Rangers owner Tom Hicks said general manager Jon Daniels called Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks, right away when they knew Eaton would be out an extended period of time. Clemens just wasn't interested.

"Randy woke me up," Clemens said. "We were very well aware of what happened."

But Clemens, who was at the Rangers home opener against the Boston Red Sox on Monday said, "I don't have interest in playing at all. It's Randy's job to lay out all my options. But right now I'm going to kick back and watch some games. My body feels great but my mind-set right now is that mentally I don't think I'm ready to go out there and lock it in right now."

Clemens, who pitched for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, is a free agent who has been strongly pursued by the Rangers, Yankees, Red Sox and Astros.

He was invited by Texas owner Tom Hicks to be at Ameriquest Field in Arlington on Monday because the Rangers were honoring the University of Texas Longhorns national championship football team. Both Hicks and Clemens went to Texas and they sat next to each other during the game.

Asked what he planned to tell Clemens, Hicks said, "I'll tell him I think our fans would really embrace him. I'll tell him he can take us deep into the playoffs and maybe our first World Series, and he ought to come here and do it. I'll be happy if it's June or July, whenever he's ready to pitch."

That may be never.

"These teams will all be fine," Clemens said. "Mr. Hicks has been great ... but that's where I'm at right now. I'm not ready to get back out there. I enjoy watching these guys."

The Astros get their shot at Clemens on Tuesday night. He is expected to be at Minute Maid Park as part of their World Series ring ceremony.

Parade of legends: Clemens wasn't the only Texas legend at Ameriquest Field in Arlington on Monday. Country singer Charley Pride sang the national anthem and Texas Longhorns football coach Mack Brown threw out the ceremonial first pitch, accompanied by Texas coaching legend Darrell Royal.

"We discussed whether I would throw the first pitch or Roger would," Brown said. "The catcher voted for me. Roger was too strong."

Asked what advice Clemens gave him about throwing out the first pitch, Brown said, "Throw high! That's all I've heard for three days."

Both Brown and Royal received rousing ovations from the sellout crowd.

"I enjoy baseball," Royal said. "I go to the home baseball games, I got to the home basketball games. I don't travel anymore except the Rose Bowl and the Oklahoma [football game]."

Royal coached the 1969 Texas Longhorns to a national championship with James Street at quarterback. Street's son is Huston Street, the Oakland Athletics' closer.

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Hicks supports San Antonio: The Florida Marlins are investigating the possibility of moving to San Antonio. Hicks not only supports that move but also expects that some day Texas will have three Major League teams.

"I don't think it's realistic that a state with 23, 24, 25 million people only has two teams and a state like California has five," Hicks said. "Over time I think it will happen."

Hicks studied relocation issues while serving on a committee that oversaw the Montreal Expos' move to Washington, D.C. He said he thinks Las Vegas will eventually get a team as well.

"Vegas is a very strong candidate," Hicks said. "If Oakland doesn't get a new stadium, I don't think they'll stay there and I wouldn't be surprised if they explored Las Vegas."

Kinsler scout enjoys game: Daniels invited amateur scout Mike Grouse to Opening Day to watch Ian Kinsler make his Major League debut. Grouse was the one who recommended Kinsler, and the Rangers took him in the 17th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft.

Grouse scouts the Midwest and found Kinsler at University of Missouri, where he played just one season. He had previous played at Arizona State and Central Arizona College.

"All the credit goes to him," Grouse said. "We scouted him and identified him, but it's up to the player from there. I'd be kidding, though, if I said I knew he was going to hit with power. I thought he would hit and play defense, but hitting with power is a bonus."

Platoon in center: Laynce Nix was the Rangers' starting center fielder on Opening Day, only because right-hander Curt Schilling was on the mound for the Red Sox.

Manager Buck Showalter said switch-hitter Adrian Brown will start there against left-handers. Another option is to move Brad Wilkerson back to center when a left-hander is on the mound and use Mark DeRosa in left.

But most of the time it will be Brown in center, at least until Gary Matthews Jr. comes off the disabled list.

Briefly: Hicks wasn't happy that the Rangers lost Eaton in the final week of the Spring Training with a finger injury but complimented Daniels for landing pitchers John Koronka and Robinson Tejeda in separate trades. Said Hicks: "I think that's an example of J.D.'s aggressive style. He had a number of balls in the air and he didn't have to start from scratch. What he was able to do in three days was impressive. ... Kinsler is the first rookie to start for the Rangers at second base on Opening Day since Jerry Browne in 1987. He lined a single off Schilling in his first at-bat.