Roger Clemens

[IceSpeed2]

Its Rocket's turn tonite. He is pitching against a fairly weak lineup
and Jennings is not a dominant pitcher(right now) so I think there is a
good chance he will get a win.



He is having a Barry Bonds type season for a pitcher with his
ERA. He is setting a new standard for pitchers in this
post-steroid era.


Edited by: IceSpeed2

 

[Bart]

I don't believe it. Same ol scenario in Houston. Clemens retires the side for the Rockies and was up 5-1, cruising along with a three hitter. After running to the store to pick up a couple items I return to Yahoo and check the score. Bammo, the Rockies are ahead 6-5. Clemens leaves the game after giving up one run in seven innings. The relievers come in and promptly get hammered! Clemens' ERA is 1.50 but he can't win for losin.

 

[Don Wassall]

The Astros signed Roger's son, which may inspire Roger to keep playing. I hope he plays as long as he remains an effective pitcher. This article claims that Clemens has said this would be his final season, but I don't recall him saying that. But as we've noted, the media just can't wait for Clemens, Favre, Lance Armstrong and other white legends to get the hell off the stage.


[url]http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/07/14/cle mens.son.ap/index.html[/url]

 

[Don Wassall]

Clemens continues to roll along with one of the best ERAs in baseball history. Greg Maddux got his 3,000th strikeout last night. Randy Johnson is now 11-6 for the struggling Yankees and is second in the AL in strikeouts.


These are three of the greatest players ever, all very near the end of their careers, yet the media coverage of them is very modest at best. Could you imagine what it would be likeif all three were Negroes, still pitching like this in their 40s (or late 30s in Maddux's case)???? Each one would get the same kind of media attention that Barry Bonds does. Think of Dontrelle Willis having the kind of career Clemens has had and still beingat the verytop of his gameat 43!


But being lowly white men, most of the media interest concerns urging Clemens to retire for good. If this is indeed Clemens' last year, he ought to be getting the kind of respect and celebration that Wayne Gretzky received at the end of his career. IfClemens had pitched in four-man rotations he would have over 400 wins. Give these men the respect they deserve!

 

[Bart]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --Roger Clemens won his fourth straight start with another dominant road performance, and JasonLanes three-run homer capped the Houston Astros' eighth-inning rally for an 8-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.


Clemens (11-4) earned his 339th career win and lowered the majors' tiniest ERA to 1.38 with seven outstanding innings in the first appearance of his career in San Francisco. Houston's 43-year-old right-hander allowed an unearned run in the first, but didn't let another runner reach third base while improving to 7-1 in his last 11 starts.


The seven-time Cy Young award winner gave up six hits and two walks while striking out four. He has allowed just three earned runs in 73 innings on the road this season for a 0.38 ERA -- the lowest for a pitcher through his first 11 road starts since at least 1961, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

 

[white lightning]

The man is flat out amazing.We are so lucky to see him
play his heart out.No one,I repeat no one works as hard
to stay in shape as Clemens.He is a workout guru and it
shows on & off the field.As good as Randy Johnson & Maddux
are,I would have to put Clemens above them both.He can
probably pitch for another few years if he chooses to.
I would love to see him & the Astros get to the Series.I
have wanted the Astros to go for a long time.Guys like
Biggio & Bagwell deserve it.

 

[Bart]

Clemens is having one of the best years he's ever had but his team has not scored runs for him.He could have had the most wins in baseball with a little help. I keep saying, if he gives up even one run he's in danger of losing. Tonight he throws eight scoreless innings on a two hitter and gets nothing to show for it... again.


HOUSTON (AP) -- Roger Clemens was foiled again by a lack of run support, and Jack Wilson homered off Brad Lidge in the ninth inning to give thePittsburg Pirates a 1-0 victory Saturday night over the Houston Astros.


Clemens allowed two hits in eight shutout innings, lowering his major league-leading ERA to an incredible 1.32. He struck out nine and walked none, but the Astros couldn't muster any offense againstKip Wells and two relievers.


