Roger Clemens Puts An End To Comeback Talk

Roger Clemens looked impressive this week pitching for the Sugar Land (Tex.) Skeeters, an independent minor league team in the Atlantic League, but the 50-year-old hurler said he doesn’t plan to take his comeback any further.

Clemens said he has no intentions of going back to the major leagues, USA Today reported — at least not right now. But in denying that he wants to return to MLB, Roger Clemens did appear to leave to door open to changing his mind.

As he talked to the Houston Chronicle, Roger Clemens picked his words very carefully when asked if he plans to come back to the majors.

“Not at this point,” said Roger Clemens, who is playing in the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship in Loris, S.C.,. “That could change in a couple days, but right now we haven’t talked to any of the guys or anything like that.”

Clemens’ outing for the Skeeters was his first time pitching in five years, and it appeared he didn’t miss a beat. Granted, it was against Atlantic League competition, but the Rocket pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings and hit 24 strikes on 37 total pitches. His fastball reached 88 miles per hour and he mixed in some curveballs and split-finger fastballs as well.

For now Clemens is turning his attention to the links as one of approximately 3,100 golfers participating in the World Am, which takes place this week on 60 courses in the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area. Clemens shot an 84 on Monday, a score beaten by his wife.

Roger Clemens said despite the good outing with the Skeeters, he still considers himself retired.

“I didn’t come out of retirement,” Roger Clemens said. “That was an independent start and pretty fun. It’s a lot of work to go out and do that. But I’m pretty active. I throw with the boys whether it be high school, college or even some of the minor league teams.”