That didn’t take long.

When almost the entire New York starting rotation ended up on the DL, you knew that Joe Torre was going to have to go to ace-in-the-hole Phil Hughes. When Phil Hughes hurt himself in just his second outing with the club, you knew that Steinbrenner was going to have to make something happen. And he did, in a New York minute.

Roger Clemens announced his return to the Bronx today, himself, from the owner’s box in Yankee Stadium.

“Well, they came and got me out of Texas and I can tell you it’s a privilege to be back,” Clemens told the crowd, according to the Associated Press. “I’ll be talking to y’all soon.” 

He should be ready to pitch by the beginning of June, when the Red Sox and Yankees face off again in the Fens. He will be paid “a pro-rated $28 million for the balance of the season” and will enjoy the same special travel services he enjoyed in Houston, when he was allowed to skip some road trips. The Astros and the Sox, who were also courting Clemens, were caught flat-footed by the announcement.

What do can we learn from this?

1. The Rocket [hearts] Andy Pettitte.

2. Clemens must wear a Yankee hat when he goes into the Hall. I will have it no other way.

3. Yes, Roger wants the money. But I think more than that, he wants to win. This is all about his ego. Why flounder around with your podunk home-team, who can’t even make it to the playoffs, when you can play for a contender? And why be part of a team where you’d be but one cog in a well-oiled rotation when you can go to a different team and be The Guy? Here he comes to save the daaay! Rocketman is on his waaay!