Bryan Stow on video board, son throws out first pitch for Giants - MLB

Fans at the Giants home opener Friday against the Pirates got a special treat, as Bryan Stow appeared on the center-field screen prior to the game and his 13-year-old son threw out the first pitch.

As the entire Giants team stood atop the mound Friday, Stow appeared on the center-field screen with his mother, Ann. He told Tyler, “Good luck, son,” before the pitch was delivered. The Giants went on to beat the Pirates 5-0 as Matt Cain tossed his third career one-hitter.

Stow fell into a coma after being beaten at Dodger Stadium following a Giants game nearly a year ago. His condition has improved to the point at which he’s able to talk and eat by himself. He currently shares an apartment at a rehab facility with two other patients while getting full-time assistance. He continues to suffer from short-term memory loss, but he’s made terrific progress from injuries that left him near death.

Roger Clemens will be an analyst for ESPN when the defending World Series champion Houston Astros host the Chicago White Sox on opening day.

Clemens made four appearances on last year’s KayRod Cast with Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez. He will be stepping in on March 30 for David Cone, who will be doing the New York Yankees opener against the San Francisco Giants on YES Network.

“Roger has been sort of a friend of ours for the last year, so to speak, he’s in. He’s been engaged, knowledgeable and really present,” said ESPN Vice President of Production Phil Orlins. “You know, whatever past may be, he’s still tremendously engaged and he really brought that every time he was with us.”

Clemens was a seven-time Cy Young winner but his career after baseball has been tainted by allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. He is a Houston native and pitched for the Astros for three seasons.

Orlins said that with the rules changes and pitch clock, it is important to have a pitcher in the booth with Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez.

“We don’t feel like we have to have the dynamic of Eduardo with a pitcher, but we certainly think that works. Throw in the added factor of rule changes and it is better to have a batter-pitcher perspective,” Orlins said.

Orlins did not say if this would open the door for future opportunities for Clemens as an ESPN analyst.