The Day I...Caught Roger Clemens

Related Stories

• My Dad: The Hall of Famer
• Oh Henry...A Tribute to Hank Aaron
• It's Not Your Father's Ballpark Anymore
• The Day I...Won The Triple Crown
• Snub Hub: Cooperstown

In the big leagues, hitters tend to take more pitches to increase a starter's pitch count. Get to the bullpen. Clemens said he was trying to accomplish something. He wasn't about to lay his heater down the middle. By 7 o'clock, Applebee's Park was packed. All 6,000 seats, plus standing-room berms near the bullpens were jammed. Attendance: 9,222. As Clemens left the right-field clubhouse to warm up, fans were pleading "Roger! … Roger!" As game time approached, my focus narrowed. I locked in. The Rocket got the leadoff man on a called strike.

My day in the spotlight. photos by M. Lay

The next guy grounded out. But Clemens is into letting his body tell him what he can do. The grounds crew had put down too much water. He was sliding, so he wasn't bearing down. The last thing he needed was to slip and tweak something.

Johnny Drennen, a 2005 first-round draft pick, took advantage by jumping on a split-finger fastball. He hit it onto the roof of the right-field deck. As he circled the bases, I wondered "what's that kid thinking right now?" The next batter doubled. So I went to the mound, to give Clemens time to regroup. We talked about  the next hitter, who would strike out. We talked again in the dugout, about adjustments. He fanned two in a 1-2-3 second inning, and two more in a scoreless third. He had reached his 60-pitch limit.

I wound up 1-for-3 with a double and a run in a 7-4 win. I also had an error, misjudging a pop foul. "The Rocket" signed some balls and hats for me. Back at the hotel, I watched Baseball Tonight, including slow-motion shots of my glove hand.

I was a 15th-round draft pick in 2002 and, since my game in Lexington, I've turned 26. So I don't know where my baseball career or life will take me. But I know this: I'll forever cherish the night I caught Roger Clemens.