Clemens to face Marlins in Mexico

By Joe Capozzi

Cox News Service

(03-12-04)

JUPITER -- At an awards dinner two months ago, Marlins manager Jack McKeon couldn't resist the chance to poke fun at Roger Clemens for coming out of retirement to pitch for the Houston Astros.

 

''Here I thought I was going to be in the position to tell my grandkids after you go to the Hall of Fame that 'I happened to see his last pitch,' " McKeon told Clemens, "then you went and blew it!''

 

On Oct. 22, Clemens struck out Luis Castillo in an eruption of flashbulbs at Pro Player Stadium to end the eighth inning of Game 4 of the World Series, then walked off the field to a standing ovation by fans and Marlins players -- all of whom thought it was Clemens' final game.

 

"When I expressed my thoughts after Game 4, when I threw my last couple of pitches with all the (camera) flashes and things for what was to be my last pitches and how the crowd kind of brought me into that moment, I had a little lump in my throat then," Clemens told reporters in Kissimmee last week.

 

"In my family, a lot of them had tears in their eyes. They're smiling again.''

 

Now, he'll face the Marlins again on Saturday when the Astros and Florida play the first of two games in Mexico City.

 

And when he leaves the game after his three or four innings? "We won't be cheering this time. We already did that,'' Marlins catcher Mike Redmond said laughing.

 

Castillo joked that he was disappointed at no longer being connected to Clemens.

 

"When I struck out I said, 'I'll be in the record books as Roger Clemens' last out,' " he said. "Now he's back and that's OK with me. Hopefully this time I'll get on base.''

 

Getting on base might not be much of a problem at 7,000-foot elevation at Foro Sol Stadium, where the Marlins and Astros will play Saturday and Sunday to help promote baseball in Mexico.

 

In that thin air last March, the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers combined 57 runs, 74 hits and 14 homers during a two-game "Serie de Primavera" (Spring Series).

 

"On the bases, I was scared," recalled the Dodgers' Shawn Green, who had four RBI. "It's like guys were using aluminum bats."

 

What else can the Marlins look forward to?

 

"Oh, my, wait 'til you see,'' said Marlins closer Armando Benitez, who pitched in Mexico City for the Mets last year. Benitez is glad to be one of five regulars not making the trip (along with third baseman Mike Lowell and pitchers Josh Beckett, Carl Pavano and Brad Penny). "Everybody hits,'' Benitez said, "and you can't breathe over there.''

 

"Way, way, way, way more carry than Coors Field,'' said Mets third baseman Ty Wigginton. "Plus the yard was smaller. "

 

Marlins outfielder Brian Banks has played winter ball in Mexico and said the fan atmosphere is more intense than U.S. crowds.

 

"It's almost a soccer-fan mentality,'' he said. "Down there, there's constant noise going on. There would be times I'd be looking around, thinking I was missing something, maybe a fight in the stands, because there was so much noise going on.''

 

Mets outfielder Karim Garcia, another veteran of Mexican winter ball, said: "They have cheerleaders, they have a band playing, it's different from what you usually see in the states.

 

Marlins General Manager Admin Beinfest got permission for both teams to use a designated hitter. The Marlins will be the home team Saturday and Houston will host Sunday.

 

Still, most Marlins players aren't thrilled about making the trip because of the disruption, not to mention the smog of Mexico City.

 

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria wants his team to play exhibition games in Europe, possibly in Italy next year, a prospect that didn't thrill some players.

 

"Let's see, a 12-hour flight for two exhibition games? I don't see how it would work unless the brought the Concorde back into service,'' Conine said.

 

Joe Capozzi writes for The Palm Beach Post.

Hopefully the fish will remind Clemens why he retired in the first place

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria wants his team to play exhibition games in Europe, possibly in Italy next year, a prospect that didn't thrill some players.

 

 

 

:huh Huh?

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria wants his team to play exhibition games in Europe, possibly in Italy next year, a prospect that didn't thrill some players.

 

 

 

:huh Huh? Let me turn on the owner translator...

 

Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria wants his team to play exhibition games in Europe, possibly in Italy next year, to make lots of money off unsuspecting Europeans and instituting high charges to show the game.

yeah greedyness is bad, but hey if it makes the team some money then I'm all for it...bad to say but it is true

Hopefully the fish will remind Clemens why he retired in the first place

Miggy took Clemens deep to right field. Deja vu....I love it!

