Pettitte's Clemency

Andy Pettitte is scott free, while Roger Clemens is digging his own grave.

I have to say, I am more inclined to believe Brian McNamee who accused Clemens of taking illegal human growth hormone and steroids. In fact Pettitte, a close friend and teammate of Clemens with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros, was among the handful of baseball players named by McNamee for taking these illegal substances. While Pettitte immediately admitted his wrongdoings and appeared to be open and honest about his unpleasant past, Clemens adamantly denied any wrongdoings, which is in line with his feisty nature.

Pettitte has always been a favourite for the media. His openness and friendliness have endeared him with the public. That is the reason why his apparently sincere admittance of guilt and apology have been well-received by everyone.

Clemens was popular among fans too. However, his confrontational approach has apparently backfired as recent surveys show that more than half of the respondents sided with McNamee rather than Clemens. While Clemens has never been tested positive for illegal substances, his image and legacy have been tarnished irrecoverably.

It's sad to see Clemens, a Hall of Fame-bound pitcher, becoming yet another Barry Bonds. With every piece of evidence not in his favour, he has thrown everyone around him (his lawyers, teammates and even his wife) under the bus just to protect himself. To me, he is the only person who believes that he has never taken these substances.

A very sad story indeed.