.

The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and his team of the last two seasons, the Astros, are believed to have interest. He could not rejoin the Astros until May 1, which could suit him fine.

“I had a number of teams come down once they heard I was getting ready for these world games,” Clemens said. “They positioned themselves and told me what they thought.

“I’ll see how [the WBC] goes, how my body responds. I’ll make my decisions accordingly, after the fact.”