Roger Clemens will not decide until the middle of next month if he will return for another major league season, his agent told the New York Times on Thursday.

"Roger is mulling over what he wants to do but does not intend to play in May," said Randy Hendricks, one of Clemens's agents. "He will make his decision before June 15."

The Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday that the Astros started negotiations with Clemens at no less than a pro-rated amount of the $18 million salary that the seven-time Cy Young Award winner earned last year.

“We put forth a very strong number,” Astros general manager Tim Purpura told the newspaper.

Clemens, 43, hasn’t decided if wants to return for a 23rd season.  But two of his former teams - the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox - have expressed interest along with Houston, where he spent the last two seasons, and the Texas Rangers.

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“We gave a competitive offer for someone that has really helped make a huge contribution to the Houston Astros in 2004 and 2005,” Astros owner Drayton McLane told the newspaper.

Clemens pitched in the World Baseball Classic, but will likely not be ready to pitch before June 1.  That would mean that Houston’s offer to Clemens for four months of the season would be for about $12 million - his pro-rated total from last year.

“I think it (Houston’s offer) was very positive overall,” Clemens’ agent Randy Hendricks told the newspaper.  “I don’t want that to imply that Roger will sign with the Astros tomorrow.  I had a very good meeting with Boston, New York and Texas.  That doesn’t equal a decision.

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“Essentially what this does is put the Astros in the mix.  I think that was pretty predictable to many people for a long time.”

The Astros are off to a 17-9 start without Clemens, 1 1/2 games behind first-place Cincinnati in the National League Central.

In December, the Astros declined to offer Clemens arbitration after he went 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA in 32 starts. However, Clemens began to wear down late in the season and lasted just two innings in Houston’s Game One loss to the Chicago White Sox in the World Series due to a hamstring injury.

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In his two seasons with the Astros, Clemens posted a 31-12 record with a 2.43 ERA.

An 11-time All-Star, Clemens has more wins than any other living pitcher and ranks ninth all-time with 341 victories.  In 672 career games, he is 341-172 with a 3.12 ERA and has recorded 4,502 career strikeouts, trailing only Nolan Ryan (5,714) on the all-time list.

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