Koby Clemens discusses his dad
That's what happens when you're Roger Clemens' kid, and in light of the events surrounding the Rocket this winter, Koby understands that in a baseball environment, he can't blend into the background.
Upon the conclusion of Day 1 of the Elite Camp on Monday, Koby Clemens stood at his locker and addressed a slew of local media regarding his father, whom Koby does not expect to show up to any of the four days of the minicamp. Last week, the Astros extended an invitation to the elder Clemens, telling him through his agents he was "welcome" to attend.
Koby Clemens has grown up around baseball, and over the last several years he's granted dozens of interviews despite the fact that he has yet to set foot on a Major League field during a championship season. This time, Koby wasn't asked the usual questions: Will your dad pitch this year? And for whom? No, the focus now is on Clemens' fight to clear his name, nearly six weeks after he showed up repeatedly as the most prominent baseball figure in the Mitchell Report.
"It's been tough," Koby Clemens said. "It's been pretty hard. We're a close family and we've been staying away from the TV. I hear all the nasty things that people have to say. I'm just trying to stay positive about everything."
That's easier said than done, as the eldest Clemens son is learning. Although Roger Clemens has encouraged all four of his sons -- Koby; Kory, age 19; Kacy, 13, and Kody, 11 -- not to let his problems become their problems, that's a tall task considering how much attention Clemens is receiving.
The Mitchell Report, Clemens' defamation suit against his former trainer, his upcoming Feb. 6 deposition date with Congress and a hearing scheduled at the Rayburn Building in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13 has kept the Rocket in the news every day since the Mitchell Report was released on Dec. 13.
"As much as he tries to tell us, 'This is just about me, don't worry about me, this has nothing to do with you' ... obviously, he's my dad," Koby Clemens said. "I'm going to worry about him. He just tries to keep me thinking about my baseball.
"It kills me that this is happening to my dad. What he's done for the game, what now is being returned back to him ... it kills me to see him like that. But as an older brother to my brothers, I'm trying to keep them strong. It's hard on me, but I can't imagine how hard it is on my dad."
Koby also expressed relief that the two younger Clemens sons aren't fully grasping everything that's happened in the last several weeks.
"The younger ones are not really understanding what's going on, and I'm glad it's that way, because they seem pretty happy," Koby said.
As Koby prepares for his fourth season as an Astros farmhand, he vowed to try to keep his mind on the game. The former third baseman is switching to catcher this year, and he's hoping that the new challenge will divert his attention from the drama surrounding his dad's situation.
He also has found comfort in the support of loved ones, and even strangers, who have offered their good wishes.
"Our friends and family have been very supportive about everything," Koby said. "Me and my dad have been running at Memorial Park and everyone's been great, saying, 'Good luck at Congress.' There's nothing but e-mails and support.
"I've heard nasty things from some people, and people are going to have their opinions. There's a lot more good than bad. And we're focusing a lot of the positive."
Calling his dad his "mentor," Koby Clemens is determined to handle today's issues like a pro, even if inwardly, he's hurting.
"I talk to [my dad], and he's a strong guy," Koby said. "Unless you've been around him, you really wouldn't know he's stressing out and hurting over all this negative stuff. He's holding up. He can carry anything on his back, at least he looks like it. He's holding on. We're keeping our head up and our chest proud."
Alyson Footer is a reporter for MLB.com
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