Quick note on Clemens signing with the Yankees

Nice to see that there are finally no more residual remnants of steroids and HGH in Clemens system from his off-season of juicing permitting him to sign on for the remainder of the season with the Yanks.

I have absolutely no idea how this guy has avoided the steroid issue when he repeatedly gets fingered for it (Canseco/Grimsely) and actually became a better player as he aged (much like Bonds). Now if he lost something on his fastball and became more of a "pitcher" as opposed to a "thrower" that would be one thing (see: John Smoltz). However, he's the exact same power pitcher that he was in the mid-'80's. Meanwhile, the power pitchers of even the mid-'90's arms' have fallen off. There really is no other explanation.

At least reporters have flat-out asked him about it (albeit on one-on-one interviews, undoubtedly at Clemens request following his outing in Canseco's book). The Detroit media is too afraid to ask Pudge Rodriguez about appearing in Canseco's book AND SHOWING UP TO SPRING TRAINING LAST YEAR 35 LBS. LESS THAN THE YEAR BEFORE. How do you lose 35 lbs in 4 months? Instead of calling this idiot out on it, the beat writers (and everyone else) just sat there while the guy hit 35 RBIs LESS than the previous season with an almost 70 points lower slugging percentage. Nobody else seemed to care so I thought I'd vent. All that said, I'll stick with Pudge with my only other option being the dangerous (for the Tigers) Mike Rabelo.

In any event, I find it amazing that Clemens is still embraced. Further, he doesn't even come with the same ridiculous "there isn't any hard evidence of him using steroids" logic that is, often, applied to Bonds. Apparently, we need some secret locker room photo of a syringe hanging out of Bonds' ass to be convinced he juiced. Even then I'm sure we'd find some apologist that who would reason that we don't actually know what substance was in the syringe; or, my favorite, "it wasn't against the rules in baseball" so it's somehow alright. Clemens, for whatever reason, is permitted to slide.