Clemens Faces Off With Son

Roger Clemens’ son took dad deep on the Rocket’s first pitch of spring training, crushing a trademark fastball over the left-field fence Monday at Kissimmee, Fla.

“That was probably one of the harder fastballs I cut loose,” Roger Clemens said after throwing to Koby and other Houston Astro minor leaguers. “He got my attention.”

Then the Rocket got Koby’s. The next time his oldest son came to the plate, Roger buzzed him high and tight with another fastball. The younger Clemens dodged the pitch, then smiled at his father.

“He was like, ‘Sorry about that pitch inside. I was trying to change the view of the ball for you a little bit,’ ” said Koby, a third baseman who was drafted by Houston last summer.

“I said, ‘I knew what you were doing.’ ”

Clemens threw a total of 66 pitches to Astro minor leaguers in preparation for the World Baseball Classic, then said he’s no closer to deciding his future beyond the event.

Baseball officials approved the appearance.

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The Kansas City Royals had hoped to build future pitching staffs around 22-year-old Zack Greinke, but they are not planning on him being in the rotation when this season starts on April 3.

Greinke left camp on Sunday with the club’s permission to return to his home in Orlando, Fla., but it is unknown when he will return.

“We’re going about it, quite frankly, that Zack is not going to be here in time to get ready for the rotation,” Manager Buddy Bell said.

General Manager Allard Baird would not disclose the reason Greinke left.

“I will tell you that right now, it is not drugs,” Baird said. “He didn’t get kicked out of camp or anything like that.... To me, it is a personal matter.”

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Former White Sox star Frank Thomas and Chicago General Manager Kenny Williams talked by phone for 20 minutes to discuss their escalated verbal feud.

Williams called Thomas “an idiot” and “selfish” Sunday after reading the ex-slugger’s comments in a newspaper interview in which he reiterated that he wasn’t happy with his send-off from the team after 16 years.

“I’m going to tell you this. As long as I don’t hear another word about this organization or the members of this organization, I won’t have another thought about this. And we’ll move on,” Williams said Monday.

Thomas didn’t go into details about the conversation with Williams.

“You know, it was a heated discussion. Lasted for a while. But, I think everything that needs to be said was said,” Thomas said.

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The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with 35-year-old right-hander Pedro Astacio for a one-year contract.

General Manager Jim Bowden said the deal would not be completed until Astacio undergoes an MRI exam on his right shoulder and right elbow Wednesday.

Astacio went 6-10 with a 4.19 earned-run average last season for Texas and San Diego.