Roger Clemens Reportedly Signs with Independent League Team Sugar Land Skeeters

Even at 50 years old, Roger Clemens can't walk away from the game of baseball. The seven-time Cy Young winner will sign with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston.

"

Roger Clemens agent, Randy Hendricks, and Sugar Land Skeeters Pres. Matt O'Brien tell FOX 26 Roger workd out. 4 the team, will sign w/ them

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) August 20, 2012"

Not only is Clemens going to sign with them, Berman also reports that he is going to make his debut for the team on Saturday, August 25, when they take on the Bridgeport Bluefish. 

"

Roger Clemens will start for Skeeters on Saturday in Sugar Land

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) August 20, 2012"

But wait, there's more. Berman wrote that Clemens did a complete workout for the team and was "in great shape."

"

Skeeters say Clemens had full work out today and was clocked at 87 MPH, worked out for 45 minutes and is in great shape

— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) August 20, 2012"

There are two ways to look at this. On the one hand, the Skeeters are 5.5 games behind Lancaster in the Freedom Division, so it is not impossible that they can make a run over the last two months of their season. 

On the other hand—and this is much more likely—Clemens is being used as nothing more than a publicity stunt to sell tickets. Granted, the level of competition is not exactly high, so he doesn't have to be the overpowering pitcher he was, but how much does he really have left?

Throwing 87 in a single workout at 50 years old is one thing; doing it over and over again during a game is something else entirely. 

Of course, we have seen Independent teams go after former Major League Baseball players in the past, with Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson being the two prime examples. 

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