The Astros have won 10 fewer games than any team in baseball, setting them up to have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft for a second consecutive season. Having already added Carlos Correa and Lance McCullers Jr. to his system, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow should have another opportunity to add some top tier talent to his organization. Here are some Astro-centric links for your Monday reading pleasure (all links go to Twitter)…
- Owner Jim Crane told reporters, including MLB.com's Brian McTaggart, that the team has begun interviewing managerial candidates. The Astros' list of candidates contains six to eight candidates.
- Crane also added that Craig Biggio, who spent 20 years playing for the Astros, is assisting in the interview process (McTaggart reporting).
- Luhnow told reporters today that the team has scheduled out its rotation for the remainder of the season, and it doesn't include Roger Clemens, who won't pitch in the Major Leagues in 2012 (via McTaggart). Clemens recently told reporters he hopes to be with the Astros in 2013, though he conveniently neglected to specify whether that meant as a coach or a player.
- Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports that Crane still wants Clemens to pitch in 2012, but not against a contender. Sullivan adds that Cubs manager Dale Sveum thinks it would be good for his team to face Clemens.
Biggio would be a good manager himself IMO
@tomymogo
Why would that be?
It’s pretty evident that Clemens’ attempted to comeback is not a publicity stunt, but a calculated attempt to delay the time to his HOF voting. Why else would a 50 yr old
with HOF credentials and nothimg left to prove decide just before votiing was to come up, to make a comeback?
Even the biggest narcissist would have reason to pause, no?
I haven’t heard this theory yet. Please elaborate.
@NickinIthaca:disqus
Don’t know if you’re pulling my chain or not, but here goes.
Eligibility for the HOF is 5 years after a player is officially retired. Clemens along with others will be eligible this spring. With the back lash against ‘Juicers’ and the less than favorable publicity he’s received lately, he’s not certain for induction on the first try. A guy with his credentials, being rejected for that reason would have less of a chance on additional balloting.
Now if he returns to professional Baseball, his HOF ‘clock’ starts anew, meaning that he will have another 5 year wait before he’s eligible for HOF voting again, once he retires again.That would be 10 year wait before he’s eligible again. Enough time to wait out many writers that may not vote for him now.
I see it as a shameless move to by-pass the system. I’ll even make a prediction that he’ll return next year, pitch into early May and then quit. Then come out with a story along the line of ‘I gave it my best shot, but it’s time to retire’.
All the while the HOF clock is pushed 5 yrs into the future.
Some may choose not to believe it, but knowing Clemens’ history, would anyone really doubt its not plausible?
I’m really sorry. I was pulling your chain there.
In all seriousness though, I can’t imagine the extra five years will matter. He’s either getting in in the next fifteen years, or he won’t be making it regardless of the time that passes. A comeback will most likely do nothing but tarnish his legacy further…
It’s both. Clemens wants to delay his entrance and the Astros want to sell tickets.
I completely agree! Clemens wants to return to baseball to become relevant again and solidify his Hall of Fame career. While I disagree with his decision, you can’t blame a guy for wanting to come back and play the sport he loves. He’s a competitor.
It’s a win-win because the Astros are looking for ANYTHING to get their team going in a positive direction. Having Clemens on the mound will significantly increase ticket sales in Houston.
The better question is who cares?
If the question is “is Roger Clemens a hall of fame player?” then the answer should not change between now and five years from now. He is or he isn’t. The way I see it, there are three possibilities:
1) He’s a Hall of Famer five years from now but not now. This is the silliest possibility, because his resume is highly unlikely to change in any substantial way. If this is the case I say congratulations Roger, you obviously deserved it now AND then.
2) He’s not a Hall of Famer now or then. So who cares what he’s doing or why?
3) He’s a Hall of Famer now and then. So who cares what he’s doing or why?
Whether or not it would be a good idea for a team to TAKE Roger Clemens is a different issue I’m not going to get into, but I have no problem with what he’s doing even if he is doing it for purely selfish reasons (and though that is probably true, we don’t know it).
Roger cares.
He would have been a Hall of Famer even if he hadn’t started roiding with the Jays.
Ya know what would be funny to see my friend? A team this September decide to see give Pedro another couple of starts (if he even wanted to go at it) and let pedro and Roger match up one game.
It would be a public relations hit in a way for baseball, at least martinez is clean we mostly think and fans would have a “good guy” vs “bad guy” to pull for in a HOF old timer match up.
Would prefer to see Brett hit against Gossage again. Just give the fans in the RF stands shin guards and chest protectors to prevent injuries!
Yeah he is a joke. If this were Barry Bonds the public would be crying foul. Regardless, they are both first ballot in my eyes
Clemens is the next manager of the Astros.
Here’s my take. Even if Clemens did juice, great, because everyone else was too. He was able to put his numbers up in an era where everyone was doing it. It balances itself out.
Roger Clemens is pulling this stunts as the next set of guys up for hall of fame are guys who have taken Steroids & clemens even thought found guilty did take steroids just found way to beat the system so, he doing this so, he doesn’t get elected with who ever is up next..
I don’t say this to offend, but separate your thoughts a little by putting them in sentence structures. It’s difficult to follow a runaway train of thought.
Also I think you meant Clemens was found “not guilty” of perjury.
If you didn’t do it, I was.
If you get Riggleman, good luck and hope that he doesn’t walk out on you mid-season….