Roger Clemens

No second chances Bill Shaikin Los Angeles Times No. Roger Clemens essentially was charged with failing to play by the rules. The justice system cannot work properly if people do not tell the truth, and Clemens was alleged to have lied — at great risk, because the government would not have prosecuted him for illegal use of steroids but would prosecute for perjury. However, the government has to play by the rules too. It is difficult to believe the prosecutors intentionally defied a judge's order, but they nonetheless failed to play by the rules.

Bonds, Clemens snubbed Dan Connolly Baltimore Sun It's not surprising that no one received the needed 75 percent of BBWAA ballots. It's also not surprising that Craig Biggio, he of the 3,060 career hits for the Astros, was the highest vote-getter with 68.2 percent. What surprised me was that suspected performance-enhancing drug users Barry Bonds (36.2 percent) and Roger Clemens (37.6), arguably the two best players in the Steroid Era, were named on barely one-third of the ballots.

Many character issues Juan C. Rodriguez Sun Sentinel It won't happen soon. Clemens' acquittal probably sways some voters on the fence about his candidacy. It won't put a big enough dent into the broader cross-section of writers who aren't prepared to induct anyone with strong links, circumstantial or otherwise, to the steroid era. The government did not fail to prove Clemens took steroids or human growth hormone. It failed to prove he perjured himself in front of Congress.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America released its Hall of Fame ballot today, and now the next six weeks will be filled with debate on whether some of the biggest names -- and most controversial characters -- will get into Cooperstown's hallowed halls. Players on the ballot for the first time include a few stars that were embroiled in the sport's steroid controversy: namely Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and former Orioles outfielder Sammy Sosa. Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling also are first-timers, joining popular holdovers such as Jeff Bagwell, Jack Morris and Tim Raines on the ballot.

Roger Clemens  had a press conference before the Sugar Land Skeeters-York Revolution game in York, Pa. on Tuesday. And a guy named Brooks Robinson showed up - the 75-year-old Hall of Famer is a part owner of the York and Sugar Land teams of the independent Atlantic League. I passed on a bunch of quotes yesterday, but here are a few more of interest. Here's Clemens on seeing Robinson at the press conference:  “I'm excited today because I got to see this man over here. He came in for this and it's a treat for me to see some guys that when I was younger I watched and paved the way for me and my teammates to play the game and play it the right way. So any time I can give thanks to Brooksie and these guys that have played before me, again, I know that's the reason I had the opportunities that I had. I was able to make the money I did playing a wonderful game and take care of my family and extended family.

YORK, Pa. - Roger Clemens  is scheduled to pitch again for the independent Sugar Land Skeeters on Friday in Texas, but he doesn't expect to return to the majors this season. “I don't see it happening. Everybody is speculating and everybody's got their own opinions, and that's great,” Clemens said during a news conference Tuesday at Sovereign Bank Stadium, the home of the Atlantic League's York Revolution. “But it is still a lot of work. When I started warming up, playing a little lawn catch, I knew it was gonna be a little more work than I wanted.” The 50-year-old Clemens, who last pitched in the majors in 2007 for the New York Yankees, created a stir Aug. 25 when he threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the Bridgeport Bluefish before a sold-out crowd of more than 7,000 in suburban Houston.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America released its Hall of Fame ballot today, and now the next six weeks will be filled with debate on whether some of the biggest names -- and most controversial characters -- will get into Cooperstown's hallowed halls. Players on the ballot for the first time include a few stars that were embroiled in the sport's steroid controversy: namely Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and former Orioles outfielder Sammy Sosa. Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio and Curt Schilling also are first-timers, joining popular holdovers such as Jeff Bagwell, Jack Morris and Tim Raines on the ballot.

If Roger Clemens is bluffing, he shouldn't ever pitch again. He should be taking his act to the World Series of Poker. Whenever someone is hauled into court - whether it's a real courtroom or the court of public opinion - you generally get an initial denial. "I plead not guilty, your honor." Then the system works things out. But in Clemens' case, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner is making an all-out frontal assault on allegations in the Mitchell Report that he used steroids and human growth hormone.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens said yesterday that a fine and suspension stemming from his ejection from a playoff game were based on a biased account by umpires and that he believes he may be successful in his appeal of the punishment.Clemens, who is entered in a baseball players golf tournament at Pebble Beach, said it is significant that American League president Bobby Brown has heard only one side in the case."We will see what happens when we tell our side of the story [to Brown and commissioner Fay Vincent]

The next time you watch American Idol and fantasize about being a big celebrity, go stand in line at your local supermarket and think about how that's working out for whoever is on the cover of this week's edition of the National Enquirer. Or, in the case of soiled superstar Roger Clemens, the front page of yesterday's New York Daily News. You remember "The Rocket." He used to be a baseball hero ... a role model to millions ... the embodiment of the American Dream. Now, he's so tarnished that you could dip him into that miracle silver cleaner they advertise on late-night television and he'd still be stained beyond recognition.

