Apr 2, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) stands with (left- right) Andy Pettitte and Mike Stanton and Roger Clemens and Milo Hamilton before a game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Roger Clemens has a title that should always be used somewhere in a discussion – “The Texas Con Man.” A hearty “thank you” to the late Will McDonough of the Boston Globe. When an individual has the social skills of a viper and the intellectual capacity of a bag of hammers you have plenty of potential for being a miscreant.
There is a professional responsibility and Clemens eventually had a contract clause that allowed him to avoid travel on road trips he was not scheduled to pitch. This was part of his Yankees contract and from a team that prides itself on the professional appearance of their players. The comments from fellow union members were scathing.
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In his Red Sox days came the complaints about having to carry his own luggage through airports and the miserable conditions that existed in the clubhouse and the park itself. Too bad Clemens was arguably the best in the game otherwise he would have enjoyed the conditions at Portland.
Clemens certainly could cause microaggreesions in a stadium if he played today based on some rather spurious comments he directed at Japanese and Korean baseball fans. Nothing is complete without his retirements. I happen to be a huge Frank Sinatra fan and he had less retirement tours than Clemens.
Clemens could fill up chapters in books about his surly behaviors. I thought it was appropriate that Clemens appeared in the movie “Cobb” since they shared some similar flaws.