Roger Clemens

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William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams.

Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in major league history, tallying 354 wins, a 3.12 earned run average (ERA), and 4,672 strikeouts, the third-most all time.

An 11-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, he won seven Cy Young Awards during his career, more than any other pitcher in history.

Clemens was known for his fierce competitive nature and hard-throwing pitching style, which he used to intimidate batters. Clemens debuted in the major leagues in 1984 with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he anchored for 12 years.

In 1986, he won the American League (AL) Cy Young Award, the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, and the All-Star Game MVP Award, and he struck out an MLB-record 20 batters in a single game (Clemens repeated the 20-strikeout feat 10 years later).

After the 1996 season, Clemens left Boston via free agency and joined the Toronto Blue Jays.

In each of his two seasons with Toronto, Clemens won a Cy Young Award, as well as the pitching triple crown by leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

Prior to the 1999 season, Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees where he won his two World Series titles.

In 2001, Clemens became the first pitcher in major league history to start a season with a win-loss record of 20–1.

In 2003, he reached his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout in the same game.

Clemens left for the Houston Astros in 2004, where he spent three seasons and won his seventh Cy Young Award.

He rejoined the Yankees in 2007 for one last season before retiring.

He is the only pitcher in major league history to record over 350 wins and strike out over 4,500 batters. Clemens was alleged by the Mitchell Report to have used anabolic steroids during his late career, mainly based on testimony given by his former trainer, Brian McNamee.

Clemens firmly denied these allegations under oath before the United States Congress, leading congressional leaders to refer his case to the Justice Department on suspicions of perjury.

On August 19, 2010, a federal grand jury at the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., indicted Clemens on six felony counts involving perjury, false statements and Contempt of Congress.

Clemens pleaded not guilty, but proceedings were complicated by prosecutorial misconduct, leading to a mistrial.

The verdict from his second trial came in June 2012, when Clemens was found not guilty on all six counts of lying to Congress.

Early life

Clemens was born in Dayton, Ohio, the fifth child of Bill and Bess (Lee) Clemens. He is of German descent, his great-grandfather Joseph Clemens having immigrated in the 1880s. Clemens's parents separated when he was an infant. His mother soon married Woody Booher, whom Clemens considers his father. Booher died when Clemens was nine years old, and Clemens has said that the only time he ever felt envious of other players was when he saw them in the clubhouse with their fathers. Clemens lived in Vandalia, Ohio, until 1977, and then spent most of his high school years in Houston, Texas. At Spring Woods High School, Clemens played baseball for longtime head coach Charles Maiorana and also played football and basketball. He was scouted by the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins during his senior year, but opted to go to college.

Personal life

Clemens married Debra Lynn Godfrey (born May 27, 1963) on November 24, 1984. The couple has four sons: Koby Aaron, Kory Allen, Kacy Austin, and Kody Alec—all given "K" names to honor Clemens's strikeouts ("K"s). Koby was at one time a minor league prospect for some MLB clubs. Kacy played college baseball for the Texas Longhorns and was drafted by the Blue Jays in the eighth round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. Kacy is an infielder who currently plays for the Cleburne Railroaders of the American Association of Professional Baseball. Kody also played college baseball for the Texas Longhorns and was drafted 79th overall by the Detroit Tigers in the third round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. Kody made his major league debut with the Tigers on May 31. 2022.

Debra once left a Red Sox game, when Clemens pitched for another team, in tears from the heckling she received. This is documented in an updated later edition to Dan Shaughnessy's best-selling book, Curse of the Bambino. Debra also was quoted in the book as stating that it was the poor attitude of Red Sox fans that prevented the team from ever winning the World Series (this was quoted prior to the Red Sox' 2004 World Series victory).

Clemens is a member of the Republican Party and donated money to Texas congressman Ted Poe during his 2006 campaign.

