Clemens Feels Fine Following First Outing

[bernieh]

[i:6e6e484824]by Joe Giuliotti
photo: Sporting News Archives
originally printed: The Sporting News, March 24, 1986[/i:6e6e484824]

<img src="http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/baseball/stratomatic/1986/story_photos/roger_clemens_1_150x191.jpg" align="left" style="margin-right: 10px;" /> WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Normally a pitcher would not be optimistic after allowing four runs and five hits in two innings. But those numbers were secondary to the physical results for Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox.

"The best part was I pitched, pitched without stiffness or pain and everything felt fine the next day," said the 23-year-old Clemens, who if he can stay healthy is a 20-victory candidate.

Two days after his spring training debut against the Detroit Tigers - his first appearance since having arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder last August - Clemens tossed batting practice for 10 minutes, experiencing no pain or tightness.

Clemens, who was clocked at 87 mph - "I could have thrown harder" - will continue working with shoulder weights "forever" and said he wished he knew about them before hurting his shoulder.

Clemens said it was hard for him to hold back in his first start back. "But I've got six more down here and I want to pick it up little by little and go from there," he said.

Clemens hadn't experienced any trouble getting loose in spring training. That had been a problem after his shoulder first began hurting him in mid-May of last season.

Clemens has been bothered by injuries in each of his two seasons in the major leagues. As a rookie in 1984, he suffered a torn muscle in his right forearm that forced him to miss the final month of the season. In 36 games (35 as a starter), he is 16-9 with a 3.88 ERA and has struck out 200 while walking only 66 in 231.2 innings.

[yongi]

this kid'll never last in the bigs...