Nov. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens may pitch next year on a shorter schedule than the abbreviated one he's worked the past two seasons, according to his agent Randy Hendricks.

While Clemens told the Houston Astros he will begin his 10-year ``post retirement'' contract to work with minor-league players, the 45-year-old hasn't officially retired, Hendricks said.

``Playing next year is still an option, even if a reduced one from prior years,'' Hendricks said in an e-mail yesterday.

Clemens, who ranks second all-time in strikeouts, hasn't played a full Major League Baseball season since 2005 in Houston. The right-hander signed a prorated $28 million contract with the New York Yankees in May and made his major-league debut a month later, the same pattern he followed with the Astros in 2006 when he appeared in 19 games.

Clemens went 6-6 with a 4.18 earned run average in 18 games, last season, missing the final two weeks with elbow and leg pain. In October, he left a playoff game against the Cleveland Indians after three innings because of a strained hamstring.

The Houston Chronicle was first to report that Clemens would start next year fulfilling the personal-services contract the Astros gave him as part of his 2004 agreement. He and his family live in the area and his son, Koby, is in Houston's minor-league system.

Clemens has a 354-184 record and 3.12 ERA over his 24-year career with Boston, Toronto, New York and Houston. He trails only Nolan Ryan with 4,672 career strikeouts and his seven Cy Young awards as the top pitcher are a record.

To contact the reporters on this story: Danielle Sessa in Orlando, Florida at dsessa@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 8, 2007 01:06 EST