Chicago – A news conference wasn’t necessary. The facial expression spoke chillingly of his condition.
As Houston’s Morgan Ensberg returned to the dugout after his second-inning home run, Roger Clemens greeted him, then attempted to put a stray bat back into the rack.
His limp and grimace were noticeable. Sunday’s pain and Saturday’s performance whispered the inevitable: Baseball has seen the last of Clemens.
The predictable responses were delivered in pregame questions about the Rocket’s health, though he provided none.
“By no stretch of the imagination am I counting him out,” Astros manager Phil Garner said.
Clemens strained his left hamstring Saturday during Aaron Rowand’s second-inning at-bat. With the muscle tight and sore, Clemens, 43, couldn’t return. Because he’s amazingly fit and an expert at clobbering conventional wisdom, teammates refuse to believe Clemens is done.
It’s telling, however, that second baseman Craig Biggio told him Saturday night that he “felt sorry for him.” If Clemens can walk, he will want to pitch in Game 5. But what does he have left? He has thrown 161 pitches during his past two appearances, striking out two batters and allowing five runs in eight innings.
Lost in the injury was Clemens’ fitting end, devoid of flash bulbs and standing ovation that accompanied him in the 2003 World Series. He struck out Scott Podsednik on high heat – the perfect exit for a power pitcher.
Fast and furious
White Sox closer Bobby Jenks mesmerized viewers and hitters with his 100 mph heat Saturday. What makes Jenks different, say scouts, is the way his ball explodes over the final 30 feet. In the biggest at-bat in Game 1, Jenks fanned Jeff Bagwell with runners aboard.
“That’s interesting that I get second-guessed for striking out on a 100-mph fastball,” Bagwell said. “I’d like to see people hit that one.”
Bichette gone fishing?
Dante Bichette spent Sunday night playing tennis, one of his favorite post-retirement activities. His other hobby has been coaching his son Dante Jr., who burst onto the national stage in the Little League World Series. Would Bichette consider coaching more advanced pupils?
Like Andres Galarraga before him, Bichette has surfaced as a potential candidate for the Florida Marlins’ hitting instructor job. The connection is obvious. Former Rockies teammate Joe Girardi took over the Marlins last week.
Bichette had so much respect for Girardi that his youngest son’s middle name is Joseph. Bichette and Girardi remain close, though it’s unclear whether Bichette would want to make a full-time coaching commitment at this point, given the involvement in his kids’ athletic careers.
Footnotes
With Mike DeJean’s return, the Rockies’ bullpen is taking shape. The Rockies would like to pair DeJean with a left-hander in the seventh and eighth innings, and the White Sox’s Damaso Marte, potentially available in a trade, is on their wish list. …
Negotiations on a Fox Sports Rocky Mountain contract for Jerry Dipoto will continue this week. If he agrees to terms, he would split analyst duty with George Frazier. …
Former Rockies and current Boston executive Josh Byrnes and the Padres’ Kevin Towers are considered the top candidates for Arizona’s vacant GM opening. …
Spotted at U.S. Cellular Field: Actor Bernie Mac (star of the baseball movie “Mr 3000”) with his family, Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis and “Desperate Housewives” actor James Denton.
