Roger Clemens
The all-time strikeout leader in American League history, Roger Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, the 1986 Most Valuable Player Award, and had a colorful and controversial career. In 2008, his reputation was tainted after an appearance before a Senate Committee as he tried to wriggle out of allegations that his former trainer injected him with steroids. A flamethrower, Clemens often matched his heater with a hot-temper, once being ejected from a playoff game as a member of the Red Sox, and later as a Yankee, nearly causing a riot when he hurled part of a broken bat at the Mets' Mike Piazza in the 2000 World Series. As a pitcher, Clemens dominated hitters with a high fastball and a sharp curveball. He led the AL in ERA six times, won 20 games six times, and racked up five strikeout titles. He holds the Red Sox career record for K's and tied Cy Young for most wins for that franchise. After two Cy Young Award seasons for Toronto in the 1990s, "Rocket" was traded to the Yankees, where he haunted his former Red Sox employers by winning two World Series rings. In 2001, at the age of 39, Clemens won 20 of his first 21 decisions en route to his sixth Cy Young award. He spent a couple of successful seasons with Houston, pitching part-time, and received a similar deal that prompted his return to the Bronx in 2007.
Quotes From Clemens
"He's the one who gave me a chance to get to the World Series. This is where I wanted to be all along. We had a couple of nice offers from other teams, but I tied my agent's hands. I told them I wanted to be a Yankee." - Roger Clemens on why he signed with George Steinbrenner's Yankees
Played For
Boston Red Sox (1984-1996)
Toronto Blue Jays (1997-1998)
New York Yankees (1999-2003)
Houston Astros (2004-2005)
All-Time Rankings
Roger Clemens ranks #16 among the Top 50 all-time at SP. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1997
We picked this season because his ERA of 2.05 was more than 2.5 runs better than the American League average. He won the triple crown for the Blue Jays, leading in wins, K's and ERA. FWIW, this is the season in which his former trainer claims Clemens first used steroids.
Factoids
Twice in one month - July 1st and 21st in 1987 - Roger Clemens threw complete games without recording a single strikeout.
The Rocket in Ultimate Games
Clemens started Game Seven of the '86 Playoffs against the Angels, pitching into the 8th inning in a 8-1 Red Sox victory; he did not pitch in Game Seven of the WS in '86, having started Game Six; Clemens lost Game One and Game Four of the 2000 ALDS against the A's and did not appear in Game Five; in 2001, Clemens started and lost Game One against the A's and came back to start Game Five, leaving with a one-run lead in the 5th; in the 2001 World Series, Clemens started Game Seven and left in the 7th in a 1-1 deadlock; in 2003 Clemens started Game Seven of the ALCS against the Red Sox, leabing in the fourth inning with a 4-0 deficit. The Yanks rallied and he did not get a decision. Overall, Clemens has started four UG's, with a personal 1-0 record, and his teams have went 2-2.
Milestones
Clemens 3,000th strikeout victim was Tampa Bay Devil Rays' outfielder Randy Winn, on July 5, 1998... On June 13, 2003, Clemens won his 300th game, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in Yankee Stadium. In that contest, he also reached the 4,000 strikeout mark, fanning Edgar Renteria.
Where He Played
Starting pitcher. Clemens made one relief appearance in his career - on July 18, 1984, in Oakland against the A's. He went two innings, allowing two hits and no runs in a 7-2 Red Sox loss.
Born
William Roger Clemens was born on August 4, 1962, in Dayton, OH.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: P
Primary Team: BOS
College: Texas
Major League Debut
May 15, 1984 ... Made his debut in Cleveland against the Indians. The first batter to face Clemens was Brett Butler, who grounded out to first. Clemens first major league strikeout victim was Mike Hargrove, to end the first inning. Clemens went 5 2/3 innings, surrendering 11 hits and four earned runs. He fanned four batters.