It was the ninth no-decision for the 43-year-old Clemens, and the sixth time the Astros have failed to score for him. He threw an economical 88 pitches but has not gone longer than eight innings this season.

 

[IceSpeed2]

Its amazing to look at the margin between Clemens'
ERA and all others. He is separated by nearly a whole run.

People are attributing his success to talent, but I
don't think that is the case. He is in his forties, so he was
more talented in his earlier years. I think it is his workout
that has made him so effective. I have never heard of a pitcher
having a better workout than Roger Clemens.

No offense to all Nolan Ryan fans, but Clemens is better than Nolan Ryan ever was right now.



Who thinks Clemens will pitch next year?

 

[Don Wassall]

In between hyper-coverage of Terrell Owensand wondering when Barry Bonds will return, SI manages to run a nice article on one of the mostamazing athletes ever, Roger Clemens:


[url]http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/john_donovan/0 8/18/clemens.career/index.html[/url]

 

[JD074]

It's great to see him performing at such a high level, and staying healthy, post-drug testing. Unlike so many other athletes over the last season or two (Bonds, Sosa, Brett Boone, Thome, Bagwell, etc.) This should bode well for his legacy.

 

[jaxvid]

Clemens is the greatest pitcher ever. He has done it all. He has been a power pitcher all of his life, unlike other long term pitchers he has not had to go to "finesse" pitching. He is a strikeout guy, a low ERA guy and a big "W" guy.

He has pitched in a hitters era, unlike Walter Johnson and Sandy Koufax, in the modern era unlike Cy Young. And there can be no claims of him not facing non-whites since he has pitched in the "Colored Leagues" all his life.

 

[GWTJ]

I have to disagree with you jaxvid. Greg Maddux has outpitched Clemens during their careers. He had a better prime and a longer one. He was the more consistent pitcher of the two and the more durable. He also fielded his position better.

 

[Don Wassall]

I have to disagree with you jaxvid. Greg Maddux has outpitched Clemens during their careers. He had a better prime and a longer one. He was the more consistent pitcher of the two and the more durable. He also fielded his position better.

Hell, Clemens is still in his prime!


But I do think that Greg Maddux has been greatly under-rated, even for a white athlete. Would benice to see him pitch well for a few more seasons. Then his greatness as one of the very best ever will be undeniably clear.

 

[whiteCB]

If this was Jerry Rice having a MVP season at 43 its all we'd be hearing about. But you know since Clemens is an old white athlete no one cares.

 

[Bart]

Talk about no breaks this year. With any help at all from the rest of the team he could be closing in on 20 wins by now.


LOS ANGELES (AP) --Roger Clemensagain got no run support from the Houston Astro's , andJeff Weaverand Duane Sanchez combined on an eight-hitter to lead theLos AngelesDodgers to a 1-0 victory on Sunday.


The 43-year-old Clemens allowed two hits and struck out five in six innings, but the Dodgers scored in the eighth on Oscar Robles' RBI single off Chad Qualls (4-3).


This was the eighth time in Clemens' 27 starts this season the Astros were shut out, and the fifth time by a 1-0 score -- including three games that went extra innings. Clemens lost 2-0 at San Diego on Tuesday, retiring 17 consecutive batters at one point in his first complete game since July 30, 2003.


Before this season, the 22-year veteran had 27 shutout losses in 640 regular season starts. The Astros were not shut out in any of his 33 starts last season, when he won his record seventh Cy Young Award with an 18-4 record.


The Astros were blanked for the 16th time this season, the most in the majors.


Pitching in stifling 92-degree heat on Sunday, Clemens threw 26 pitches in the second inning and 25 in the fourth. He lowered his major league-leading ERA from 1.56 to 1.51.

 

[Don Wassall]

What a shame to have an ERA like that and so few wins to show for it. I just hope Roger continues to pitch as long as he can compete at a high level.

 

[white lightning]

It was really special to see Clemens pitch the other night shortly after his mother died.He was like a little kid when ever he talked of her.She was a huge Baseball Fan and Roger dreamed of her seeing him make the MLB Hall of Fame.What a shame.Keep your head up Clemens.

