2:11pm: Agent Randy Hendricks told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick that Clemens may only pitch in one game (Twitter link). "It is a fun thing and let’s just see how he does Saturday night," Hendricks said. "That will determine if he pitches for them again."
12:27pm: The independent Sugar Land Skeeters have agreed to sign seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston reports. The Skeeters are based out of the Houston area, where Clemens pitched at the MLB level from 2004-06. The 50-year-old Texas native last pitched in the Major Leagues five years ago with the 2007 Yankees.
Clemens had a full workout today and reached 87 mph on the radar gun, Berman reports. Clemens will start Saturday's game, according to Berman. Earlier this summer, Clemens was acquitted on all charges that he obstructed justice and lied to Congress. Clemens was subject to a federal investigation after telling Congress he never used steroids or human growth hormone.
Former MLB All-Star Gary Gaetti manages the Skeeters, and former MLB players Scott Kazmir, Jason Lane and Tim Redding have appeared for the team this year.
awesome
I need to catch a York Revolution game now.
Does the league require drug testing.
this guy really doesnt know when to say when. At the dinner table or the ball field.
If he still wants to play, why shouldn’t he?
Someone has to throw batting practice
He’s not doing it to catch on to a major league team.
He’s able to stay at home and still play some competitive ball.. why not?
I feel like multi-time Cy Young award winners really shouldn’t go and play for no-name professional teams post-retirement. I’m no big Clemens fan or anything (probably obvious), but it just seems kind of embarrassing.
Why in the world would you say that, thats like saying Joey Chestnut shouldnt eat food anymore since he won the hotdog eating contest! Have you ever played a game you love?
I am really really skeptical that Roger Clemens has some kind of pure love for the game of baseball.
That is ridiculous! You dont play a game so long, and invest so much time and energy into it unless you love it.
If he really didnt love baseball he would have retired 2 decades ago.
I think millions of dollars and a need to be in the spotlight can really motivate a man!
Of course it can!
However, I do not think he will be making millions or will he be in the national spotlight again. Remember, not everyone in the nation is reading this article. Hell, I wouldnt even have know if not for MLBTR.
That’s part of why I’ve been terming it “pathetic” P:
(The “millions of dollars…spotlight” comment was referring to his 873 other comebacks, just to clarify)
HA, I see it as a love of the game. Maybe he isnt looking for the spotlight, maybe he just wants to play baseball! And, if that is the case, i love it!
I just can’t give Roger Clemens, the man who used to charge young children money for his autographs at Red Sox games, that much benefit of the doubt.
I once saw him punch a baby!
Roid Rage can do terrible things to a man ;P
Ben, any chances of a reunion in Boston?
He couldn’t pitch for the golden years softball league?
Favorite player all time. Is that taboo?
Nothing is taboo when the exhibition All-Star game decides home field
for the World Series. Let’s go last place teams Royals/Red
Sox/Astros/Mariners!
“I can tell you it’s a privilege to be back. I’ll be talking to y’all soon!” -Roger Clemens, over PA system from the Skeeters’ luxury box behind home plate.
More players should do this.
Just bought my tickets. It’ll be an event, that’s for sure.
Okay, two things:
1. Roger, do you really need to play baseball that badly? What are you even doing.
2. Geat team name, or GREATEST team name?
I do not think it is a “need” thing but a love of the game!
Most guys who retire go play weekend softball. He still has enough left in the tank both physically and mentally to play at a higher level than most people ever will.
I think it is great.
Maybe I’m old fashioned (or a snob?), but I don’t think the all-time elite players should lower themselves to being Skeeters just so they can play a couple more seasons.
What does your perception or anyone elses really matter. He has nothing to prove to anyone*, not anymore.
If he loves the game, then go play and have fun!
I played at a high level in basketball. I was paid for 4 yrs. I still love the game, and still play in a few very competitive leagues each year. I hate that I cannot play like I used too, but I still have a strong competitive nature and love the game. Obviously I was never a “great” like he was but I think the same concept still applies.
Well it doesn’t matter, obviously 😛 It’s just my opinion, but if I were him I’d be mortified to be playing in a league like that.
I also have a lot of skepticism that Roger Clemens just loves the game of baseball SO MUCH. I feel like his motivations are less pure and more about his ego.
If you havent ever been really good at something or your not a person who is so competitive that it ruins relationships it would be hard to understand. As a person, this is his life, it is all he knows. I say go for it!
I think you and I are both making completely unprovable assumptions about Roger Clemens’s motivations, so I highly doubt we’re going to actually reach an agreement. (Dangit, why don’t we have sabermetrics for attitude!!) Also, I never have been super good at something really competitive, so I can’t really share your perspective there.
Just really seems like a man grasping for attention from where I’m standing.
We did not reach an agreement but great arguments (I won the argument FYI 🙂
We do have sabermetrics for attitude:
Hustle + being nice + work ethic + competitive / team spirit
= (Josh Beckett), nope thats not right… = Great attitude!
