More heat for the Rocket
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Feb 25, 2008 
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It is now being reported that the Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform are drafting a letter to the Justice Department seeking an investigation of whether Roger Clemens committed perjury in his testimony.
That doesn’t mean there will be an investigation. Or that Clemens will be indicted. It just means that the Clemens/Brian McNamee mess may just be getting started.
————
Mike Silva of Gotham Sports Radio interviewed me earlier today for his show.
You can listen to the interview here.
Yea new post!!
1. Whomever said politics was a messy business was understating things.
2. Never do anything that you will have a hard time defending in public.
I think its a shame this has become a partisan debate.
Truthfully, I’m more down on the politicans than I am any player who used PED’s.
If you want to refer the thing to the Justice Department, do it.
However, to have it cut down party lines is just reprehensible to me.
Even at his lowest point of popularity, Clemens still out polls Congress, 33%-21% in the most recent polling.
Tells you how little Americans respect their Congressmen.
With good reason.
When is the show on?
well, the Republicans seem to have read the depositions. anyone who reads the depositions is going to refer McNamee for investigation, not Clemens.
i wish Waxman would do his job and investigate the following. The allegation of selling nuclear secrets seems a tad more important than determining who attended Jose Canseco’s party in 1998:
http://letsibeledmondsspeak.bl.....lence.html
Who is in charge of the Democratic party these days ? They sell their souls to Bush to get a payoff to the electorate under the guise of an “Economic Stimulus Package”, then turn around and look like fools throwing good money after bad to chase McNamee and Clemens in their “he said vs. he said” case.
Speaking of all of this garbage…
An oldie, but goodie:
http://nyystadiuminsider.com/2.....bunch.html
so now we can listen to Pete Abe on internet radio along with reading 10 blog posts a day and multiple articles in the journal news?
This is like an escape to Abe-fan Eden.
Everybody should have a friend in their life like Drayton McLane. With all that Clemens has said and done, McLane says he is still a member of the Astros family and welcome to spring training anytime he wants to come.
While I don’t support what Clemens has done, I admire the loyalty McLane has shown Roger, no matter how misguided some may think it to be.
Anyone get an email yet? This is pretty bad that it is 9pm and no one has gotten one yet.
I do not care about what happens to Clemens at this point. Mitchell tried to bury Pettitte and the Yankees and he failed. Nice try, better luck next time.
Two things you never want to see made: sausage and law. The political process is quite an unsavory mixture of wholesome and unwholesome things.
Unfortunately, while I had hoped cooler heads would prevail, it continues to play out along party lines. I suppose the Dems have enough votes as the majority on the committee to do whatever they want. It’s an opportunity for the Congressmen to let their constituents know they are showing up for work and are being tough so they have something to run on in the next Congressional election. It also lets them pass the hot potato to the Republican Justice Department – - more partisan strategy – - to let them be the “bad guys” who go after Clemens criminally.
But if only the Dems sign on, and the Republicans on the committee blast the request for an investigation as a huge waste of time and money, the Justice Department has some wiggle room, and could decline to prosecute in light of those other little problems they need to deal with, The War on Terror, the War on Crime and the War on Drugs. But if they decline, that’s when the Rev. Al Sharpton gets involved, demanding “equal justice” for Clemens in light of the Bonds indictment. Confusing yet?
I still say that the most pragmatic, small “p” political solution is for the Justice Department to defer to the Texas trial, and say they will monitor developments there. My best guess is that this course would buy the Justice Department at least a year or two before the civil trial starts to see what happens. Don’t forget, the FBI and IRS CID files pertaining to McNamee might have to be turned over in discovery if there is a perjury trial and Clemens might be able to subpoena Mitchell’s files pertaining to McNamee. Those files contain the “prior inconsistent statements” made by McNamee, including the now changed number of times that he injected Clemens as well as the fact that he never disclosed the syringes to Mitchell. (A failure to fully disclose might be considered a prior inconsistent statement and thus fodder for cross examination of McNamee). I cannot believe that Justice or Mitchell want that.
