Roger Clemens admitted he has “some fun things planned’’ and “maybe another surprise or two,” but he refused to say yesterday his return to the major leagues is imminent, even as most believe it is a fait accompli.
That’s French for “We’re not stupid, Rocket.”
In a 5 1/2-minute interview with “CBS This Morning,’’ the 50-year-old Clemens, who is scheduled to pitch in a professional game tomorrow night for the first time since 2007 when he takes the mound for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League, danced around questions about his immediate future with the nimbleness of a Clydesdale on roller skates.
“I think anything is possible if you have the mindset and the will and desire to do it and put the time in,” he said. “I wish I could worry about that and look that far ahead.
“It’s a lot of work to get back to where I was five years ago. … We have some fun things planned. Maybe another surprise or two. We’ll wait and see what happens after Saturday.’’
Clemens is scheduled to throw a maximum of 90 pitches for the Skeeters against the Bridgeport Bluefish. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner signed with the independent team Monday after a workout which was also witnessed by representatives of the Astros.
More than a few people in and around baseball believe Clemens, who makes his home in suburban Houston, will soon sign with the last-place Astros and make an appearance for them once major-league rosters expand next week.
“I’ve already made it to the majors and retired three times and then come back,” Clemens said. “I wish it was that easy.’’
In addition to giving the Astros’ sagging attendance a shot in the arm, an appearance in the majors would also restart the clock on Clemens’ Hall of Fame eligibility.
Clemens, who was accused in the Mitchell Report of using performance-enhancing drugs, though he had never failed a drug test, is scheduled to be on the 2013 Hall of Fame ballot along with other first-timers such as Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, each of whom has been linked to steroids. Pitching in the majors this season would push Clemens’ eligibility back another five years and perhaps allow the anticipated fallout from Bonds’ and Sosa’s respective candidacies to sort itself out.
The hope, from the perspective of Clemens and his supporters, appears to be that voters might have a different view of PEDs five years from now and make his election to the Hall much easier.
“I can’t control that,” Clemens said of getting into the Hall. “Again, like I said, I went out to play the game of baseball because I love to play it. I did it right. I did it the right way. I worked hard doing it.
“The Hall of Fame is great. I got a lot of great buddies there. The guys that are there paved the way for me to do what I love to do. … But I can’t control it. It’s not going to change my life either way.’’