By PETER KERASOTIS
Florida Today

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - This is it. Roger Clemens is sure of that. The 2003 season will put a period on his career. Perhaps even an exclamation point.

He knows this. That's why he tried to slow things down and absorb the moment Saturday afternoon at Osceola County Stadium, where he pitched his first spring training start. The Houston Astros were the opponent, but not really. Neither is Father Time the adversary, because even at 40, Clemens is still every bit the power pitcher he always was.

No, Roger Clemens is at that stage of his career where he is competing against the record books, jostling for his spot in history.

He knows this. He cares what people think, even sports writers.

"It matters to me what you guys write," he said. "You want to be respected."

Clemens has earned respect. He took the wonderful gift that is his rocket right arm and applied a work ethic to it that is almost as legendary as the statistics he has amassed that will one day find a permanent place in Cooperstown.

He is the greatest pitcher of his generation, and you can argue that with six Cy Young Awards, more than anyone else has ever won, Roger Clemens might be the greatest of all time.

That will be the debate, and it will be the debate for a long time. Years from now, when other names and careers have faded like a summer tan, old men will still talk about Roger Clemens.

Right now, though, just enjoy him.

Whether you love or hate the New York Yankees - and we know there is no in between - don't let that cloud this one final look at greatness.

Goodness, whether you love or hate Roger Clemens himself - and he is a polarizing personality - don't let it cloud this one final look at greatness, either.

Whatever you think of Clemens, consider this: He isn't David Wells.

Wells has a book coming out that is titled, Perfect I'm Not! Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches and Baseball.

In it, there is a naked picture of Wells in New Zealand, standing in a field of sheep, as well as allegations of extensive steroid use in baseball, the revelation that he was half-drunk when he pitched his perfect game, and various and sundry shots at players, even some of his Yankee teammates.

Wells weighs in - and given his girth, we don't use that term lightly - on Clemens' infamous incident with Mike Piazza, when Clemens threw a shard bat at the Mets' catcher during the 2000 World Series. Wells says that if he were Piazza, he would have shoved the bat into a certain orifice in Clemens' body. And he wasn't talking about his ear.

Clemens shrugged off Wells' comments Saturday. Sort of.

"I don't worry about small (bleep) in life," he said.

Then he alluded to the time he spent overseas this offseason, visiting U.S. troops at various spots in the Middle East.

"There's more going on in the world today where I don't worry about the small (bleep). David needs to live his life and leave the rest of us out of it."

Roger Clemens will live his life, too. He will live out this final season of his baseball career and try to cherish every moment, especially when he wins his 300th game. He is only only seven victories away. It shouldn't be a problem. The only time he won just seven games in a season was in 1985, when he spent a good chunk of the season on the disabled list.

If that happens again, if an injury forces him to fall short of 300, then he might return.

"But I don't even want to think of that happening," Clemens said. "I'm not even thinking about an injury."

There is, of course, the other obvious question. What if he has a great year? Only two seasons ago, at age 38, Clemens went 20-3 and won the Cy Young Award.

Clemens smiled.

He has an equally obvious answer.

"I expect to have a great year," he said. "So having a great year is not going to change my mind."

He is quick to point out that he is "not afraid of the hard work." He still puts in 2 1/2 hours of weight lifting and cardiovascular work every day in the offseason. "I can squat more now than I did when I was at the University of Texas," he said, "465 pounds."

No, hard work is not a problem. It never has been for Roger Clemens. Few pitchers prepare for their craft like he does.

Now he is prepared to call it a career. This is it. The day is coming when he will walk off the pitcher's mound one last time.

And when he does, he will walk right into the Hall of Fame.

What happens between then and now, during this one final season, we should cherish as much as he will.