I have a sneaking suspicion that attitude isn’t actually inversely proportional to team spirit 😛
Without team spirit, attitude suffers (Ben Nicholas- Smith said that) so it is true!
Right, so don’t divide by it! (I’m being a pedantic mathematician at you.)
Dont tell me, you gotta take that up with Bill James! He has a new book called Attitudeball.
@KarKat
You’re one of the few that have it right. This is nothing more than Clemens feeding his insatiable ego and nothing else. It’s always been about him, ever since his days at the U of Texas to his early days with the Sox, through his days with NY and Houston.
He testified before congress at his insistence,not because he was compelled, but because he thought he could bully anyone because he is Roger Clemens! He sued McNamee because he has the money and knew he could get a favorable judge( which he did ) to rule in his favor to omit evidence that could convict him.
Now that he is an afterthought, he needs to be in the public eye again. Playing with the Skeeters, he’ll be the center of attention again, the king of the hill, so what if it’s a mosquito mound. He’ll still have all eyes on him.
Lest anyone think that this is nothing more than a bitter anti-Clemens fan ranting, here’s another example of his ego. Years ago when he was with Boston and leading the league in strikeouts, he bragged to a Sports Illustrated reporter doing an interview, that all his kid’s names started with the letter ‘K’, in homage to himself.
That’s why anyone who believes it’s about the love of the game is truly off base here.
Completely agree. All about the ego.
boom
How do you say “mosquito” in NorthEast speak?
oh my goodness gracious
They also hired Yogi Berra to be his catcher
“Roger Clemens is a Sugar Land Skeeter!
And Roger Clemens is coming back!
Oh my good, Goodness Gracious!
Of All the Dramatic Things I’ve ever seen…
Roger Clemens standing in sugar land Texas!
Announcing He is Back! Roger Clemens is a Sugar Land Skeeter!!
And there we go Jawn…
Now you don’t have to worry about that spawt in the rotation!”
– Suzyn Waldman
It wasn’t that funny, and very predictable. But I’ll give you a like for the effort.
Considering the Skeeters rotation includes Jason Lane, Tim Redding, and Scott Kazmir, this signing is huge for them. He’s their on paper ace!
And thanks, chiico
Their opponent should sign Jose Canseco… THAT would be an event.
No way! Mike Piazza!
I would rather see an opponent sign Mike Piazza. I would love to see the old men face each other again!
Canseco was in the independent Golden Baseball League as of last year. I think it was a team based out of Arizona. Not too far out of reality.
Yeah, I read that – that’s why I’m saying what I’m saying. Those two should have plenty of beef, and I’m pretty sure Piazza would have no intention of embarrassing himself by participating.
As much as I hate to say it the Skeeters are more exciting than the Astros…
It just shows how hard is to give up playing this wonderful game.
Clemens already showed that 873 times.
874 times won’t hurt.
Let it go Roger, Let it go
In all seriousness, I think this is a great move by the Skeeters. It instantly gives them a credible, popular arm for their rotation. Who would watch a Skeeters game for Redding, Lane, etc.? Nobody. At least this will make fans tune in to see what the Rocket has left. I for sure will be excited to watch at the very least highlights of him pitching at this age and this stage in his life. Clemens throwing 87 – 88 MPH doesn’t shock me, but let’s see if he can get these hitters out. I can’t wait to see how this unfolds. Clemens is now a circus
@DerekJeterDan
I’m hoping he runs away from home and shows up in the spring in NY with Ringling Bros & Barnum Bailey!
Over it
Did MLBTR accidentally post an article from The Onion?
Maybe it’s his twin brother, just needing a paycheck. Check the tattoos.
This ball park is no more than 10 minutes form my house, yet I have chosen Astros games over Skeeters games repeatedly this year. I now have a reason to make a different choice.
Let us know who has the better team.
double post
Let me guess he doesn’t travel with the team and he is getting paid a pro rated 25M?
Is Roger going to play skeeball? What’s happening?!
imagine if he takes ‘roids again…he can get that fastball in the 90’s
east bound and down in real life??
It will be really cool to be on the opposing team, and say they got a hit off Roger Clemens.
I worked with a guy years ago who claimed he got a hit off Andy Pettitte in high school. I wonder if ballplayers use that as a pickup line at a bar with some girl.
probably doesn’t work as well as ‘hey I’m andy pettitte’ but i’m sure it still gets the job done.
You’ve got to be kidding me. Good one MLBTR! You got me! Now where are the hidden cameras?
Does this re-set his eligibility clock for HOF voting?
Sugar Land is not an MLB or MiLB team.
…yet.
Ah Skeet Skeet Skeet!
Looks like “The Rocket” ran out of gas!
87 mph on the radar gun and he hasn’t thrown a pitch in 5 years. A few innings and he’ll probably be up to 90 mph. And better than 95% of the pitchers in the major leagues today. Even at age 50, if he was on a contender he would probably win 12-15 games with a 4.20-4.50 ERA. And he would be money during the biggest games. Steroids or no steroids, when I saw him pitch live in Houston between 2004-2006 there was no one better at commanding a devastating set of pitches.