Debra posed in a bikini with her husband for a Sports Illustrated pictorial regarding athletes and their wives. This appeared in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition for 2003. Roger wore his Yankees uniform, with the jersey open. On February 27, 2006, to train for the World Baseball Classic, Roger pitched in an exhibition game between the Astros and his son's minor league team. In his first at-bat, Koby hit a home run off his father. In his next at-bat, Roger threw an inside pitch that almost hit Koby. Koby laughed in an interview after the game about the incident.

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College career

He started his college career by pitching for San Jacinto College North in 1981, where he was 9–2. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin, compiling a 25-7 record in two All-American seasons, and was on the mound when the Longhorns won the 1983 College World Series. He became the first player to have his baseball uniform number retired at the University of Texas. The Rotary Smith Award, which was presented to America's best college baseball player in 2004, was renamed to the Roger Clemens Award, in honor of the best pitcher.

The Clemens pitched 35 consecutive scoreless innings in Texas, an NCAA record that didn't exist before Justin Pope broke it in 2001.

Professional career

In the 12th round of the 1981 Major League Baseball draft, the New York Mets selected Clemens but did not sign.

Clemens was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the first round (19th overall) of the 1983 MLB draft and soared through the minor leagues, making his MLB debut on May 15, 1984. Dr. James Andrews' successful arthroscopic surgery showed an undiagnosed torn labrum that would have ended his career early.

In 1986, the Clemens won the American League MVP award, winning with a 24–4 record, 2.48 ERA, and 238 strikeouts. The Clemens started the 1986 All-Star Game in the Astrodome and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament by tossing three perfect innings and knocking out two others. He also won the first of his seven Cy Young Awards. Clemens reacted angrily when Hank Aaron said that pitchers should not be eligible for the MVP: "I wish he were still playing." To show him how valuable I was, I'd probably crack his head open." Until Justin Verlander claimed the award in 2011, the Clemens was the only starting pitcher since Vida Blue in 1971 to win a league MVP award.

Clemens defeated the Seattle Mariners in a nine-inning game on April 29, 1986, the first pitcher in MLB history to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning game. Clemens was photographed on Sports Illustrated's front page, which featured the headline "Lord of the K's [strikeouts]." Kerry Wood and Max Scherzer were the only ones who reached the total number other than Clemens. In nine innings, Randy Johnson fanned 20 batters in nine innings.) However, when the game went into extra innings, it is not regarded as being a nine-inning game. (In 16 innings, Tom Cheney runs out the most hits in a game: 21 strikeouts in 16 innings.) Clemens attributes his conversion from a "thrower" to a "pitcher" to the partial season Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, who spent with the Red Sox in 1986.

In the 1986 ALCS, the California Angels lost their 3–1 lead in the bottom of Game 4, but the Boston bullpen took the lead in the ninth inning of Game 4, and the Boston Bullpen added a solid Game 7 to tie up the series. The first postseason victory for the Clemens was in the League Championship Series. He did not win his second race until 13 years later. Boston led 3 games to 2 over the New York Mets in the 1986 World Series, with the Clemens expected to start game six at Shea Stadium after winning game five. The Clemens, who were pitching on five days rest, got off to a good start by striking out eight out eight runs while tossing a no-hitter in four innings. With Boston up 3–2, manager John McNamara sent rookie Mike Greenwell to pinch hit for Roger Clemens. Clemens was initially said that due to a blister forming on one of his fingers, but McNamara and he disagreed. McNamara decided to cut him despite the Clemens' wanting to pitch, according to Bob Costas of an MLB Network program concerning the 1986 postseason. McNamara said to Costas that the Clemens "begged out" of the game. The Mets rallied and took home the World Series after losing games six and seven.

The Red Sox had a rough 1987 season, ending at 78-84, but Clemens won his second consecutive Cy Young Award with a 20–9 record, 2.97 ERA, 256 strikeouts, and seven shutouts. He was the first AL pitcher with back-to-back 20-win seasons after Tommy John, who won 20 with the Yankees in 1979 and 1980. Boston bounced back to form in 1988 and 1990, clinching the AL East Division each year, but the Oakland Athletics took the ALCS championship in each ALCS matchup. In the second inning of the 1990 ALCS' final game, he was banned for arguing balls and strikes with umpire Terry Cooney, undermining the Red Sox's four-game sweep. He was banned for the first five games of the 1991 season and fined $10,000.

