Yanks need to back slowly away from the Rocket.

Everybody’s talking about voiding their contracts today, so why not the Yankees?

First, Billy Donovan decided he didn’t want to coach the Orlando Magic after all. Then reports surfaced that David Beckham isn’t so sure he wants to play in the MLS.

Now the Yankees have a chance to back out of their deal with Roger Clemens. But Brian Cashman doesn’t waver. When a reporter asked him if he has thought about cutting Clemens loose, he said no.

From ESPN.com:

If the Yankees wanted to walk away from their deal with Roger Clemens, they could do so with no more money exchanging hands, the New York Post reported Monday.

However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told the Post: “It’s not something I’m thinking about right now.”

Clemens has a minor-league contract, so Cashman told the Post that either the Yankees or the Rocket could exit the deal at any time with no financial penalty.

I think the important part of Cashman’s statement is the “right now.” As in, it’s not something I’m thinking about right now, but ask me again in 20 minutes after I’ve had a cup of coffee.

Cashman simply must be thinking about walking away from the Clemens deal. The Yankees beat the Red Sox last night. But you know what? They’re still 12.5 games out of first. They’re six games under .500! They’re not gonna make it. They’re just not good enough. Cashman must be able to see that. He must be able to see that the team’s bullpen is a mess and it’s starting staff is old and injury prone. And he must know that one more old, injury prone pitcher isn’t going to fix things. Even if that pitcher is the great Roger Clemens.

If Cashman decides to go ahead and pay Clemens $28 million pro-rated to pitch this season, he’s crazy. That would be like somebody saying to Britney Spears, “Hey Brit, how would you like to turn back the clock and undue that whole marriage to K-Fed, which in turn led to a messy divorce, late nights with Paris Hilton, a stint in the asylum and what are sure to be a lifetime of alimony payments? And Britney saying, thanks but no thanks.

The Yankees say they’re committed to youth, but their team is ancient and bringing Clemens on board isn’t going to make them any younger. Just poorer.

Signing Clemens a few weeks ago was a bold move. But since then the Yankees have officially gone from “team in need of a spark” to “team in need of a miracle”. They have entered desperation mode. They’re thinking about playing Johnny Damon at first base, for goodness sake!

Somebody in the Bronx needs to step up and say enough is enough. The Yankees need to do more than talk about fiscal responsibility and building on youth. And they can start by walking away from Roger Clemens, the poster-geezer for overpaid, fragile pitchers.