Thus while Law Enforcement was gung-ho when they thought this would be a quick hit in Mitchell’s Report, they may be a little more reluctant to go forward if they really think they will have to stay and fight. We’ll see.
i wish he’d post another thread.
this topic is just SO tired…
Boy, have Bolshevik Bud and his Red Sox cronies gotten their money’s worth from this boondoggle or what?
Mark: Nope. However, I never win those sorts of things anyway.
Off the topic of politics
Anyone catch moment of truth on FOX it was a classic
Pete, have you ever considered actually doing your own radio show?
Good stuff with the interview
“House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform”???
Baseball is part of government reform??????? Don’t they got anything better to do? Oh wait they do…
Hello, there’s a health care system and social security system that need to be “reformed”
Can someone look up whoever’s in that committee and make sure they aren’t re-elected.
Mark,
Nope. Maybe the IT guy who heads up the thing got sick? No idea… It’s usually never this late.
another story about Mr. take it on the butt Clemens
meanwhile no news about Jose Tabata or Austin Jackson, god let the exhibition start already
I know Gus I entered the Redsox one last year and they sent out their emails during the day, and actually got picked and got the benefit to sit behind the redsox bullpen when arod hit the homer off Papelbon in the pouring rain.
Best Yankees regular season game I have ever been at.
Article on Phil’s blog in the NYTimes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02.....yanks.html
the real problem here i think is not Congress, it is Bud Selig.
obviously the Mitchell Report is flawed in respect to Clemens; if he did anything, Mitchell hasn’t produced the evidence, and obviously didn’t work very hard to get evidence. Relying on McNamee is untenable.
the Commish should say that this one aspect of the report is open to question, and so MLB is retracting its accusations about Clemens for now. MLB can then investigate Clemens further, and always has the option of naming him if evidence materializes.
this seems like the fair thing for MLB to do. Moreso for Roger Clemens, who certainly has worked hard enough: if MLB is going to tar him, it should have irrefutable evidence.
should we be concerned ?
click
george – That would be operating under the assumption that MLB is fair. I don’t think that could be further from the truth.
Why are they making A-Rod bunt thats for Jeter hitters not A-Rod.
lol Brandon. I can see the headlines now: ‘ARod Seen Bunting: Indication of Reduced Power By Being Off ‘Roids?’
Brandon
Where is Giambino..you think Joe is gonna make him bunt or what
rodg12, OH NOZ ALEX SEEN BUNTING !
SJ44…
Given the state of politics in America right now, and Waxman’s committee plays a part in this, almost everything will be put in an R vs. D perspective. (Especially in this Presidential election year!) This is so for a lot of reasons we ought not to discuss here, but to many if not most people, it’s obnoxious. When it reaches into the pastime of basebal, it’s almost criminal. I’d suggest an investigation, but…
Speaking for myself right now, I’m not concerned with McNamee or Clemens or this Congressional Committee in this context. I’m having a blast reading Pete Abraham’s reports from Spring Training.
Clemens’s Repug ties will prevent any indictment.
That NYT article was really good.
I spend all day reading what you guys have to say – it’s nice to be able to add to the discussion
Day 11 began with the usual stretching drills done on the main field for one group of mixed players and the right side field for the other group. Each day the players switch fields. After long tossing, the pitchers lined up off to the 3rd base side and individually simulated throwing a pitch from the mound. At the same time a coach hit a ball to either oufield gap from 2nd base and as an outfielder threw the ball to the cutoff man, the pitchers backed up the base. This was done for all possible scenarios with all bases.
- Throwing batting practice today was Hughes, Pettitte, Farnsworth, Bruney, Veras, Britton, Strickland, Wright, Giese, Phillips, Igawa, and Horne. Like Sunday, pitchers threw 20 pitches then left the mound for 8-10 minutes to simulate game conditions as the next pitcher was throwing and then returning to throw the last 20 pitches. All pitchers did the same procedure. As always, the catchers get to catch pitchers on an alternating basis. By now every pitcher has been caught by a different catcher.
