Roger's comeback...

"Roger Clemens is a Sugar Land Skeeter!
And Roger Clemens is coming back!
Oh my good, Goodness Gracious!
Of All the Dramatic Things I've ever seen...
Roger Clemens standing in Sugar Land, Texas!
Announcing He is Back! 

Roger Clemens is a Sugar Land Skeeter!!"

Have you heard the reaction of Suzyn Waldman when Clemens decided to comeback to the Yankees? Click below if not...

Suzyn Waldman's reaction to the news...

Report from "BIG LEAGUE STEW", a Yahoo! Sports Blog

Roger Clemens scheduled to pitch in minor-league game on Saturday

By Kevin Kaduk | Big League Stew – 2 hours 45 minutes ago

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(Getty Images)Move over, Jose Canseco.

Make way for Roger Clemens.

Of all the dramatic things we've seen this season, the controversial 50-year-old is leaving the courthouse and golf course to make a play for a few more cheers while pitching in a minor-league baseball game in the Houston area this Saturday night.Make way for Roger Clemens.

The news was first broken by Mark Berman of Houston's Fox 26 and he reports that Clemens will start for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. Berman says that the team put Clemens through a full workout and that his fastball was clocked at 87 mph.

Not bad for someone who spent the last few years dodging perjury charges in federal court. And honestly, he probably can't do any worse than Scott Kazmir, the former major leaguer who has posted an 0-5 record with a 7.89 ERA for the Skeeters this season.

What's really crazy is that SB Nation's Rob Neyer says there's a rumor that the Houston Astros might be staging a bake-off among the four ex-MLBers on the Skeeters' roster — Clemens, Kazmir, Tim Redding and Jason Lane (a former Astros outfielder turned pitcher) — and giving a September start to whichever pitcher performs the best. That seems absolutely ridiculous as new GM Jeff Luhnow is trying to change the franchise's current culture (though with the Astros' current Triple-A roster, perhaps it isn't).

If Clemens were somehow to get the nod from the bigs, his Hall of Fame eligibility clock would be pushed back to at least 2018. That's interesting, because not only would it strip Barry Bonds of a Cooperstown-eligible partner to share the scrutiny with this winter, but it'd also allow Clemens to delay his Hall chances to a time when the voting bloc's attitude toward suspected drug users may have softened or changed.

But that, of course, is getting way ahead of ourselves. Clemens last played professional baseball in 2007, going 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 17 starts with the New York Yankees. His last appearance came against the Cleveland Indians in Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS, when a hamstring injury limited him to three runs in 2 1/3 innings of work.

Clemens has stayed in the public eye since then, not only for his legal troubles and Mindy McCready ties, but also for baseball news. He pitched a perfect inning during the University of Texas' annual alumni game last January and took in a Red Sox game from atop the Green Monster seats once his court case concluded.

At the very least, the return of the Rocket is guaranteed to sell a few more tickets for the Skeeters this weekend, not that they needed any help. The Human Fireball — a man who literally sets himself on fire and runs around the field — is also scheduled to appear at the park on Saturday. Talk about poetic coincidence.

Bubba Bell 11th inning hero

The Sugar Land Skeeters split the series with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs 2-2 and now move on to face the Lancaster Barnstormers for a 4-game series.

Micheal Nix, Saul Rivera, Roberto Giron, & Gary Majewski combined to pitch 11 shutout innings to earn the series split. They combined to allow just 7 hits while walking 2 and striking out 6 batters. Majewski got credit for the win by pitching the final 3 innings.

As a team, the Skeeters scattered just 8 hits with the only run coming across the plate in the top of the 11th inning. Bubba Bell, who had been sidelined while sick, got his only hit of the game with a single that scored Ofilio Castro (single) to take the 1-0 lead...which held up. SKEETERS WIN!!

Hitting streaks:

Ofilio Castro (4)

With the win, the Skeeters are now 5.5 games behind Lancaster for the division lead. Once again, the Skeeters have an excellent chance to make up tons of ground in the next 4-game series against Lancaster. The first game begins Monday at 6:00pm local time.

Rough times on the road

After losing the Lancaster series 5-1, the Skeeters hoped to get things headed in the right direction against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. The Blue Crabs, however, looked to keep their winning ways going and stay on top of their division. 

Lancaster takes series 5-1

Sugar Land had a great opportunity to pull ahead of the Lancaster Barnstormers with the 6-game series but could not get anything more than 1 win and were outscored 47-19.

In the first game of the series, Lancaster blasted 18 hits, scoring 9 runs against Sugar Land's 8 hits and 7 runs...Lancaster wins 9-7.

The second game saw Lancaster total 8 runs on 11 hits while Sugar Land only got 5 runs on 5 hits...Lancaster wins 8-5, lead 2-0 in series.

The Lancaster Barnstormers held the Sugar Land Skeeters scoreless while they amassed 9 runs on 11 hits...Lancaster wins 9-0, lead 3-0 in series.

Game 4 was a special night as the Skeeters honored Baby Avery...a very special little girl that quickly touched everyone's heart before leaving to meet her Lord & Savior. On this special night, the Skeeters fought hard, just as Avery and her family did, to win 4-3 in 11 innings. Lancaster leads series at 3-1.

Once again, the Skeeters rolled over and were stomped by Lancaster in game 5. Lancaster scored 9 runs on 9 hits while the Skeeters were only able to score 1 run off 5 hits...Lancaster wins 9-1, lead series 4-1.

The final game of the series was no better for the Skeeters. The Barnstormers scored 9 runs on 13 hits while the Skeeters only scored 2 runs on 7 hits. Lancaster wins the final game 4-2, and the series 5-1.

After this very disappointing home-stand, the Skeeters now have a 16-17 record in the second half, putting them in 3rd place in the division, 5.5 games behind Lancaster. The team now hits the road for 8 games over 8 days. a 4-game series against Southern Maryland Thursday and is followed by a 4-game series against Lancaster.

*Please hang in there with me as I have been traveling and attending meetings. Although I get to follow the games, I do not get to write them up as I normally do.

Struggles continue against Lancaster

After an 8-5 loss last night, the Skeeters needed to get back to their winning ways if they wanted to have a chance at the second half playoff spot for the Freedom Division. Scott Kazmir got the start for the Skeeters in hopes of turning the ship around, and faced off against Horacio Ramirez for the Barnstormers.

Skeeters "stormed" by Lancaster

Headed into the 6-game series versus the division leader Lancaster Barnstormers, the Skeeters need to go 4-2 at Constellation Field to gain first place in the division. They stood a good chance at taking the 1-0 lead with Jason Lane on the mound while Lancaster put Dwayne Pollok on the mound.

Skeeters clip the Ducks

After sweeping the Riversharks in 3 games, the Skeeters needed to win the final game of the series against the Ducks to avoid being swept. Ryan McKeller took the bump for Sugar Land while Adam Rowe threw for Long Island.

Skeeters shutout again in Long Island

After a 7 hit shutout of the Skeeters last night, they looked to get on the board this evening against the Ducks. Kelvin Villa got the start for Sugar Land against Mike Loree for Long Island.

Skeeters shutout in Long Island

After a masterful series against Camden where the Skeeters swept the 3-game series, they looked to continue the stretch with a win against the Long Island Ducks. Michael Nix got the start for the Skeeters and Chris Hayes got the start for the Ducks.

Jason Lane named July pitcher of the month

Big news came from the Sugar Land Skeeters organization Monday as they announced that Jason Lane was named the ALPB pitcher of the month for July. With that nomination, Lane becomes the second Skeeters' player to be named a player of the month. Former Skeeters' player Jason Botts was named player of the month for April/May before being signed to play in Mexico. For the full write-up and details, click the link below to read the story.

http://www.atlanticleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1344279035

Skeeters sweep Riversharks

Looking the get the sweep in Camden, Scott Kazmir was the hurler for Sugar Land while Kevin Reese of looked to stop the 2-game losing streak for the Riversharks.

Lane train stays on track

The Skeeters' Jason Lane improved his record to 4-2 for the season. He pitched 5.1 innings, allowed 3 runs on 9 hits, striking out 4. Saul Rivera & Roberto "The Undertaker" Giron combined to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings while Gary "Juice" Majewski came in for the 9th inning to earn his 17 save of the season.

The Skeeters got things going in the 3rd inning by sending 8 batters to the plate, and scoring 4 runs, which is all they needed. Dominic Ramos, Ofilio Castro, Bubba Bell, & Josh Pressley all got RBIs in the inning.

The Skeeters added 2 more runs in the 9th inning with Ofilio Castro & Bubba Bell earning RBIs in the inning.

 With the win, the Skeeters take a 2-0 lead in the series but most importantly, they keep pace with the Lancaster Barnstormers as they won as well, and pulled away from the York Revolution & Somerset Patriots, both losing yesterday.

The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 12:05pm local time and the Skeeters are looking for the series sweep!

Batting practice results in win

After a disappointing loss to the Somerset Patriots at home, Sugar Land looked to turn things around against the Camden Riversharks on the road. Ryan McKeller got the call for Sugar Land while Keith Weiser got the start for Camden.

5 Skeeters home runs in loss

For the Skeeters, the only way to ensure they stay at the top of the division, they have to win this, the final game of the series. Kelvin Villa got another chance at the start for Sugar Land while Jon Kibler got the call for Somerset.

Another comeback win!

Earlier in the day, Lancaster pulled out a win against Camden so the Skeeters needed a win to stay in sole possession of 1st place in the division. Michael Nix got the ball for the Skeeters while Justin Cassel was the chosen one for Somerset.

Kazmir struggles, Zazueta goes deep

After a masterfully pitched game 1 by Jason Lane, Scott Kazmir got his chance against the Somerset Patriots' Derell McCall in game 2 of the series

Lane dominates for the win

The Skeeters welcomed the Somerset Patriots to Constellation Field and put Jason Lane on the mound to face off against Roy Merritt for the Patriots. Just 1 game separates these 2 teams in the division, Skeeters in 1st place at 9-8, Patriots in 4th place at 8-9...so to say we needed to win is an understatement!

Series split with Camden

The hopes of a series win were high for the Skeeters tonight in the final game against Camden. Heath Phillips threw in his normal rotation spot against Keith Weiser for Camden.

Comeback = 1st place in division!

Game 3 of this 4 game series against the Camden Riversharks took all 9 innings...plus 1 to figure out the winner. Kelvin Villa got the start for the Skeeters while Eddy Camacho tossed for the Riversharks.