Earlier today, Roger Clemens signed a contract to pitch for the independent Sugar Land Skeeters. Clemens had a full workout today, during which he hit 87 mph on the radar gun despite now being 50 years of age. The Skeeters weren't the only team in attendance, however. The Houston Chronicle's Zachary Levine reports that Astros scouting director Mike Elias was on-hand for The Rocket's workout as well (Twitter link). Levine and his colleagues David Barron and Jose de Jesus Ortiz offer the following quote from Astros owner Jim Crane:
“We don’t have any plans, we haven’t had any requests. We’d like to check and see where (Major League Baseball) is on the subject matter before we would do anything.”
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports adds, also via Twitter, that former Astros president and current Skeeters executive Tal Smith wouldn't put an attempted Major League comeback past Clemens. In this video piece for FOX Sports, Rosenthal notes that a 2012 return to the Major Leagues would reset Clemens' Hall of Fame clock. As it is, Clemens is eligible for the ballot following this season; pitching in 2012 would delay that eligibility for another five years.
Is this a joke?
I suppose an actual “Roger Clemens Pitching Tonight” beats the heck out of “Roger Clemens Bobblehead Night” from a potential attendance standpoint
Maybe sign him to start on Roger Clemens bobble head night !
Ken Rosenthal, id like to point out that Clemens will not be elected into the HOF in his lifetime. I know its late in the season.. but there has to be more then this to write about.
Ken Rosenthal “Hot Pancakes may be hot! ” Captain Obvious.
well, if you take away the Steroids that allegedly started in 1997… he did have a HoF worthy career
Same thing with barry bonds. I’ve been told he was a great player even before he supposedly took steroids.
750 hr, 500 sb, .444 career obp, 7 MVP awards, all while not being a DH. Sure steroids helped, but stats gotta put him in one top 10 mlb players of all time.
yes but even then his best years in houston weren’t because he was on steroids. you don’t get an ERA below 2.00 just because you kept your fastball for sinking a couple miles. You get that because you know how to pitch.
Eh, I think he will eventually. Maybe 10 years after being on the ballots, maybe on his final ballot but I suspect he and Bonds will get in eventually. The simple question is how much did steroids really elevate guys like them?
I think him and bonds both get in. bonds hit over 750 hr. Take steroids away and what is he? a 500 hr/500 sb player with a lifetime .444 obp. Is crazy how he had a .609 obp one year. That is insane, I’d take that without any power, and he had tons power.
Except you could call increased OBP an indirect result of steroids. He hits long balls at an abnormal clip and suddenly pitchers are more cautious when pitching to him to the point where they won’t throw anything close to the strike zone.
*ding* that is a correct response
What if he signs with MLB team after entering HOF?
Still would be in the HoF. Jim Palmer tried to come back after he was already elected (although he only made it through a week or so of spring training) and he would’ve stayed in had he appeared in the regular season.
Maybe I’m too cynical, but my immediate thought was that Clemens might prefer to reset his HOF clock so that the steroids/trial issue has even more time to fade before he’s on the ballot.
Well he has 15 years on the ballot which probably would be enough time for all the hot issues to cool off. Considering Palmiero has gotten above 10% during the last 2 ballots I doubt Clemens would dip lower than the 5% which would get him automatically cut.
Clemens is a first rounder no doubt for me even with any allegations. 350 wins, almost 5000 innings, 3.12 era. Even at 44 he could hold his own in the AL East, not dominant, but decent.
that was my thought too. It would make it easier for him to get in as a first or second balloter. But that is seems like a lot of work for just that.
I had that thought, too, but unless he would appear for the Astros this year, he’d be on the ballot this winter. I just find it hard to believe that a 50 year old Clemens, throwing 87, would be of interest for even a struggling team like the Astros. The new brass I would imagine doesn’t want to have publicity stunts for the sake of getting a few fans in the seats.
Let’s say he could get his fast ball up around 90 … well, then it’s a different story.
Clemens’ pride is such that the thought of finishing, say, 8th or 10th (or worse) in the voting would inure his ego beyond comprehension. Ergo, you may be hitting the nail right on the head, Esteban.
Hopefully to sign him as a coach, not a player. Lol
Please do not make this organization into more of a joke than it already is. Do Not Sign Him. Not even putting people in the seats is worth it. There is a reason he hasn’t pitched in 5 years.
Roger was adamant he didn’t take the stuff and the only guy who could testify positively was a troll. There was hearsay from Andy Pettitte and others, but let’s face it – Roger Clemens was the best pitcher most of us ever saw. (I can’t say that – I saw Warren Spahn and Whitey Ford) Koufax? 6 years of dominance does not a career make. Ryan? One World Series and but 34 games over .500. Great pitchers LEAD teams to the top.
Fords winning percentage is greater than that of the team he played.Spahn won 363 games, only 87 of those before his 30th birthday, he was in service till he was 25, He pitched in 3 World Series and won 23 games at 42.
The guys a cheat, deal with it.
Sad thing is Clemens is probably better than most 5-slot guys in the league, and definitely better than Armando Galarraga and Jordan Lyles right now. This has been a long season.
Skeeter. Isn’t that Texas shorthand for mosquito?
If so….then the headline about Clemens should read:
“Clemens is a Mosquito!” 🙂
The danger for Clemens’ plan is if he signs with the Astros, Luhnow may trade him for a pair of A-ball pitchers before he can take the mound.