BUTLER TWP Matt Clement reported to spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays looking for an answer.

He found it.

Clement, 34, is retiring from baseball after nine years as a major league starting pitcher.

The Butler native underwent extensive shoulder surgery Sept. 26, 2006, and hasn't pitched a regular season inning in the big leagues since.

"My shoulder feels great," Clement said. "But my pitches aren't there not on a consistent basis, anyway.

"I know what it takes to pitch in the major leagues and get hitters out at that level. I couldn't convince myself I was up to the task anymore.

"I know it's time. I'm getting out on my own terms. I feel good about that. I didn't want to just hang on. I have a lot of pride and I wanted to leave this game with dignity. To do what I've been able to do in baseball, I feel blessed," Clement added.

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi talked to Clement over the weekend and said on the team's website that "his heart wasn't in it, you could just tell. He's come back from so much. He's come a long way and I give him credit for that.

"I think he was just tired of fighting, to be honest with you."

Clement was 87-86 with a 4.50 ERA over 238 appearances. He averaged 32 starts per season from 1999 to 2005, including a 10-1 start with Boston that landed him in the 2005 All-Star Game.

But the right-hander managed only 12 appearances with the Red Sox in 2006 before his season was shut down in June. Dr. James Andrews performed his surgery.

"The surgeon told me it looked like a grenade went off in there," Clement said. "I have seven anchors in my right shoulder, but I'm leaving baseball with a (right) shoulder I can use.

"I can play catch with my sons. That counts for a lot with me."

Clement missed all of the 2007 season before signing with St. Louis in 2008. He made some minor-league appearances with the Cardinals out of the bullpen, but was released in August.

He signed a minor-league contract with Toronto so he could "see where I'm at" in spring training.

"The Toronto organization was great to me," Clement said. "I was released in August and I got 19 innings pitched in spring training. I couldn't ask for more.

"They gave me time to test myself and they gave me an opinion as to where I stood with them."

While the Blue Jays continue to sort out their starting rotation, Clement said he asked them what his chances were of getting called up had he accepted an assignment to Class AAA.

"If they were out of contention, they were going to call up their younger guys," Clement said. "If they were in contention, they said they'd probably call me up to get a veteran pitcher in there."

The Blue Jays offered to release Clement and gave him and agent Barry Axelrod freedom to work out a deal elsewhere before doing so.

"The quandary I found myself in was the teams that needed pitching were noncontenders who wanted to take time to develop their own arms," Clement said. "The contending teams were loaded with pitching.

"My fastball could hit 89 or 90 (mph) at times, but not consistently. I was around 85 or 86 on a regular basis and the only pitchers I can think of who can get major-league hitters out consistently at that speed are Greg Maddux and Jamie Moyer. And both of them have pinpoint control."

Clement coached Butler's fifth-grade basketball team this season and plans to continue coaching basketball. He also is helping to coach sons Mattix and Madden in Butler Township youth baseball this spring.

Clement and wife Heather also have a 17-month-old son, Mavrik.

"I can be a husband and a father a lot more now and I'm looking forward to that," Clement said.

Clement won a career-high 14 games with the Chicago Cubs in 2003. He pitched in the major leagues with San Diego, Florida, the Cubs and Red Sox.

"I have a World Series ring, pitched in an All-Star Game, won playoff games, got to call Wrigley Field and Fenway Park home. ... I never expected any of that when I first got drafted," Clement said.

Clement's highlight this spring was retiring Team USA in order during an exhibition game in early March.

"I was told after my surgery that I may never pitch again, maybe not even have full range of that shoulder and elbow again," Clement said. "Yet I got all the way back to the point I could get all those all-star hitters out in a row.

"But the Blue Jays extended me (94 pitches) during my last start. How I threw and how I felt the day after ... it wasn't going to happen, not to the point I could be the old Matt Clement again.

"I wouldn't give it up if I wasn't convinced of that," he added.

<B>Year, Team W L ERA GS IP</B>W K1998, San Diego 2 0 .461 2 13.2 7 131999, San Diego 10 12 4.48 31 180.2 86 1352000, San Diego 13 17 5.14 34 205 125 1702001, Florida 9 10 5.05 31 169.1 85 1342002, Cubs 12 11 3.60 32 205 85 2152003, Cubs 14 12 4.11 32 201.2 79 1712004, Cubs 9 13 3.68 30 181 77 1902005, Boston 13 6 4.57 32 191 68 1462006, Boston 5 5 6.61 12 65.1 38 43