Roger Clemens  had a press conference before the Sugar Land Skeeters-York Revolution game in York, Pa. on Tuesday. And a guy named Brooks Robinson showed up - the 75-year-old Hall of Famer is a part owner of the York and Sugar Land teams of the independent Atlantic League. I passed on a bunch of quotes yesterday, but here are a few more of interest. Here's Clemens on seeing Robinson at the press conference:  “I'm excited today because I got to see this man over here. He came in for this and it's a treat for me to see some guys that when I was younger I watched and paved the way for me and my teammates to play the game and play it the right way. So any time I can give thanks to Brooksie and these guys that have played before me, again, I know that's the reason I had the opportunities that I had. I was able to make the money I did playing a wonderful game and take care of my family and extended family.

YORK, Pa. - Roger Clemens  is scheduled to pitch again for the independent Sugar Land Skeeters on Friday in Texas, but he doesn't expect to return to the majors this season. “I don't see it happening. Everybody is speculating and everybody's got their own opinions, and that's great,” Clemens said during a news conference Tuesday at Sovereign Bank Stadium, the home of the Atlantic League's York Revolution. “But it is still a lot of work. When I started warming up, playing a little lawn catch, I knew it was gonna be a little more work than I wanted.” The 50-year-old Clemens, who last pitched in the majors in 2007 for the New York Yankees, created a stir Aug. 25 when he threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the Bridgeport Bluefish before a sold-out crowd of more than 7,000 in suburban Houston.

It won't be pretty Phil Rogers Chicago Tribune Tarnished as he is, Roger Clemens could find plenty of better things to do than what he will do this weekend — pitch for the Sugar Land Skeeters. It's unclear if Clemens wants this to be the start of an attempt to get back to the big leagues or just another way to keep busy, but either way the odds are stacked against him. I remember Jim Palmer trying to make a comeback with the Orioles long after he had retired. It was not a pretty thing to see. That's my guess on this Clemens comeback.

Many character issues Juan C. Rodriguez Sun Sentinel It won't happen soon. Clemens' acquittal probably sways some voters on the fence about his candidacy. It won't put a big enough dent into the broader cross-section of writers who aren't prepared to induct anyone with strong links, circumstantial or otherwise, to the steroid era. The government did not fail to prove Clemens took steroids or human growth hormone. It failed to prove he perjured himself in front of Congress.

After two very expensive (to taxpayers) trials, Roger Clemens is found guilty of nothing ("Jury acquits ex-pitcher of all 6 charges," June 19). When will theU.S. Department of Justice stop this nonsense and waste of our resources with this grandstanding and justification of a job? F. Cordell, Lutherville

Roger Clemens is a selfish, self-serving liar ("'Trapped' in a pack of lies," April 24). How can it be justified that, in the latter years his career, he suddenly had an incredible amount of success? Blind luck? A relentless training regimen, perhaps? Or maybe it was it the vitamin B12, as Clemens stated his injections contained. Who in their proper mind would inject vitamins? This is simply a sad case of a man who is desperately trying to cling to his fading hopes of being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Roger Clemens has played out his hand in the sad steroid saga that has - no doubt - permanently stained his great career. Now, all that's left for him to do is move on and hope he has done enough to erode the credibility of former personal trainer Brian McNamee and discourage the Justice Department from pursuing a perjury case. So why is attorney Rusty Hardin still on the offensive when there's nothing left to gain and so much still at risk? That's a question that's still rattling around in my head after reading his comments blasting California Congressman Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House committee that grilled Clemens and McNamee for nearly five hours Wednesday in Washington.

Roger Clemens had to know it would come to this. He had to know his high-stakes game of chicken with steroid investigator George Mitchell and the steroid grandstanders in Congress would end with a perjury investigation and maybe a federal indictment. He had to know it because any first-year law school student could have told him so, and most assuredly his high-priced legal team laid out the whole thing right from the beginning. Which means this might have been part of the plan all along.

Maddux dominant Kevin Cowherd Baltimore Sun OK, are we including cheaters? Or, ahem, alleged cheaters? If so, it's hard not to go with Mr. Steroid Scandal himself, Roger Clemens, with his 354 career wins, 3.12 ERA and 7 Cy Young Awards. But if we give him the heave-ho — let's do — my vote goes to Greg Maddux. Let the stat geeks howl about Cy Young's 511 wins or Walter Johnson's 417 — fans were still pulling up to the ballpark in buckboard carriages when those two pitched.

No second chances Bill Shaikin Los Angeles Times No. Roger Clemens essentially was charged with failing to play by the rules. The justice system cannot work properly if people do not tell the truth, and Clemens was alleged to have lied — at great risk, because the government would not have prosecuted him for illegal use of steroids but would prosecute for perjury. However, the government has to play by the rules too. It is difficult to believe the prosecutors intentionally defied a judge's order, but they nonetheless failed to play by the rules.