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1984
Terry Pendleton
Kirby Puckett
Stan Javier
Eric Davis
Roger Clemens
John Franco
Dwight Gooden
Mark Langston
Bret Saberhagen
Nicknames
Rocket
Uniform Numbers
#21 (1984-1998), #12 (1999), #22 (1999-2004)
Similar Players
Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Kerry Woods
Related Players
Andy Pettitte... Mike Piazza had great success against Clemens in inter-league competition. Clemens hit Piazza in the helmet on July 8, 2000 at Yankee Stadium, causing a concussion to the Mets' catcher. A few months later, in the 2000 World Series the two nearly brawled after Clemens threw broken remains of Piazza's bat at the catcher. Despite efforts by the Mets to plunk the pitcher, Clemens was never made to pay for his headhunting, though he did have to cough up a $50,000 fine to MLB... Tom Seaver was a member of the 1986 Red Sox, and helped tutor Clemens... David Wells, Graeme Lloyd and Homer Bush were traded by the Yankees to the Blue Jays for Clemens on February 18, 1999... Clemens won the pitching triple crown in 1997, becoming the first hurler in the AL to do so since Hal Newhouser in 1945... Clemens tied Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux by winning his 4th Cy Young Award in 1997, and broke the record in 1998.
Post-Season Appearances
1986 American League Championship Series
1986 World Series
1988 American League Championship Series
1990 American League Championship Series
1995 American League Divisional Series
2000 American League Divisional Series
2000 American League Championship Series
2000 World Series
2001 World Series
2003 World Series
2004 National League Divisional Series
2004 National League Championship Series
2005 National League Championship Series
2005 National League Divisional Series
Awards and Honors
1986 ML AS MVP
1986 AL Cy Young
1986 AL MVP
1987 AL Cy Young
1991 AL Cy Young
1997 AL Cy Young
1997 AL Triple Crown
1998 AL Cy Young
1998 AL Triple Crown
2001 AL Cy Young
2004 NL Cy Young
Feats
Clemens twice struck out 20 batters in a nine-inning game. On April 29, 1986, he fanned 20 Mariners in a 3-1 at Fenway Park; ten years later, on September 18, 1996, he set down 20 Tigers on strikes, also at Fenway Park. In the first contest, in 1986, he had struck out eight straight batters, tying an AL record held jointly by Nolan Ryan and Ron Davis�. From mid-1998 and into 1999, Clemens won 20 straight games to tie the mark held by Hall of Famer Rube Marquard� Clemens won his second straight pitching triple crown in 1998 (leading in ERA, K's and wins). He joined Pete Alexander, Lefty Grove and Sandy Koufax as the only hurlers to do that.
Milestones
- May 21, 1997: 200th Win...
- July 5, 1998: 3000th strikeout... Randy Winn
- June 13, 2003: 300th Win...
- June 13, 2003: 4000th strikeout... The victim was Edgar Renteria… Came during his 300th career victory.
Pitching Feats
- , 1986: ...
- April 29, 1986: ...
- September 18, 1996: ...
- , 1998: ...
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Clemens was suspended for five games in early August of 2007 for hitting a Toronto batter in retaliation for his teammate Alex Rodriguez being plunked.
Transactions
Selected by Boston Red Sox in the 1st round (19th pick overall) of the free-agent draft (June 6, 1983)
Granted free agency (November 5, 1996)
Signed by Toronto Blue Jays (December 13, 1996)
Traded by Toronto Blue Jays to New York Yankees in exchange for Homer Bush, Graeme Lloyd and David Wells (February 18, 1999).
October 31, 2002: Granted Free Agency.
December 30, 2002: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
November 6, 2003: Granted Free Agency.
January 19, 2004: Signed as a Free Agent with the Houston Astros.
November 11, 2004: Granted Free Agency.
December 13, 2004: Signed as a Free Agent with the Houston Astros.
November 10, 2005: Granted Free Agency.
May 31, 2006: Signed as a Free Agent with the Houston Astros.
October 31, 2006: Granted Free Agency.
May 6, 2007: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Yankees.
All-Star Selections
1986 AL
1988 AL
1990 AL
1991 AL
1992 AL
1997 AL
1998 AL
2001 AL
2003 AL
2004 NL
2005 NL
Replaced
The BoSox traded Dennis Eckersley to the Cubs in May of 1984, for Bill Buckner. This opened a spot in the rotation for Clemens.
Replaced By
It appears, in light of the steroid allegations against him, that 2007 was his final season in uniform. He was a non-factor for the Yankees in their rotation in 2007, and will probably be replaced by a young pitcher.
Best Strength as a Player
The heat.
Largest Weakness as a Player
His sometimes volatile personality, and his tubborness (see the collapse of his character in 2008 when he testified before Congress and his extra-marital affair was revealed).
Learn More about Roger Clemens
Search Amazon.com for Books about Roger Clemens ⇒
Search for Roger Clemens at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
