Roger Clemens might be a viable option for the Cubs for one or two years.  He cannot play for the Astros for a portion of the season regardless of what he does, and seems to want to continue, especially after his stellar performance last year.

We seem to have a glut of free agent dollars we want to spend but can't find who to give them to(we offered Furcal some serious dough, and have spent some money on relievers).  Prior and Z will need more money, but Maddux will be gone, discounted or, as I hope, a pitching coach, and Wood will resign for less than he's making right now.  That said, I think that a one or two year contract for Roger Clemens would be a gamble, but might take this team to a new level.

As I like it this way, here is the bad news first:

1.  He has had injury trouble the past year, which may continue, especially the back trouble.
   
2.  He is 43, and only Satchel Paige and Nolan Ryan come to mind with being this good this old, for pitchers at least.
   
3.  He will cost a pretty penny, prob in the 12 mil/year range
   
4.  He will not be here in three years, no matter what.

That all said, his pluses are so obvious that I don't know whether I will overlook a great many, but here goes:

1.  At 43, he is about as good as he's ever been(1.87 ERA), which leads me to believe that he can continue to play well, even if we need to reduce his workload to around 25 starts a year.
   
2.  Kerry Wood.  Yes, Kerry Wood.  There would be no better tutiledge for fixing his arm motion, workout regimen, and health for the future.
   
3.  Mark Prior.  There would be no better tutiledge for fixing his arm motion, workout regimen, and health for the future.
   
4.  Carlos Zambrano.  There would be no better tutiledge, and especially for securing his future health and success.
   
5.  We don't need to give up anything for him,like Zito, who may not stay much longer, and may not be better at all for the time he is here.
   
6.  He can bat better than Zito most likely(.187 isn't bad, .038 for Zito is)(Small point, but Zito might not want to bat either)
   
7.  He would make our team more attractive to free agents, and seem to put us in the elite teams
   
8.  Rusch becomes expendable, and can be trade bait next year(He is a good pitcher, at a great price), especially if Wood gets back on the right track.  Or we can trade Williams in a package for Zito, which makes me excited just thinking about.
   
9.  He wouldn't play for the Astros, Yankees, Rangers or any other team.
   
10.  Clemens/Prior/Z/Maddux/Wood or Williams.  Wood would be our fifth starter, and Maddux our fourth.  Who needs hitting?
    
11.  Heart.  He played his heart out in the playoffs, and is a good teammate who doesn't rock the boat.
    
12.  The money he brings in to the team through merchandise would be significant.  I have seen a ton of Clemens-Astros jerseys in Houston, and that's a fringe benefit.

I am sure that there are many angles unexplored, but right now, I think that if he is thinking about the Yankees, he might just consider going somewhere like Chicago, and tutor great young pitching talent.  I personally would like to see him Bleed Cubbie Blue.  I'm anxious to hear what you guys think about the possibility of him coming  if we court him, and about what might happen once we do.