Everybody Hates Roger

The Yankees owe Major League Baseball $24 million of competitive-balance "luxury" tax on contracts that pushed the team's payroll over the $148 million limit, AP reports. The might seem like a lot to shell out for the privilege of paying Roger Clemens to go 6-6, but it's actually less than last year. More »

Roger Clemens shot back against steroid allegations today, posting a video online in which he says,  "I did not use steroids, or human growth hormone and I've never done so." In the less than two minute video, the Rocket refutes information provided in George Mitchell's report by former trainer Brian McNamee, saying it "is simply not true," reports the Times . More »

If Roger Clemens doesn’t fight to clear his name, then he’s guilty in Curt Schilling’s book, and his post-1997 stats should be cleared from the record books. “There aren’t many options as a fan other than to believe his career 192 wins and 3 Cy Youngs he won prior to 1997 were the end,” Schilling wrote on his blog. More »

Responding to accusations in the Mitchell report, Roger Clemens today denied using steroids, Newsday reports. “I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life," the Yankees pitcher said in a statement. "Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take.” More »

Steroid accusations may cost Roger Clemens the chance to speak at a Texas convention next month, the Houston Chronicle reports. "I don't want to rush to judgment," but the report "casts a dark cloud above him," said the head of a state coaches group that had invited him. Execs will talk to Clemens before making a decision tomorrow, Bloomberg reports. More »

Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, one of the bigger names cited in the Mitchell report on doping in baseball, admitted today that he used human growth hormone, the AP reports. Pettitte says he used HGH twice in 2002 to speed his recovery from an elbow injury. "I accept responsibility for those two days," he said. More »

The attorney for Roger Clemens says the Hall-of-Famer is outraged that he was named in yesterday's report on steroid use in baseball, the Houston Chronicle reports. "There has never been one shred of tangible evidence that he ever used these substances, and yet he is being slandered today," said the lawyer. More »

George Mitchell’s long-awaited report on steroids in baseball dropped today, and it blamed both players and management for what it said could be the sport's biggest challenge since the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Every club had a player involved; Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Miguel Tejada were among inclusions. The ex-senator's report found some players had warning from higher-ups about tests. More »

Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte are among the 50 or so baseball players named in George Mitchell's much-anticipated report on steroids in Major League Baseball, ESPN reports. A Yankees strength trainer told investigators, whose report is due today, that the two pitchers were among players he supplied with steroids, a source tells ESPN . "Several" prominent Yankees will be named, reports the Bergen Record, citing a baseball official. More »

San Diego Padres all-star pitcher Jake Peavy bagged the National League Cy Young Award today, after unanimously receiving all 32 first place votes and racking up 160 points, 66 more than the runner-up. Peavy led the league this year with 240 strikeouts, 19 wins, and finished the season with an impressive 2.54 ERA, the Associated Press writes. More »

Roger Clemens looks to be retiring at long last, as he prepares to honor his post-retirement contract with the Houston Astros by working to scout and develop young pitchers. But wait—if a team "has a need for Roger" and the Rocket feels up to it, his agent "would try to work out a contract," reports the Houston Chronicle. More »

Trailing 0-2 in the ALDS and behind 3-1 in the fourth inning of last night's game, the Yankees finally rallied for an 8-4 win against Cleveland, reports the New York Daily News . The victory keeps the Yanks in the playoffs and Joe Torre at their helm; owner George Steinbrenner decreed yesterday that Torre's out of a job if the Yankees lose this series. More »

The Yankees pulled Roger Clemens from his start last night at Tampa Bay because of a lingering left hamstring injury and announced that he won't pitch for the remainder of the regular season. Kei Agawa filled in and threw five scoreless innings, but the Yankees bullpen collapsed and Tampa Bay won it in the 10th. More »

Boston loaded the bases in the ninth, but Yankees closer Mariano Rivera held on for the save in the Yankees' 4-3 victory. Derek Jeter, who caught the final out, had made all the difference in the previous inning, smashing Curt Schilling's last pitch into the Green Monster seats for a three-run homer, Newsday reports. More »

A pitchers' duel between A.J. Burnett and rookie Ian Kennedy set the stage for Frank "Big Hurt" Thomas' walk-off single in the ninth inning, snapping a seven-game Yankee romp. Thomas had both of Toronto's RBIs. Burnett threw eight stellar frames, the only blemish a solo shot to Johnny Damon. More »

After a wretched August when three losses and a 17.69 ERA sent veteran Mike Mussina to the bullpen, the Yankees finally got to see Moose dominate again last night. Filling in for an injured Roger Clemens, Mussina kept the Blue Jays scoreless for 5 2/3 innings and paved the way for the team's seventh consecutive victory. More »

The Yankees grabbed a share of the AL wild-card lead last night with a 4-3 win over Boston in the Bronx. Roger Clemens took a no-hitter into the sixth and surrendered only two hits in six innings for New York, while Boston's Josh Beckett gave up 13 hits en route to his sixth loss. More »

Twins ace Johan Santana struck out a franchise-record 17 batters to lead Minnesota past the Rangers 1-0 yesterday. Santana, who was perfect for the first half of his eight-inning outing, got all the offense he needed with a solo shot from teammate Michael Cuddyer. The game was otherwise momentous for the Twins, who climbed to 8 back in the American League Wildcard race. More »

Roger Clemens was suspended five games and Joe Torre one for their part in Tuesday's contentious Yankees/Blue Jays game. The combative three-game series saw a number of incidents, culminating with Roger Clemens beaning Alex Rios in the back as payback for pitches thrown at A-Rod. More »

Roger Clemens was ejected and the benches cleared twice yesterday in the Yankees tension-filled 9-2 win over the Blue Jays. The Jays made it clear they were still incensed over A-Rod's "Ha!" play when pitcher Josh Towers hurled his first pitch of the third inning directly right at A-rod's left knee.  More »