Jim Salisbury | Down on the farm with Howard, Clemens

THE ROAD BACK, N.J. - New Jersey baseball fans got a treat yesterday. Brunch with Ryan Howard. Dinner with Roger Clemens.

What a smorgasbord. What a neat coincidence.

The Howitzer on one side of the state. The Rocket on the other.

New Jersey hadn't seen this much gunpowder since the Battle of Trenton.

Howard, recovering from a strained left quadriceps, suited up for an 11 a.m. game with the Lakewood BlueClaws, the Phillies' single-A affiliate down by the Shore.

Eight hours later, Clemens took the mound about 50 miles away in the state capital, where he pitched for the Trenton Thunder, the New York Yankees' double-A club.

Howard arrived for his assignment in style - a team-sponsored limo. Clemens showed up for his in a luxury coach bus. Your faithful correspondent traveled to both venues in a Chevy pickup strewn with empty Wawa coffee cups and Tastykake peach pie wrappers.

It was a long day of minor-league baseball, but the show was pretty good.

Howard, scuffling along at .204 when he went on the disabled list May 11, had an RBI double and a tie-breaking three-run homer in the Claws' 7-4 win over the Hagerstown Suns.

Clemens, back from his latest flirtation with retirement at age 44, pitched 5 1/3 innings of three-run ball against Boston's double-A Portland club. He was on the hook for a loss before Trenton rallied for a 4-3 win in 10 innings.

Both players are close to returning to the majors. Howard, who was the designated hitter yesterday, will play first base in Lakewood tonight. Barring a setback, he will be in Atlanta tomorrow night, batting fourth for the Phillies.

"I'm ready to get back," Howard said.

The Yankees must now decide if Clemens is ready to return to the majors, or if he needs another minor-league start. Asked if he believed he was ready, Clemens, who was happy with the way he threw the ball, said: "I'll keep that in-house."

Both Howard and Clemens are viewed as possible saviors for their teams. A productive Howard might help the Phillies finally get over .500. The Yankees are 91/2 games behind first-place Boston in the American League East. They're so desperate for pitching that they are paying Clemens $4.6 million a month.

The big winners yesterday were the fans - 8,063, including busloads of schoolchildren, in Lakewood, and a team-record 9,134 in Trenton. They got to see two big-league stars - combined resume: one rookie of the year award, two MVPs, seven Cy Youngs - at minor-league prices.

The players who shared the field with Howard and Clemens were also pretty excited.

Clemens arrived at the ballpark at 2 in afternoon and spent about 30 minutes speaking with all of Trenton's pitchers and catchers. His message: Don't stop working. Always keep reaching for the majors.

"It was great interaction," catcher P.J. Pilittere said.

Even the guy who gave up Howard's three-run homer in Lakewood was able to take a memory from the day.

"It's a thrill, of course, to face a guy like that," said 20-year-old Hagerstown pitcher Chris Lugo, who hails from Hoboken, N.J. "Guys like that don't come around here every day. One day, hopefully, I'll face him again."

Howard's homer, which traveled an estimated 410 feet, came on a 2-2 fastball. Lugo showed some moxie in going right at last year's National League MVP.

Howard enjoyed returning to Lakewood, where his career began to take off in 2002. He hit .280 with 19 homers and 87 RBIs that season.

"For me, this is kind of where it all started," he said.

The BlueClaws issued 37 media credentials. Normally, they issue three. Trenton usually issues five per game. Last night: 125.

Returning as a star to an old minor-league home comes with responsibilities. Howard signed autographs for his teammates and the club, which will use them in charity fund-raisers. He also signed his uniform top, all three bases, and, of course, paid for the postgame buffet, a tradition for rehabbing big leaguers. Yesterday, it was Famous Dave's barbecue. Tonight, Carrabba's.

The Lakewood club went through great measures to outfit Howard in the No. 6 he wears for the Phillies. Howard usually wears a size 54 jersey. Lakewood's biggest jersey was a size 52 and it had No. 45 on the back. Off came the 45 and on went the 6.

The No. 22 on Clemens' back also had a story. Pilittere, Clemens' battery mate last night, usually wears the number. He switched to 46 so Clemens could have his regular Yankees number.

"He's a certain Hall of Famer and maybe the greatest pitcher ever," Pilittere said. "He deserves it."

In the majors, players sometimes trade Rolex watches and other valuables for the number they want. Pilittere, 25, didn't want anything.

"Just the opportunity to catch him is enough," he said. "If you told me five years ago I'd be catching Roger Clemens I would have said, 'OK, ha, ha, you're funny.' It's crazy where this game takes you and the people you get to share experiences with."

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