Guest baseball25 Posted May 24, 2007 Report Posted May 24, 2007 TRENTON, N.J. - It was the Red Sox [team stats]’ little secret. While more than 100 media members and Waterfront Park’s largest crowd ever converged on the home of the Trenton Thunder to digest all things Roger Clemens, a few onlookers focused their attention elsewhere. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, his assistant, Allard Baird, and a smattering of scouts focused on the pitcher much of baseball is truly drooling over. And it wasn’t the one scheduled to make more than $18 million over the next four months. Clay Buchholz used baseball’s latest big stage to show why losing the Roger Clemens sweepstakes might not sting for Sox fans too much longer. “I would have more confidence in this kid (Buchholz) starting a major league game tomorrow than the other guy (Clemens),†said one American League scout in attendance for Clemens’ second minor league tune-up for the New York Yankees, a start for the Double-A Thunder in their 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Portland Sea Dogs. “We need one game to win the division and you’re giving me a choice between starting (Buchholz) or Clemens, I’m taking (Buchholz) off of what I saw tonight.†cw1Clemens exited having thrown 102 pitches over 5 innings. He left with the scored tied at 2, the bases loaded and a fair share of unanswered questions hanging over his head. The right-hander wasn’t revealing whether his next start would be in the majors, although he called the performance, “a step in the right direction.†“I’ll keep that in house,†Clemens said. “That will be something the watchful eyes who were here will decide. All I can do is tell them how I felt and (tell) them how I feel (today), and we’ll go from there.†Clemens’ fastball ranged from 88-91 mph, with command that was inconsistent enough to result in four walks to go along with five strikeouts. He finished with three earned runs and issued a bases-loaded walk to the final batter he faced. “I think you’re going to see a lot of 2-2 counts, a lot of 3-2 counts. I don’t see (Clemens) getting deep into games,†the scout said. “Every fastball is going to be away, but I don’t see him blowing anybody away. I think you’re going to see him throwing 80-90 pitches through five (innings). I don’t think he’s going to have a lot of quick-pitch innings, and not getting through six much at all. He will be OK, but not the guy.†Buchholz, meanwhile, topped out at 95 mph while impressing with a curveball Sea Dogs manager Arnie Beyeler described before the game as “a (Josh) Beckett curve.†After giving up four straight singles and two runs to begin the game, Buchholz, 22, settled in to strike out eight without walking a batter. He also didn’t allow another run in his six innings. “This guy has great stuff,†the scout said. “He’s got a good fastball and just a hammer of a curve. You can see how he punches guys out. This guy can get some K’s, whereas I don’t see Clemens striking out a lot of guys. I don’t think (Clemens) gets a strikeout an inning, but (Buchholz) could pitch in the big leagues right now. Right now, if you’re looking at both of them, all things being equal, I’m taking (Buchholz)To some, it was an eye-opener. But not to those who knew the Sox’ little secret. “If they’re both the same, I want Buchholz starting for me right now,†a National League scout said. “You know there is more to Rocket, but this kid had better stuff tonight.â€
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