When Curt Schilling pitched through an injury in Game 6 of the ALCS in 2004 -- the "bloody sock" game, as we have come to know it -- the sports world watched in wonder.But if Roger Clemens was out there watching, or at least caught the highlights on SportsCenter, he had to feel a little jealous. After all, he is the power pitcher of this decade (and the last one) and he is the one that lives for the spotlight.
Three years and two un-retirements later, it may finally be Roger's moment.
Clemens has been "shut down" by the Yankees for the rest of the regular season because of a hamstring injury that just won't go away. I guess when you're 45, things tend to linger.
But Clemens is "confident" that he will be ready for the first round of the postseason, which in Clemens-speak translates roughly as: "I kind of like this hero role, and no tender hammy is going to stop me from playing it."
So the stage is set, and I can picture it now. The Yankees pencil in an ailing Clemens for Game 5 of the ALDS, and we see him walk gingerly out of the bullpen at Angels Stadium. Fans, commentators, and even Joe Torre are uncertain as to how deep he'll be able to go. In the back of our minds, though, we all know what will happen.
It has all the ingredients of postseason heroics, equalling if not surpassing Schilling's performance in 2004. But before we get all gung ho about this, I have one quick question.
Hamstrings don't bleed, do they?
6 comments:
I enjoyeed watching Clemens get battered about in the '05 World Series. I can only hope it happens again!
If the stage is set for anything, it's for another post-season appearance like game 1 of the 2005 World Series where he left after 2 innings with a sore hamstring.
"I don't believe what I just saw!"
Yick. Don't need another one of those...
Of course, there is one small problem to this theory. Schilling had a noted track record of post-season performances even before the bloody sock.
Clemens has a reputation of being unreliable and having spectacular meltdowns.
For the record, this was written in jest.
I was surprisingly close to perfect on my prediction.
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