- Is Joe Girardi leaving no stone unturned ? For the 1st time since I’ve been going to Legends Field (now Steinbrenner Field) when it opened in ’96, all position players participated in extensive bunting drills. Using the 7 mound area where pitchers 1st did bullpen sessions last week, chalk lines were put down to the left and right of the middle bullpen plate and players practiced laying down bunts from a pitching machine to the 3rd and 1st base lines.
- As pitchers finished throwing batting practice they did light running. No full squad wind sprints were done today after batting practice.
- For whatever reason, Joe Girardi went to the left side field and did long tossing alone with Pavano from about 100 feet. Maybe he wants to see what makes the guy tick. It was the only time of the workouts that Girardi wasn’t seen where the heavy fielding drills or batting practice was going on at the other fields.
- Another drill I didn’t mention that was done on Sunday was a coach hitting high infield choppers to each infielder and as the fielder was about to glove the ball, the coach would holler whether is was an average runner or a fast runner. In the case of the fast runner they would holler “Ichiro” !!! Plays involving all bases were used.
- Mariano and Mussina do not throw batting practice and are allowed their preference of throwing side sessions in bullpens to work on pitches.
- Another productive day and all players are healthy.
- Day 12 tomorrow…….
who caught that Ch.7 reporter eyeing Phil in the photo
RRS1603: is the 1603 in your name referring to the year?
Thanks for the update Tim.
actually it’s my birthday inverted (March 16th) – I’ve posted under a couple different names throughout the season…I’ve also recommended this blog to a lot of friends and don’t necessarily want them to know when it’s me
But i’m pretty sure i’ve read every post/comment since I discovered the blog last off season.
Tim, thanks so much for the extra info.
Okay. There’s a wonderful Neil Gaiman graphic novel called 1603, and it’s the year Elizabeth I of England died, so you made the geek in me jump for joy.
I’ll definitely have to check it out…thanks for letting me know.
Let’s hope that the intrasquad game is a fair and good one with great results for the young pitchers. (And) Maybe also some others.
Oh – that’s b/c I did my minor in European History…
Tim – BIG THANKS
THAT’S
THE
BEST POST OF THE DAY
(EVEN MUCH BETTER
THAN THOSE FROM PETE)
The emails have probably been sent. None of us got the chance though…Its a shame.
Tim – what a great update! thanks so much for the information.
Tim: Thanks for the info. Like the tidbit on Girardi and Pavano.
SJ44 and murphydog, your posts always add so much insight to this blog. Thank you.
Tim, thanks for the very helpful post.
Rebecca, thanks for always keeping it human and positive here.
And of course, thanks to Peter for making it all happen.
Y’all (and lots of others) have made this my new favorite sports place online.
wow Tim great update. Thanks man.
Every time I see the words “Clemens”, McNamee, HGH, steroid, congress, mitchell, “House Committee on Oversight”, “Canseco’s party”, etc., I begin to yawn uncontrollably. Whatever happened to the blog’s decree of separation of sports and state?
Yazman: thanks for the love fest!
Tim …. very observant, good summary.
But what is the point of the “Ichiro” drill, where the coach waits until the infielder is about to catch the ball before letting him know that a fast runner is heading towards first base?
Hopefully, a major league infielder would know beforehand that an “Ichiro” is hitting, and would shorten up in the infield, as well as quicken his release after catching the ball. That drill doesn’t seem to simulate anything that exists in the real world. Maybe I’m missing something ……
Yazman: I have to echo Andrea’s sentiments here
Maybe the point of the drill is to adjust to the speed of the runner.
With a slower runner, you may have a split second more to take care of the ball.