 

[white lightning]

Roger Clemens and the white friendly Astros clinched at least a tie for the wild card today.Clemens pitched a great game only allowing 1 run.Roger Clemens just like Randy Johnson continues to defy Father Time and all other doubters.You can't help but love this guy and this team!Go Astros!

 

[Kaptain]

He should win the Cy Young again IMO. He may not have a lot of wins, but his team is winning and in the playoffs and he has by far the lowest ERA in the entire majors - both leagues.

 

[Don Wassall]

I was very disappointed in the Astros not trying to work out a contract with Roger or offer him salary arbitration. And I was ticked off by how little publicity this (at least temporary) parting of the ways received. It registered barely a blip in the media while ESPN spent hour after hour on Gary Barnett's firing, as they are much more interested in roasting a white man than toasting a white athlete.


Roger Clemens is arguably the greatest pitcher of all time. At the least he is the kind of pitcher who comes around every 50 years or so. He should be regarded as a national sporting treasure, but it's been a long time since it worked that way for white athletes in America.

 

[SteveB]

I am not sure that the Astros are to blame here since the word is that they put a $18-20 million offer on the table and Clemens told them he wouldn't decide until late January if he was coming back. If they gave him arbitration, a contract would have to be in place by Jan. 8th, still before Clemens said that he could make a decision.

What we don't know is what is going on behind the scenes. There is an interesting rumor. It is that Clemens may come back on May 1st for an abbreviated season (and less money). This scenario makes sense because Clemens wore down at the end of last season. Also, it would give the Astros some money for signing some offensive players. Under arbitration, this scenario could not play out.

 

[Don Wassall]

It would be nice if the Astros could provide Clemens with better offensive support if he does return to Houston in May. I was watching one of ESPN's baseball "experts" last night and he estimated that the odds of Roger returning to Houston were 30%, 30% that he signs with the Rangers, 20% that he retires, and lesser odds that he signs with Boston or another team. My main interest, whether he retires or not, and hopefully not, is that he receives the recognition he deserves as one of the very best baseball players ever.

 

[GWTJ]

I was watching an ESPN show yesterday afternoon. I think it was called "1st and Ten". Two ESPN guys discuss different topics. When Roger Clemens was talked about the one guy just lit into him. He said," Clemens is all about greed, he wants every last dollar he can squeeze out of the Astros". He had hate in his voice. Real, angry hate. It was disturbing.

 

[Don Wassall]

Roger Clemens has signed with a minor league team based in suburban Houston. His fastball is reportedly 87 mph and his first start is Friday night. The Astros and maybe other teams are going to send scouts.

I did a news search on this and the Clemens haters are once again out in force, such as his arch critic Curt Shilling. Even a writer for AP, which is supposedly a news service but which actually functions as a purveyor of CM propaganda and the fedgov's latest party line, has an article titled "Could Roger Clemens' Comeback Attempt Lead to the Majors? Let's Hope Not."

I'd like nothing better than to see Roger return to the majors at the age of 50, if that's what his goal is, and pitch reasonably well. He was the best pitcher of the past 80 years and that and his confident personality bordering on arrogance is why he's so widely despised.

 

[Don Wassall]

Clemens Not 'Major League Ready' Going Into Independent League Start　

SUGAR LAND, Texas (AP) -- Roger Clemens says his weekend start in the minors shouldn't be viewed as a prelude to a big-league comeback.

The 50-year-old Clemens is scheduled to pitch Saturday for the Sugar Land Skeeters against the Bridgeport Bluefish in the independent Atlantic League.

"I don't know how much clearer I can say it," Clemens said Friday. "I'm nowhere near major league ready, nor have I been training or pitching in that type of mode."

But Houston Astros owner Jim Crane told KRIV-TV the team is open to the idea of adding the seven-time Cy Young Award winner and is sending a scout to the game.
　
full article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/baseball/mlb/08/24/roger-clemens.ap/index.html#ixzz24aEMpBrh