NEW YORK -- Roger Clemens' inside fastball that plunked Barry Bonds might cost the New York Yankees ace more than a little respect.

	Bonds

	Clemens

Baseball is now looking into whether Clemens should be disciplined for hitting the San Francisco slugger -- as he hinted he might do.

''It's under investigation,'' a spokesman in major league disciplinarian Bob Watson's office said Monday. ''We're going to take a look at the tapes and the umpire's report to evaluate the situation.''

In 2000, Clemens was fined $50,000 by Watson's predecessor, Frank Robinson. That penalty was imposed after Clemens threw not a ball, but the jagged barrel of Mike Piazza's broken bat toward the Mets star during the World Series.

The Bonds-Clemens buildup began last winter when the Giants star, looking forward to an interleague series at Yankee Stadium, said he wanted to face the Rocket.

Asked last week about pitching to the San Francisco slugger, Clemens mentioned the protective piece Bonds wears on his right arm.

''I will introduce myself pretty quick,'' Clemens said, to ''that big old piece of plastic he has on his elbow.''

Then in the third inning Sunday, Clemens threw a fastball to Bonds that hit him exactly in that spot. Bonds briefly stared at Clemens before going to first base.

After Russ Ortiz threw high to Jason Giambi in the bottom of the third, plate umpire Joe West warned both dugouts.

Bonds drew four walks, three of them intentional, and was hit by that pitch in the Giants' 4-2 loss.

Bonds did not talk to reporters after the game.

''He's right up on top of the plate,'' Clemens said. ''That elbow guard is almost sticking in the zone, so it's tough.''

Bonds didn't want to talk about Clemens before San Francisco's game at Toronto on Monday night, either.

''I don't want to say anything that I'll regret later on,'' Bonds said. ''It's really none of your business how I really feel.''

Giants manager Dusty Baker took exception to Clemens' style.

''I've got a lot of respect for Roger as a pitcher,'' Baker said Sunday. ''What do they call him, the Rocket? Maybe Roger the Dodger, that's good enough.''

On Monday, Baker said he was referring to the fact that Clemens doesn't have to bat because he plays in the American League.

''It had nothing to do with him dodging Barry. It had something to do with him dodging,'' Baker said. ''I'm a cheap rapper, but I can rap a little bit.''