You know. Be quick, but don’t hurry. [John Wooden]
All I want to say is, please no. Please no people in the media. No more Rocket news. I posted a gazillion articles about the Rocket and it took all of my time and a lot of the reporters were saying the same thing over and over again. There’s only so much one can take from hearing and reading about Roger Clemens 24/7. I’d rather post articles about the Yankees like this past week. This past week was great but when Roger is in the news, every one forgets about the Yankee team and they report Roger Roger Roger.
Cute Jeter video.
Who’s he talking to?
http://www.newsday.com/video/
Pat, you beat me to it by 2 minutes, haha. I think he was yelling at a fan who kept talking while he was trying to film his ad’s.
lol, but the Oscar music got too loud before I thanked everyone (must have had a short leash since I didn’t win anything)
You can clearly hear someone yell Joba and they have an accent and then it sounds like one of the camera crew says Mariano.
I’d like to explain what I posted. Every morning I wake up at 5 and I post all the news from the main stream media including Pete’s if he makes an article at the Journal News. Then at 11:30 AM, I’ll start posting everyone’s blog and what they put on their blog. Then I wait until Bryan Hoch posts his stuff because he’s the last person to post something that’s in the main stream media and my day is set. When Roger Clemens is in the news, every one posts things every hour and I’m not kidding. Every hour you’ll find some thing about Roger Clemens and it’s non stop. Hey, I asked for this though.
Pat, I heard the Joba call but I didn’t hear anyone say Mariano. Jeter looked like he was staring into the stands. I’m not sure though. It would make more sense if it was Mariano because he’d obviously feel comfortable telling him to shutup.
I just bought tickets, before they’re on sale to the public, to a Mets game.
Is it weird that I’m a little ashamed?
Just to clarify, they’re a gift for a friend. She’s a Braves fan, and going to Shea is a LOT easier than going to Atlanta.
Boo Boo, you better root for Hotlanta!
HaHa, Jennifer.
Do you feel dirty?
I couldn’t figure out what to wear. It’s a day game, so I need to wear a hat as I’m a pale freak…but I only have Yankee hats. I definitely don’t want to be the jerk wearing a Yankee hat to a Mets game (we know how much we hate the jerks wearing Mets hats to Yankee games). It’s a real conundrum!
Are you afraid of Met fans? C’mon!
I’m no afraid of them, but just as I’d like them to respect “our house,” I’d like to respect theirs, you know?
I know, I was just kidding. I would still wear a Yankee hat, that’s your team.
True, Buddy. I guess if I don’t go in like a hat, tshirt, jersey, all that, it’ll be cool. I mean, I’ll be there with someone in a Chipper Jones jersey, so I think they’ll know we’re not there for the Mets.
I’m not gonna lie. I’ve always been a Beltran fan. Until he broke.
Your boy is going down, Danny. I can’t stop it anymore.
I don’t know if anybody is interested, but I have interviews with Alan Horne, Austin Jackson, Colin Curtis, Brett Gardner and Mark Melancon coming soon. View them at: http://www3.allaroundphilly.co...../blog.html
oops, sorry for the double post
thanks Josh I’ve been waiting for the prospect interviews. I’m going to read it now
selected from the online drawing to purchase premium season tickets…..excellent….i’ll be purchasing when the bell strike 10:00am.
Tyler Kepner wasn’t the only one with a story on Hughes’ blog. Here’s Lisa Kennelly’s more interesting take on it:
http://www.nj.com/yankees/ledg.....038;coll=1
(including the possibility that the Yankees could ban player blogs if there’s a problem)
Ok, so it’s 7am and didnt receive an e-mail for premium tickets. I gotta assume I didn’t win.
Clare, I just finished reading that article a short while ago. I agree that it’s a very interesting angle on it, with the Yankees kind of nervously watching to see how it goes. It was interesting to read about what happened with Tyler Clippard’s MySpace page last season.
Congratulations, Corey. I am one of the many here who did not get an e-mail.
Tim are you the same poster on yesnetwork boards? Cause that is the exact same thing someone else posted.
roger’s going to prison.