Clemens solid in first minor league start
May 18th, 2007
Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Roger Clemens pitched four solid innings in his first minor league start since rejoining the Yankees, giving up just one run for Class-A Tampa on Friday at Legends Field.
Clemens, who threw 58 pitches, gave up just three hits, including a home run in the first inning, while striking out two and not walking a batter. Seven of his 12 outs recorded came on ground balls.
The 44-year-old Clemens, who signed a pro-rated $28 million for the final four months of the season, threw a successful bullpen session on Tuesday to gear up for his start Friday as he prepares to return to the starting rotation for the Yankees.
Clemens is expected to make a start for the Double-A Trenton Thunder at some point next week and could be ready to join the Yankees' rotation as early as late May or beginning of June.
Clemens spent the past three seasons with the Houston Astros after his first retirement following the 2003 campaign with New York. He pitched with the Yankees from 1999 through 2003, winning a pair of World Series titles during his five years with the club.
The future Hall of Famer notched a record of 77-36 with a 3.99 ERA during his first tenure with the Yankees. He won the 2001 AL Cy Young Award with New York, and his seven Cy Young trophies are the most in baseball history.
An 11-time All-Star, Clemens' 348 victories rank eighth in big league history. He is also one of just four pitchers with more than 4,000 strikeouts, as his 4,604 trail only Nolan Ryan on the all-time list.
I was hoping he would get shelled by a bunch of minor leaguers 😀