Clemens vs. Cabrera, the rematch

I can only imagine the thougthts going through Clemens mind as he watched the ball go over the right field fence....again.....

Does anyone have a boxscore for this game?

I couldn't find one anywhere on the net. I did find it in the Palm Beach Post this morning...check your local newspaper.

Marlins beat Clemens in 6-1 win over Astros

By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer

March 13, 2004

 

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Roger Clemens couldn't beat the Florida Marlins this time, either.

 

The Rocket gave up two runs and seven hits in three innings Saturday, taking the loss in Florida's 6-1 victory over the Houston Astros.

 

The last time Clemens faced the Marlins he was wearing a New York Yankees uniform in the World Series. He got a no-decision in Game 4 last October and walked off the mound to a boisterous ovation in what was supposed to be his final appearance before retiring.

 

But Clemens came back to play for his hometown Astros, and he joined his new team in the Mexican capital for a two-game series with the Marlins.

 

He started the game with a strike, but leadoff hitter Juan Pierre smacked his second delivery just short of the 417-foot wall in straightaway center for a double. Miguel Cabrera made it 1-0 with an RBI single two batters later.

 

In the bottom of the third, Cabrera fell behind Clemens 0-2, but battled back before driving a home run into the evergreens and palm trees beyond the right-field wall to make it 2-0.

 

Cabrera also homered off Clemens in the World Series last year.

 

The Rocket finished with three strikeouts and was relieved by Wade Miller in the fourth inning.

 

``Every time I go, and the longer I go, I feel better,'' said Clemens, who still characterized himself as ``nowhere close right now'' to 100 percent.

 

``I'm not too worried about the result, I just want to get this arm stretched out, get this body stretched out a little bit each time,'' he said. ``I did that. I felt better. My velocity picked up a little bit.''

 

Clemens was the big draw for the fans who filled about half of 27,000-seat Foro Sol Stadium. When Clemens went out to warm up, many of those packed into the cheap seats near the left-field bullpen gave him a standing ovation and chanted his name.

 

The crowd also rooted for Clemens throughout his short outing, hissing and booing when the plate umpire didn't give him a called strike on close pitches.

 

``It was a great feeling. I walked out to warm up and the whole stands lit up and were chanting my nickname,'' Clemens said. ``It was really heartfelt and just really nice. It was really special to come all the way down here and see how enthusiastic they were and how excited they were to be here.''

 

The game was not the slugfest many anticipated. Mexico City's altitude of 7,200 feet is more than 2,000 feet higher than home run happy Coors Field in Denver, and last year the Dodgers and Mets combined for 57 runs, 74 hits and 14 homers in 20 innings during their two-game exhibition series at Foro Sol.

 

Marlins manager Jack McKeon said his players had no trouble adjusting to the altitude and the city's infamous smog, calling the two-game series ``a little longer road trip, that's all.''

 

``I'm here to play baseball, I'm not a pollution expert,'' McKeon said when asked about the local air quality. ``I'm not in charge of environmental concerns.''

 

Marlins starter Darren Oliver held Houston hitless through 3 1-3 innings before Jeff Kent homered to right-center. The lefty went 3 2-3 innings and gave up one run and one hit while striking out two and walking two to get the win.

 

After a raucous start, the crowd quieted substantially and settled into its orange and green seats and gray bleachers as a hot and hazy afternoon gave way to a breezy and cool evening. The public address announcer was lost throughout much of the first inning, announcing the wrong batters at the wrong times. The scoreboard showed the incorrect score for more than an inning in the early going.

 

After Clemens left the game, the largest cheer came in the bottom of the eighth, when catcher Ramon Castro and first baseman Hee-Seop Choi hit back-to-back homers to stretch the Astros' lead to 6-1.

 

Houston manager Jimy Williams said the Astros brought 50 players to Mexico's capital so that ``the Mexican people could get a look at almost our full team.''

 

``My focus is on being here in Mexico City for these two games,'' he said. ``We're going to try to take as best care of our team as we can and get ready for the championship season.''

 

Neither club had a Mexican-born player on its roster. Cabrera, a Venezuelan, said he had ``very little experience playing in Mexico,'' but that the crowd at Foro Sol still reminded him of home.

 

``Being here, I feel like being in any Latin country,'' Cabrera said. ``The people here get so excited, so emotional for baseball games that it makes what we do on the field more fun.''