If Roger Clemens decides to pitch this year, he won't announce his decision before May.

In an interview with MLB.com, Clemens also said that if he does pitch, it will only be for the Astros, Yankees or Red Sox.

"From what I understand, all three teams want to see where they are as far as their rotation . . . and how their pitching lines up," Clemens said on the Web site. "Not a one of them wanted an April or May (agreement) anyways. All three teams look good as far as their pitching staffs go. My agents will let me know if and when they call."

Clemens also clarified his past relationship with the Astros.

"The thing that's been misconstrued quite a bit is that I have a deal in Houston where I pitch and then don't show up," Clemens said on Web site. "I'm working more than I'm pitching down there. It's not like I'm pitching and then going home and sitting around."

Clemens admitted he would have signed with the Yankees if Andy Pettitte never had left - and Pettitte is back in pinstripes for this season.

"I would have signed a similar deal with the Yankees had Andy stayed in New York," Clemens said on MLB.com. "I thought he was a lifer there. I know when we were in the playoffs in 2003 and Andy's contract was coming up, he wasn't sure about what he was going to do because he knew I was retiring. He was like, 'I don't know what I want to do and if I want to stay here.' And I told him I'd come visit a couple times a month, play some golf and possibly work for some TV people."

REST FOR BONDS: Barry Bonds went home for a three-day spring break.

He will return from his excused absence Tuesday, the day after the Giants' only scheduled day off of spring training.

Bonds has hit four home runs in his past seven games. Overall, he is hitting .348 with four homers and nine RBI in 23 spring training at-bats.

Bonds will enter the season with 734 career home runs, needing 22 to break Hank Aaron's career mark of 755.

ETC.: Chipper Jones was held out of the Braves lineup for the third straight game Sunday because of a sore muscle on his right side. "It's just a tweak," Jones said. . . . Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said that arrangements for the anticipated move of the team's spring training operations to Glendale, Ariz., are all but complete, and the club has agreed in principle with Indian River County (Fla.) on a buyout of their long- term Dodgertown lease in Vero Beach, Fla. . . . Erik Bedard will start the Orioles' season opener April 2 in Minnesota. . . . Orioles owner Peter Angelos made his first appearance in years at the club's spring training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., saying he hopes his team will end a streak of nine consecutive losing seasons. "I hope they're better than last year. It looks like it," Angelos said.