I thought the possibility made sense from a pure profit motive, a pure publicity stunt. From these comments, sounds like Crane is just curious to see what a 50 year old man can do. As am I. I think Clemens pitching a game would be fun, and Astro fans have suffered enough and deserve something fun.

Hope they can make it happen. But I kind of doubt it, looking at logistics. You'd want a home game, and it should not interfere with other teams' pennant race. So not against the Cards or Pirates. Last home game vs a non-contender is 9/16 against the Phillies. Is that enough time for Roger? I think it would have to be, at most, a 3 inning job like Satchel once did. Maybe it would only be one inning.

If this happens, then we can say Roger Clemens wasn't his generation's Tom Seaver...but its Minnie Minoso.

(Can we also have Jamie Moyer pitch in relief?)

Hey, Bill Lee pitched a complete game in an independent league yesterday. Get him in there too!

The Astros just DFA'd Armando Galarraga, so I don't think they even have a fifth starter right now.

I thought the possibility made sense from a pure profit motive, a pure publicity stunt. From these comments, sounds like Crane is just curious to see what a 50 year old man can do. As am I. I think Clemens pitching a game would be fun, and Astro fans have suffered enough and deserve something fun.

I got a couple tickets for Bridgeport CT for the 15th and 16th of September, in case he pitches there then. It's a long shot I know, but at worst I'll take a road trip and see some indy baseball.

Veeck would be proud.

last time there was talk about roger clemens possibly joining the astros, it absolutely DOMINATED the news - no, not kidding. more than tebbow or lebrown james.

it's the only interesting or positive thing about the astros this entire year. i mean, what else can they say, brett wallace can't throw to first? or well, retread fernando martinez actually managed to throw a ball accurately or ben francisco, the phillies/toronto reject 5th OF finally has a full time job and is managing to hit .250?

all of us know that the astros team is kind of like colon cancer - you have a chance at survival, but really, it's not real too good and this here team is gonna be at the bottom of the ML for decades.

roger clemens is like when the surgeon comes up and tells you - well, we think we got it all and we'll let you heal up and enjoy a little before chemotherapy

the astros team is kind of like colon cancer

I think we've got next year's marketing campaign.

I'm all for Roger Clemens resetting his hof eligibility. With the backlog and the controversy, as many guys who aren't shoe ins, that we can delay, the better. (basically if you aren't Griffey or Maddux, look at finding a team to give you some playing time)

I don't like the "we'll talk to the league" part. There's no reason for the league to say no, really. Clemens never failed a test and was as exonerated as he could possibly be in court. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte has been pitching for the Yankees this year.

The Astros just DFA'd Armando Galarraga, so I don't think they even have a fifth starter right now

Alfonso Soriano's available.

And if the HOF voters haven't lightened up on the whole steroid thing five years from now, hopefully the Astros will still suck enough then to give him another start at age 55.

I don't like the "we'll talk to the league" part.

Hey, it worked to keep Bonds out.

Yeah, but I don't think you're supposed to say it out loud.

the astros team is kind of like colon cancer

And Roger Clemens is the ... uh, what cures cancer?

I don't like the "we'll talk to the league" part. There's no reason for the league to say no, really.

Well, other than it being a publicity stunt.

Why would the league say no to a publicity stunt? How would they distinguish it from the Astros signing any other player they thought was good? Like the Yankees signing Pettitte or the Rockies using Moyer, or etc.

From the photo of Clemens on the Skeeters site, he doesn't really look to be in game shape.

You shut up!

From the photo of Clemens on the Skeeters site, he doesn't really look to be in game shape.

You mean he does not have the athletic physique of guys like David Wells, Mickey Lolich, Bartolo Colon and John Kruk?

Hmmm, is Jack Morris pulling some strings here? Someone should check if Biggio and Bagwell will be in the lineup too.

Satchel Paige pitched a 3 scoreless inning stint at age 58. I don't see why Clemens couldn't pitch in relief at age 50, especially if he really is still throwing 87 without having been working out much lately.

Let's be serious for a second:

Clemens was only throwing at 90 or 91 during his "Roger Clemens is in George's box! Oh touch my box!" comeback in 2007. He struggled to be league average - and it was a daily struggle, as I watched every game - and also had a balky elbow by the time it was over. I don't hold out great hope that half a decade later, half a decade removed from baseball, at age 50 and not in game shape, that he can come back and be effective. Not that I'd love to see him try.

Although if Jeter isn't playing short behind him, then, well, maybe.

Clemens was only throwing at 90 or 91 during his "Roger Clemens is in George's box! Oh touch my box!" comeback in 2007. He struggled to be league average - and it was a daily struggle, as I watched every game - and also had a balky elbow by the time it was over. I don't hold out great hope that half a decade later, half a decade removed from baseball, at age 50 and not in game shape, that he can come back and be effective.

Hell, he sounds like he'd fit right into the Red Sox rotation. I'd say Josh Beckett better watch his ass or he'll be flipping burgers instead of taters.

Clemens peripherals were quite respectable with the Yanks. And pitching in the NL in 2012 is a better place than pitching in the AL East in 2007. He'll be fine.

Given the pitching now available to Houston, I don't think he could do much worse that what they are trotting out to the mound now.

But he's in the best shape of his career!

Clemens peripherals were quite respectable with the Yanks. And pitching in the NL in 2012 is a better place than pitching in the AL East in 2007. He'll be fine.

Or, looked at another way, he's going to pitch about three innings for the worst team in almost a decade. Unless he collapses and dies on the mound, there's really little that can go terribly wrong.

Re: 87 mph

I'm curious as to whether Clemens can consistently hit 87, or if he just threw one pitch at 87 while working at 83-85.

Unless he collapses and dies on the mound, there's really little that can go terribly wrong.

The BBWAA takes precisely the opposite view.

Bottom line: He looks fat in a uniform right now. He said after the game that if he were to ever entertain the notion of pitching in the majors again, he'd need a minimum of 6-8 weeks to get ready, meaning that "it would have to be a spring training kind of thing." As there is only 5 weeks left to this season, I think there is almost no chance he'd pitch even a few innings this year. I don't hold it as implausible that he'd try next spring, but he doesn't want to embarrass himself, and in order to have a chance not to embarrass himself he'd need to get in shape and be working out regularly (preferably, with steroids and HGH), rather than working out/throwing once a week or so. He knows that.

I'm curious as to whether Clemens can consistently hit 87, or if he just threw one pitch at 87 while working at 83-85.

I watched the game, so I can help you with this. He was consistently hitting 87.

Clemens in 2007 with the Yankees
Clemens 2012 for the Skeeters



Not too different.

I think there is almost no chance he'd pitch even a few innings this year.

So, that means he'll be in Houston in two weeks.