Astros owner Jim Crane told Mark Berman of FOX 26 Sports in Houston that he is open to the idea of signing 50-year old Roger Clemens. The Astros have not been contacted about signing Clemens this year, but they’re preparing for the possibility, Berman reports. The Astros were in attendance at a recent workout to watch Clemens, who signed with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters this week.
Crane said he doesn’t aim to set up a publicity stunt for the sake of selling a few extra tickets. He’d seek approval from MLB before completing a deal with Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner. Clemens already has a personal services contract with the Astros, Berman notes.
I’m just so glad that Roger Clemens is forcing himself into relevance again. How wonderful.
Makes you want to buy a Blink 182 record, wear a trucker hat and friend the Astros on myspace doesn’t it?
As long as he draws a crowd and isn’t too expensive. He shouldn’t be getting a prorate of $22,000,022 at this point.
I hope he dominates
I’m doing something which is clearly a publicity stunt for the sake of selling a few tickets, but I don’t AIM to set up a publicity stunt to sell a few tickets…
No. Just NO.
Or Maybe. Just Maybe.
As an Astros fan, this would disappoint me greatly.
This is embarassing for the city of Houston.
The list just keeps on growing… and next year they are coming to the American League -__-
If I was the owner in Houston I would do literally anything possible to get people through the gates and in the seats. Youd get a huge crowd for Clemens which would be a mix of people that love him and hate him. Makes sense even if its one game. Whats the worst that could happen, they lose? lol Seriously though, life is hard when your star player is Jed Lowrie.
Jed Lowrie, before getting injured, was actually one of the more valuable players in the NL. Anyway, he’s not a part of Houston’s future core. Jose Altuve is the team’s face of the franchise.
The longer this saga continues the more I think he’ll actually sign with them. As much as the Astros owe 2004 and 2005 success to him I really don’t know if this would be the right move. I’m 50/50 on this one.
Please. No. Just…No.
I hear Jamie Moyer is looking for a job also..
I realize you’re kidding, but the thought of Jamie Moyer tossing up those 70 mph pitches in Minute Maid Park just put a chill in my spine. That would be brutal.
Id MUCH rather have a 50 yr old pitcher thats worked hard to condition himself to play the game at his age and has always pitched a slow finesse game than a 50 yr old pitcher that is years into his retirement, likely not in good shape and who is going to go out there and still try to pitch like a 25 yr old power pitcher all without the help of….. well you know. Moyer isnt far removed from putting up decent numbers. Ill take old man Moyer over old man Clemens any day of the week.
I’m not even an Astros fan, but that puts a chill in my spine too.
Oh, that would be cool! Combined, they’d be 99 years old. That would have to be a record (at least I would hope so).
I wonder how long it would take Clemens to suggest his “dietitian” to Moyer LOL
Well if he signs doesnt that push the hall of fame vote back 5 yrs. Gives the writers some more time to seperate him from his trial. Easier shot at the hall as he wont be lumped with other big names in steriod era
That’s actually a very interesting thought. Were I Clemens, I’d love to reset my HoF clock. Let the steroids furor die down and then let people take another look.
Was wondering the same thing. I think it does.
And a friend of mine just told me it does push it back another 5 years.
You are spot on. When news first broke of his “comeback”, other websites speculated that he was doing it for this exact reason. Anything to improve his chances at the HOF due to his past drug use. What an ego. He’s as bad as Schilling.
I have a lingering thought that Clemens would be doing this for two reasons. The HOF is probably the most important reason… but I also would bet that he wants to have a shot at getting 2 more W’s on his résumé for the express purpose of passing Greg Maddux’s win total.
That may not sound like much, but it would position Clemens as the winningest pitcher of this generation… with a number unlikely to be beaten by anyone thereafter.
Of course, signing with Houston wouldn’t exactly give him the best odds of another win, but….
not a publicity stunt? who are you kidding?
Someone should get the opinion of one of the 8 season ticket holders on this topic. 🙂
Well, this is why the Astros are…well…the Astros
Does Clemens realize that they do have steroid testing now??? Oh yeah, he used HGH didn’t he??lol They only test for HGH in the spring and in the fall, so it is perfect for him!!
Maybe he thinks you can’t get charged with it twice, like double jeopardy or something…
Crane’s first choice, Joe Niekro, proved to be a problematic signing at this point in time….
Nolan Ryan would have been an equally accurate yet far more tasteful choice for that joke.
ROGER CLEMENS, IS IN JIM CRANE’S BOX, AND IS COMING BACK. ROGER CLEMENS IS A HOUSTON ASTRO. OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS.
Suzyn, is that you?
No this is Dave Raymond
BREAKING NEWS: Brett Favre is making a come back
Any well prepared sports writer has that sentence permanently on the clipboard.
If he gets into the MLB, even for a game, his HOF voting gets pushed back. Good idea Rocket
And that matters because he was on his way in?
Crane would exactly be signing Clemens as a publicity stunt to sell tickets. Why else?
this from an owner who wanted to change the team name for a ‘fresh start’
He never wanted to change the team name. That WAS a publicity stunt. The mere mention of the possibility of a name change got people(locally and nationally) talking about the Astros when they otherwise wouldn’t have been.
Clemens fastball is in the upper 80’s, currently. This is without any kind of throwing regimen. He should hit 90 (at least) when he’s conditioned.
Clemons wasn’t an effective SP for as long as he was without knowing to be successful, it’s not about how fast or slow you pitch, it’s about hitting your spots and keeping the hitters off guard. Clemens is more than capable of doing this if he’s conditioned. And we all know how hard of a worker and competitor Clemens is. So anything is possible.
Whether this is a publicity stunt, or a way to bypass the HOF for another 5 years, who know. But i’m excited for the chance Clemens might pitch in the big leagues again, and be effective … at 50 years old!
If he can prove he could be effective, you don’t think a contending team wouldn’t be interested? He’ll definitely play in the big leagues again if he’s really serious and determined, and if he proves he can still be effective and produce good results. He’d be a bargain with tremendous upside.
I’m looking forward to seeing how this story unfolds.
Insanity in it’s purest form.
From Houston sites, they are saying the full statement from Crane indicates that it’s not a publicity stunt because proceeds will go to build ballfields for kids in the Houston area. I’d be all for that actually.
Be a win/win if Clemens played for the minimum but we know that won’t happen so I guess it’ll just be a win for the community.