WASHINGTON -- Knowledgeable baseball fans can argue all day whether it was the split-finger fastball -- and not performance-enhancing drugs -- that kept Roger Clemens on top of his game well into his 30s and beyond. His lawyers are trying to make that point at a trial where basic terms such as "Fenway Park" and "foul pole" require an explanation for a jury of nonfans. Former journeyman catcher Charlie OBrien was on the stand Wednesday for the defence at the Clemens perjury trial. He was fuzzy about lots of details, couldnt come up with a real name for the player known as "El Duque" and totally dissed the 1997 Toronto Blue Jays medical staff. But there was no doubt in his mind about two things: Clemens was not a cheater, and the weapon Clemens mastered at age 34 was the chief reason the 11-time All-Star was able to pitch for another decade. "That pitch right there -- the split-finger fastball," OBrien said. OBrien caught Clemens games for much of the 1997 Blue Jays season, a crucial time period as prosecutors attempt to prove that Clemens lied when he told Congress in 2008 that he never took steroids and human growth hormone. After being discarded following 13 seasons with the Boston Red Sox -- Bostons then-general manager, Dan Duquette, said at the time that Clemens was in the "twilight" of his career -- a motivated Clemens arrived in Toronto and promptly won back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 1997-98. But it was also in 1998 that Clemens met strength coach Brian McNamee, who says he injected the pitcher with steroids and HGH over the following three years and testified that he had the impression the Clemens had used steroids previously. The government used its cross-examination of witnesses Wednesday to reinforce its claim that Clemens turned to performance-enhancing drugs to help his aging body recover more quickly during the physically demanding major league seasons. Also on the stand was Darrin Fletcher, Clemens catcher from the 1998 Blue Jays season. Fletcher testified that he didnt see Clemens at a pool party at teammate Jose Cansecos house in Florida in June of that season, but Fletcher also said he left the party around 1:30 p.m. A government witness recalled seeing Clemens at the party later in the day. One of the lesser charges against Clemens is that he lied when he told Congress that he wasnt at the party at all. In front of a jury consisting mostly of people who know little about baseball, Clemens lawyer Rusty Hardin went for a visual effect to explain how the split-finger revolutionized Clemens game, striking a pose as a left-handed hitter in front of OBrien, who pantomimed the grip of a baseball while seated in the witness chair. "It just totally changed how he could approach each hitter," OBrien said. OBrien was even a better witness for the defence during cross-examination, when he volunteered that Clemens would refuse to throw scuffed baseballs because Clemens considered it "cheating." He said he once approached Clemens on the mound during a game with a scuffed ball and said, "This is a great ball to use." He said Clemens responded: "I dont need that." "I dont think hed cheat," OBrien said. "Would Roger Clemens do anything to cheat in baseball?" Hardin asked during the defences following-up questioning. "No sir," OBrien said. OBrien also said he would sometimes see multiple needles of vitamin B12 "lined up ready to go" in the Toronto clubhouse, supporting another statement made by Clemens that the government has sought to disprove. As a sidelight, OBrien said the Blue Jays medical services at the time were "very poor" and that former Blue Jays head athletic trainer Tommy Craig was a nice guy but "might have been one of the worst trainers." OBrien also had trouble recognizing Clemens in a Blue Jays team photo and couldnt explain to the jury the identity of the former New York Yankees pitcher known widely as El Duque. "Whats his name, Roger?" OBrien blurted out toward the defence table. Clemens didnt give the answer that baseball fans already know: Orlando Hernandez. Fletcher was nearly as entertaining as he gave up some of Clemens trade secrets as a pitcher. Clemens, for example, would purse his lips on the mound to ask for curveballs. "Youre not making a comeback any time are you, Roger?" Fletcher said. "Im not giving anything away, am I?" Clemens laughed. Fletcher caused laughter again when asked about the pool party. Fletcher indicated it would have left an impression if he had seen Clemens. "Ive always wanted to see Roger in a bathing suit," he said. The day began with more testimony from Todd Howey, one of Clemens high school teammates. Then came former Red Sox assistant general manager Steven August. Both spoke glowingly of Clemens talent and work ethic, but the pace was again painfully slow -- even for a trial now in its seventh week. Among the rudimentary baseball terms explained to the jury: fungo bat, platoon player, won-loss record and the 1994 players strike. Prosecutor Gil Guerrero, perhaps out of exasperation with all of the testimonials that Clemens was receiving, at one point told August: "You understand hes not on trial for how great he was in baseball." nfl jerseys china . - Lee Roy Selmon, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hall of Fame defensive end who teamed with his brothers to create a dominant defensive front and helped lead Oklahoma to consecutive national championships, died Sunday -- two days after being hospitalized for a stroke. jerseys from china . "I think people know that," Melvin said Thursday. Melvin confirmed Greinkes availability in comments to USA Today and Milwaukees WTMJ radio earlier Thursday. Melvin did not go into detail on how many teams have expressed interest in the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, saying only that the trade market always heats up with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaching. http://www.cheapjerseyssafe.com/ . Only goal difference is keeping Tottenham behind second-place United while Citys lead is three points. But while United has won a dozen English titles alone since 1993, City and Tottenham have not been champions of England since the 1960s. wholesale nfl jerseys . By the end of the night, the sophomore quarterbacks teammates were bouncing up and down right along with him. cheap nfl jerseys . Poulter, also the first-round leader, had a 9-under 133 total at Victoria Golf Club. Australias Matthew Giles was second after a 68. Top-ranked Luke Donald was 3 under after a 70.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Stephen Gallacher of Scotland shot a final round 72 Sunday to become the first player to successfully defend the Dubai Desert Classic title, beating Emiliano Grillo of Argentina by one stroke. Gallacher fought back after four bogeys over his opening eight left him in a five-way tie for the lead after 11 holes. He won the 25-year-old tournament with an overall 16-under 272 for only his third victory in 18 years and 431 events on the European Tour. Grillo secured his best Tour finish with an overall 15-under 273 when he eagled the last hole for a round of 66. Frenchman Romain Wattel also shot a 66, including birdies on the last two holes, to finish tied in third on 14-under 274 with Brooks Koepka (70) of the United States. Rory McIlroy struggled with a 74 to finish tied for ninth while top-ranked Tiger Woods (71) birdied his closing three holes for a share of 41st with a 6-under 282. The 39-year old Gallacher eventually broke clear of the logjam atop the leaderboard to birdie Nos. 13, 16th and 17th before a regulation par at the last. "It took everything I had to win today especially after the start I had when I bogeyed the first two holes," Gallacher said.dddddddddddd "The good thing is that I was fortunate that no one was running away with the tournament ... The turning point came at 11 when I holed a nice putt for birdie." The win puts Gallacher into the top 40 in the world, putting him in strong position to play the Masters for the first time in his career. The top 50 in the world at the end of March get into the Masters. McIlroy began the last day two shots behind playing partner Gallacher but was 2-over after 10 holes before the first birdie of his round at the 11th. The Northern Irishman then bogeyed the 12th and 13th before only his second birdie of the round at No. 17. "On the rare occasions I got the ball close, I didnt make any putts, so it was one of those days," McIlroy said. "I thought if I could get to 16 under it would be good enough and it turned out that it was as thats what Stephen got to. I just wasnt able to play well enough to get there. It was just one of those days. Anything that could go wrong, did." cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '