My Problem With Clemens
I will say this about Roger Clemens, he isn't taking the typical route of a guilty man. He is going to Congress, he has sued Brian McNamee and he held a press conference. So far, he is miles ahead of anyone else accused of using PED's. (Anyone else still wondering where Rafael Palmeiro went)
So why can't most of us give this guy the benefit of the doubt? Making it more personal, why am I willing to excuse Pettitte, who has admitted to cheating, and not believe Clemens' claims? After all, Roger should be innocent until proven guilty.
Well, there are two things which stick out in my mind which bias me against Clemens. One is stupid, one is a little deeper than that.
For the stupid one, it boils down to the fact that Clemens will always be a Red Sox in my mind. I was very unhappy when the Yankees sent David Wells to Toronto as part of the Clemens trade. Like Boggs before him, Clemens was a player I didn't like at all. If I ever update my archives (I will, I will) you could read what I wrote when Clemens signed with Houston. Scratch that, I found the entry and updated things. So, as you can see, I don't like him and never will, but it's a stupid reason to think he is guilty.
And that brings me to my second reason for not buying Clemens' story, Barry Bonds. I will also admit that I stood up and cheered Bonds in 2001 because I naively believed he was hitting home runs "cleanly". Chastise me if you will because I didn't stop and ask questions about Bonds' sudden power explosion, but I looked at a player I considered one of the best in baseball for many years have a career year and I applauded. My subsequent realization that Bonds was crooked turned me into a HUGE skeptic about all of the performances on the baseball diamond. It isn't fair, but Clemens is found guilty by me, and I imagine a lot of people, because he is just another athlete from the "steroids era". And, I extend my skepticism to all of baseball. The only reason in my mind that the Mitchell Report didn't name more names is because Senator Mitchell couldn't find a guy similar to McNamee in Boston or Chicago or St. Louis.
So, what do I (and perhaps you) do now? That is the question I keep wrestling with. Palmeiro lied to Congress without any adverse consequences, so why should we believe anything Clemens says next week? But, again why don't we give him the benefit of the doubt? If any of you have answers, I am all ears.
Comments
Different question for you Peter is:
why do you care about the Rocket any more? He's no longer pitching for us, hopefully won't ever again. Can't get us to an AL pennant nor can he get us #27. He's done.
My take is that the guy has more money than he will ever need to live well until he's in the ground. His reputation is his issue now, not mine. He'll deal with it, screw it up, salvage it, do something with it. Maybe even make some lawyer's income statement look much improved for a few years.
He could have taken the Mark McGwire route, kept his mouth shut and gone quietly into post-play retirement. He wants to be a public figure, an icon? That's fine, but I'm not buying him, his "legend" or his memorabilia. He's done playing.
Let him go for now Peter. Revisit it in a few months or a few years after more comes out or nothing more comes out.
Pitchers and catchers next month. Still need some bullpen help and still hoping that Cashman is able to convince Hankenstein to keep Hughes and pass on Johan.
Let's Play Ball !
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 8, 2008 09:40 AM
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thanks for the link to the past Peter.
At the office, one guy and me when we talk sports, we end up throwing out something in the Jim Mora Sr. voice when he said "Playoffs!" Do you know the clip?
Anyway, here goes from your post when Rocket signed with the Astros ---- "Monument!"
Posted by: blmeanie | January 8, 2008 12:42 PM |
I didn't think much of Clemens at first, but I came to respect him as someone who was an excellent clutch competitor and team-mate. So I'm disappointed by the evidence of drug use.
Putting aside all biases, there is little question in my mind that Clemens is guilty as sin. Unlike Bonds, there is not enough corroborating evidence to convict him beyond a reasonable doubt. But that's not the standard that governs baseball fans or Hall of Fame decisions.
He's dirty, period. Why?
1. MacNamee is a credible informant who can get in trouble only for lying and whose credibility is confirmed by Pettite. His story was detailed and believable.
2. Roger's willingness to file suit and etc. doesn't persuade me of anything. He's got a lifetime of effort invested in the integrity of his career. Of course he's going to fight to the bitter end, even if it puts him in jail. What makes the case so tragic is that he's lying to himself and to the world.
3. How do you explain the physical changes in the guy and the spike in performance? Sure he's a great player but he's no better than Koufax, Gibson, or Carlton, all of whom crapped out in their 30s instead of got better. And don't give me that line about being a workout fiend. That manic workout stuff is part and parcel of the whole steroids syndrome.
4. Clemens is shocked, shocked! to discover that his buddy Pettite is doing HGH. But he and Pettite apparently talked about HGH and Pettite is not going to lie for anyone.
5. Clemens' over the top denials are the stuff of the guilty. He looks more like O.J. than a truly innocent person.
Sorry, but Roger's guilty. I don't take any delight in it and there are a lot of mitigating circumstances. But he's still guilty.
Posted by: Corey | January 8, 2008 01:04 PM |
Good question Mitchell, I wouldn't mind getting back to baseball too.
BL- I sure do know that clip, I love the Coors Light ads with it too.
Corey- #4 of your points is the one I also have the toughest time believing. Pettitte used HGH and he never once mentioned it to Clemens? McNamee never mentioned to Clemens that he injected Pettitte with it? I definitely don't buy that part.
Posted by: Peter![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 8, 2008 04:07 PM
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