Sympathetic no more

Excuse this diversion from the heavy news of the day, but we have to thank the New York Yankees and Roger Clemens for inspiring baseball fans everywhere. You have to give the team credit for having the "Rocket'' announce his return to the Yankees over the PA system during the seventh-inning stretch Sunday. It was great theater.

But Clemens' return restores the Yankees to their rightful place as the team fans love to hate. With their sub-.500 record and even some time in last place, the Yankees were becoming sympathetic. Now that money has spoken and the pampered Clemens is riding his white horse to save the franchise - on those select days when he's a real member of the team, not at home in Texas - any fuzzy feelings about the Yankees are gone. And baseball is better off for it.