Roger Clemens threw a curve ball, or was it a slider to Congress and the media today when he testified under oath that his good friend Andy Pettitte “misremembered” what he had said in an exchange in 1999 or 2000 about the use of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) by his wife?

By his wife?  We thought it was all about him?

Well it sent the media scurrying for their computers to see if there was such a word, “misremembered” or did the Roger dodger coin a word?

Well, baseball players are really not known as wordsmiths — well, then again, we might want to rethink that, after all there was Casey Stengel and of course there is Yogi Berra!

But misremembered, yup, it’s there in all the dictionaries. It’s just what you thought it might be – remembering incorrectly.

And of course bulked-up Roger was having this conversation with Andy about his petite cute wife who acknowledged using HGH once, without his knowledge.

In a statement from his wife which Clemens read, “She has been broken up over this for a long time, “Clemens said. “She feels like a pawn.”

Well it just seemed to be the wiggle that Roger needed, just as he did when throwing a pitch to an opposing batter that would make him miss and at the same time maintain his relationship with his good friend Andy, who, by the way has admitted to using HGH.

It seemed as though a one act play was unfolding that could really make it on Broadway.

Just a few seats away from Clemens, was the notorious admitted liar of the past, and former trainer to both Roger and Andy, Brian McNamee.

But today he said he was telling the truth about injecting HGH into both Roger and Andy.

He told former Senate majority leader George Mitchell that he injected Clemens 16 to 21 times with steroids and HGH from 1998-01, and that Pettitte and Chuck Knoblacuch used HGH.

“I have helped taint our national pastime,” McNamee said. “Make no mistake: When I told Sen. Mitchell that I injected Roger clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, I told the truth.”

Meanwhile Clemens said,”I have never taken steroids or HGH.  No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored.”

Obviously talking about his legacy being on the line, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner was also concerned about possible criminal charges, and not being elected into the Hall of Fame.

California Democrat Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee was truly perplexed.  He didn’t know who was telling the truth.

He said that McNamee, a former New York City police officer, lied to police seven years ago during an investigation of a possible rape.

But then again Waxman said “We have found conflicts and inconsistencies in Mr. Clemens’ account.  During his deposition, he made statements that we know are untrue.”

The hearing for some reason seemed to be split down party lines. It was a he said she said debate with out conclusions.

Nevertheless criminal charges could be filed and perjury is not out of the question.

Meanwhile in Florida and Arizona the bats hitting the ball in spring training were cracking.

Yes the so called national pastime has been tainted, but it’s not the characters in this hearing that are at fault — it’s money that’s the culprit.

Major league baseball wants it, just as all or the professional and amateur associations, e.g. the Olympics, the owners want it, the agents want it and of course the players want it. 

I remember the innocent years of the 40’s and 50’s when major league ball players were making well under $100,000  a year.  Many far less and they had to supplement their income with winter jobs.

There were big time names in those days Ty Cobb, Joe Dimaggio, Lou Gehrig, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle to name a few.

Those were innocent times, good times and times free of drugs and million dollar salaries.

I fault major league baseball, the owners, the agents and the players in that order.

Somehow, it seems to me the players became victims of the system — hit the ball out of the park and we will fill the seats and everyone wins.

But the question will always be — at what price?

It could be at the price of the game.