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Clemens (8-0) looking super, man
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By Dave van Dyck
Special to the Tribune

June 2, 2004, 10:17 PM CDT

Roger Clemens differs from Matt Clement by the "s" on his name and
the
"S" on his chest. Not to mention 12 years on the age chart and 252
victories on his bubble-gum card.

Still hitting 94 m.p.h. on the radar gun at age 41, Clemens did his
Superman act again Wednesday as his Astros beat the Cubs and Clement
5-1
at Wrigley Field.

Clemens improved to 8-0 this season, which accounts for nearly 30
percent of Houston's victories. And if you think that's amazing,
just
consider he started the 1986 season 14-0, opened the 1997 season 11-
0 and
then ended 1998 and started 1999 with 20 straight victories.

"I don't know, you're talking a few years back," Clemens said when
asked to compare streaks. "On certain days, I can feel my body a
little
different than I can other times.

"I think [streaks are] because we're winning, but I don't put a lot
of
stock in them. I'm also smart enough to know that anything can
change
at any time. ... You'd like to ride that momentum and keep it going."

Right now the Astros are riding on the very broad shoulders of a
six-time Cy Young Award winner in a league that hasn't discovered a
hidden
cache of Kryptonite.

Clemens retired from the New York Yankees after last season but was
talked out of it by Andy Pettitte, who himself fled New York for
Houston.
While Houston may be home to both, the Astros never will be mistaken
for the Yankees.

This is a team that has been to the playoffs seven times and has yet
to
advance past the first round. Its playoff record is 8-22, so you
know
Houston is thinking Texas-sized thoughts about this season.

"You're not going to do it alone," Clemens said. "I can win 15 in a
row, [but] if the other guys aren't getting it done. ... I'd rather
be
home on the couch."

If younger pitchers want to know how Clemens still can fit into
phone
booths for a quick change of clothes, they need only to watch his
workout regimen during the off-season and between games. He's not
only a
fierce competitor but has spent just two brief stints on the
disabled list
since 1999, both times because of a strained groin muscle.

In other words, no elbow pain, no Achilles' tendon pain, no shoulder
strain.

Conditioning is what allowed him to breeze through seven innings and
give up just one run on five hits Wednesday at Wrigley Field. His
weakest
moment was the third inning, when he allowed a double by Derrek Lee,
a
rare walk to Aramis Ramirez and a single by Todd Hollandsworth.

Clemens milked a 1-0 lead and then a 2-1 lead until the Astros gave
him
some breathing room with two runs off a tiring Clement in the
seventh
inning.

It was reminiscent--but only somewhat--of Clemens' only other
Wrigley
Field appearance, June 7 of last season with the Yankees. He allowed
only two runs in 61/3 innings, but the bullpen blew that one for
him,
costing him a chance at his 300th victory.

"This is no redemption," he said. "It was a totally different
situation
and atmosphere. I had a respiratory problem too, but I felt a lot
better [Wednesday].

"To have an opportunity to pitch in this type of setting, regardless
of
how you feel, you want to make the appearance because people come
from
all over to watch you perform. That's why we do what we do. I enjoy
hearing the fans and the things they say. It's great.

"This was a well-played game in a fun environment. This is one of
those
stadiums that when I do shut it down, I get to tell everybody I
played
[here] and had a lot of fun.

"Right now, it all seems like an added bonus for me."

Just make sure you still capitalize that "S" on his chest.

Copyright (c) 2004, The Chicago Tribune

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This article originally appeared at:
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-
040602cubsside,0,111800.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines