Clemens Not Joining Skeeters Against Patriots

Despite talk to the contrary, seven-time Cy Young Award recipient Roger Clemens, who began his comeback tour several weeks ago with the Atlantic League's Sugar Land Skeeters, will not be making a trip to Bridgewater.

The Sugar Land Skeeters are heading to to play the Somerset Patriots Wednesday and Thursday, but Clemens will not be among the pitchers.

"It would have been exciting if Clemens ended up pitching against us at home," said Patrick McVerry, president and general manager of the Patriots. "We never had a strong feeling that he was going to travel to the other teams' ballparks. We hadn't heard that he would travel out here at any point based on how his arrangement seemed to be set up."

Members of the Somerset Patriots said in August that it would have been an , and it had generated excitement among fans who would love to see the great play in Bridgewater.

Patriots manager Sparky Lyle had said Clemens would face a high level of competition against the Patriots and all those in the Atlantic League.

According to an article in the Connecticut Post, Clemens has only made one road trip since joining the Skeeters, traveling to York, Pennsylvania Sept. 3 and Sept. 4. And Clemens is also not schedule to appear in the Skeeters' weekend series against the Bridgeport Bluefish in Connecticut, which starts Friday.

When he started with the Skeeters Aug. 25, the article said, Clemens worked three-and-a-third scoreless innings, followed by four-and-two-thirds scoreless innings against the Long Island Ducks Sept. 7.

Clemens, the article said, has so far thrown 91 pitches, with 57 strikes and no walks.

The article said many have speculated that Clemens will make an appearance with the Houston Astros this month.