Dave Stewart is one of the great big game pitchers of the modern era (as opposed to the guy from the Eurythmics whose production didn’t do Tom Petty any favors) and as such, he’s perfectly entitled to slag off Roger Clemens, even if he has to use a bogus gambling site to do so. From the San Jose Mercury News’ Daniel Brown.
“I’m sorry. He’s earned the right to be in the Hall of Fame, but he hasn’t earned the right to be part of a team without being part of the team concept,”‘ Stewart said Friday. “It’s a team game.”
Stewart went 168-129 from 1978-95, winning 20 games four consecutive seasons for the A’s. He played for three World Series winners and went 7-1 in head-to-head matchups with Clemens.
Stewart said if his A’s teams had attempted a similar signing, he would have fought to ensure it never happened. He never would have tolerated a player who skipped spring training and the early season grind before sauntering into the clubhouse in late May, as Clemens will do.
Even once Clemens arrives, the pitcher will be permitted time off from the ballpark on days he isn’t pitching.
“It’s not OK for a pitcher to be detached,” Stewart said. “The way it should work is that you sit on the bench and you talk with the other guys. You talk about what’s going on in the game and try to pick stuff up.”
“That should be especially true for a guy like Roger, a veteran guy, who is in a position to use his experience and knowledge to teach the younger players.“And what if your team goes 18 or 19 innings? Your team might need you as a pinch runner.”