Roger Clemens signs to play independent ball
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| The Rocket will shortly be back in action, in front of a much-smaller crowd than he's accustomed to. (Getty Images) |
Roger Clemens just can't quit baseball. The 50-year-old seven-time Cy Young award winner has signed to play with the Sugar Land Skeeters, according to the team's official website.
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The report also indicates that Clemens is expeted to start for the Skeeters Saturday in Sugar Land (Houston area, for those unaware). Some of his teammates are notable names, like Scott Kazmir, Tim Redding and Jason Lane -- who has converted to pitcher.
The Skeeters are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Thus, Clemens' status on the Hall of Fame ballot this coming Winter is unchanged. He'll be on that divisive ballot along with Barry Bonds and many other huge names sure to get the vitriol machine cranking in late December.
In terms of just the numbers, Clemens would get in as easily as anyone ever has. He has 354 wins, 4,672 strikeouts, the aforementioned seven Cy Youngs, an AL MVP, two World Series rings and so many more accolades it's a waste to even go further. But he's not a lock for the Hall of Fame, due to how we've seen voters react to alleged juicers in the past few years.
Clemens was acquitted on all obstruction of justice charges earlier this summer, which alleged that he lied to Congress about steroid and HGH use.
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