Baseball Notes | Clemens clause irks Farnsworth

Reliever

Kyle Farnsworth

said no one on the New York Yankees, not even

Roger Clemens

, should be allowed to leave the team when not pitching.

Farnsworth was on Chicago's WSCR-AM (670) yesterday when he first criticized the so-called family-plan clause in Clemens' one-year, $28 million contract that allows the righthander to leave the team for personal matters when he's not pitching.

Farnsworth reiterated his beliefs in the Yankees' clubhouse last night.

"As far as a teammate and a player, I think everybody should be here whether they're pitching or not," he said. "You don't see guys who are hurt not sit on the bench. They're always there.

"It's just an opinion of mine," he said. "I don't think it's a concern at all. You guys asked my opinion about it and I gave it."

Meanwhile, Clemens spent almost four hours working out at the Yankees' minor-league complex in Tampa, Fla.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to throw 45 to 60 pitches for single-A Tampa tonight.

Boston manager Terry Francona said righthander Josh Beckett was placed on the disabled list and will miss at least two starts.

Beckett, baseball's winningest pitcher at 7-0, has a torn flap of skin on his right middle finger that has not completely healed.

When he was with Florida in 2002, Beckett's first full season in the majors, blisters on his middle finger sent him to the DL three times.

The players' union filed grievances over the suspensions of Seattle Mariners pitcher Julio Mateo and Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Alberto Callaspo.

- Associated Press