Roger Clemens’ agent released an 18,000-word report Monday to refute allegations that his client’s career rebounded around the same time he was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.
“Clemens’ longevity was due to his ability to adjust his style of pitching as he got older, incorporating his very effective split-finger fastball to offset the decrease in the speed of his regular fastball caused by aging,” said the report, created by Randy Hendricks and two associates at his firm.
Clemens’ former trainer, Brian McNamee, claimed in last month’s Mitchell Report on drugs in baseball that he injected the pitcher with steroids and human growth hormone at least 16 times in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Clemens vehemently denies the allegations, and Clemens and McNamee are among five witnesses scheduled to testify before a House committee on Feb. 13. Clemens also has sued McNamee for defamation.
If Clemens is innocent, this is the right way to approach the situation. Every day there seems to be a report out of the Clemens’ camp trying to prove his innocence. Here’s the thing though, if he is guilty, he’s digging himself a deeper hole. So on one hand it’s almost novel that he’s going to great lengths to say he’s innocent, but if he’s guilty he’s only screwing himself in the end for HOF consideration. Plus, how convenient is it that his agent is saying Clemens started making changes to his pitching style right around the time McNamee supposedly injected him with human growth hormone? Hmm.
