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Pink Slip 6/21-6/27: Roger Clemens

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In a Jan. 7, 2008, file photo Roger Clemens listens as his attorney, Rusty Hardin speaks at a news conference, in Houston. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday Aug. 30, 2010 in the Washington on a six-count indictment alleging he lied to Congress. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Roger Clemens

The Rocket, who won 354 games in the Major Leagues and is one of the game’s greatest strikeout pitchers of all time, won faceoff No. 355 Monday when he was acquitted of all charges in his four-and-a-half-year legal battle that included federal charges he lied to Congress about using performance-enhancing drugs.

Clemens, as Daily News sports columnist Mike Lupica points out, may have beaten the rap without the alleged injections, but it doesn’t mean he’s necessarily innocent.

Sure, we could have issued a pink slip to the Justice Department, or even Congress, for 1) Sticking their noses into baseball in the first place, or 2) Flubbing the Rocket’s prosecution—depending on what side of the coin you stand and how much you care about the sport. But Dear Clemens, in asking us to believe your innocence you’re asking us to, for one, believe that former trainer Brian McNamee’s frequent injections at your apartment were only administrations of B12. Any trainer from either the Yanks of Blue Jays could have given you those! At any time! And why would McNamee lie about you but tell the truth about your friend, Yanks pitcher Andy Pettitte!? It doesn’t make sense and we just don’t buy it.

Clemens, you may have hoodwinked the jury, but your fast ball doesn’t get by us—nor should it the Baseball Writers Association of America, who’ll be voting whether you get into the Hall… You’re fired!

As seen in the June 21-June 27 issue of Long Island Press.