Houston Astros owner Jim Crane said, while his club has not been contacted by Roger Clemens or his representatives about pitching for the Astros this season, he said he and his staff are getting prepared for that possibility, and he is open to the idea.
However, Crane said the last thing he wants is a decision like that to be perceived as a publicity stunt on the part of his franchise.
Crane said he would seek approval from Major League Baseball before going forward with any potential decision concerning Clemens.
Clemens will return to professional baseball for the first time since 2007 when he pitches on Saturday for the Sugar Land Skeeters against the Bridgeport Bluefish in an Atlantic League game.
“If it goes alright and he comes to us, we’ll talk to baseball about it at length,” Crane said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.
“The only thing we don’t want to do is make it a publicity stunt. If we did it, I want to try and take it and turn it into a positive, which would be Roger’s doing it for the good of baseball. The extra proceeds on the game might go to the (Astros’) community charity deal to build (baseball) fields, do something positive out of it.
“I think the fans might like it. It might be fun and certainly get a few people in the ballpark. I don’t see anything negative about that, but the Astros wouldn’t want to do it for the money, the extra gate or anything like that.”
Repoz
Posted: August 24, 2012 at 12:23 PM |
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1. AROM Posted: August 24, 2012 at 12:38 PM (#4216770)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.
(Can we also have Jamie Moyer pitch in relief?)
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.
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
I think we've got next year's marketing campaign.
Alfonso Soriano's available.
Hey, it worked to keep Bonds out.
And Roger Clemens is the ... uh, what cures cancer?
You mean he does not have the athletic physique of guys like David Wells, Mickey Lolich, Bartolo Colon and John Kruk?
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.
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.
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.
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.
The BBWAA takes precisely the opposite view.
I watched the game, so I can help you with this. He was consistently hitting 87.
Clemens 2012 for the Skeeters
Not too different.
So, that means he'll be in Houston in two weeks.
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