With 291 strikeouts and a career-high 8 shutouts, the Clemens led the American League in 1988. At Fenway Park on September 10, 1988, the Cleveland Indians threw a one-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. The only hit Clemens were allowed in the game was Dave Clark's one-out single in the eighth inning. Clemens won 9-1 over Cleveland on April 13, 1989, ending his 1,000th appearance by fanning Brook Jacoby with the bases loaded in the second inning. Despite the fact that Clemens defeated Welch in ERA (1.93 to 127), home runs allowed (7 to 3.2), and WAR (10.4 to 2.9). The Clemens did win his third Cy Young Award in 1991 with an 18–10 record, 2.62 ERA, and 241 strikeouts. The Clemens surrendered their first of 609 home runs in Sammy Sosa's career on June 21, 1989.

Two times, the Clemens achieved the 20-strike out victory, becoming the first player to do so. On September 18, 1996, the Detroit Tigers' second appearance came more than ten years later. In his third-to-last game as a Boston Red Sox fan, he had his second 20-K day. The Tigers gifted him with a baseball autographed by every batter who had batted out (those with multiple strikeouts signed the appropriate number of times).

Despite leading the A.L., the Red Sox did not re-sign Clemens following the 1996 season. With 257 strikeouts and a bid for him "by far the most money ever offered to a player in the Red Sox franchise" he has received. Dan Duquette, the GM, expressed concern for his continued participation in Boston during his career's twilight, but the Toronto Blue Jays cut him off and signed him.

Following Clemens' post-Boston victories, Duquette was chastised for allowing the actor pitcher to move, the emphasis on the misquoted 1996 "twilight" comment took on a life of its own. Since being released by the Red Sox, Clemens will go on to record 162–73 for the remainder of his career.

The Red Sox won 192 games and 38 shutouts, tied for second place behind Cy Young for the franchise's most consecutive victory record and their all-time strikeout leader with 2,590. With a 3.88 ERA, 45 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 56 innings, Clemens' overall postseason record with Boston was 1–2. Since Clemens left the team in the 1996–97 offseason, no Red Sox player has worn his #21.

Since the 1996 season, the Clemens signed a four-year, $40 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. In his first appearance with the Blue Jays, he pitched eight innings, yielding only 4 hits and 1 earned run. All batters who faced him struck out at least once, with 16 of his 24 outs being strikeouts. He erupted as he left the field following his last inning of work, pointing angrily at the owner's box.

Clemens was dominant in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, winning the pitching Triple Crown and the Cy Young Award in both seasons (1997: 21–7 record, 2.65 ERA, and 271 strikeouts; 1998: 20–6 record, 2.65 ERA, and 271 strikeouts). Since the 1998 season, Clemens asked to be released, indicating that he does not think the Blue Jays will be competitive enough the following year and that he is dedicated to winning a championship.

The Blue Jays traded Clemens to the New York Yankees for David Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd before the 1999 season. Since his long-time uniform number #21 was in use by colleague Paul O'Neill, the Clemens first wore #12, before moving to #22 in the mid-season.

As the team went on to win two World Series titles in 1999 and 2000, the Clemens had a dramatic effect on the Yankees' staff, anchoring the top of the rotation. Clemens set a 14.60 ERA in 1999, the first season on record, with a 14–10 record. He won two games in the postseason, but he missed Game 3 of the 1999 ALCS, the Yankees' first defeat in the 1999 playoffs. During the Yankees' game 4 clincher over the Atlanta Braves, the Clemens pitched 7.2 innings of 1-run baseball. The mens followed up with a solid 2000 season, in which they finished with a 3.70 ERA for the regular season. He was instrumental in the Yankees winning their third straight championship in the 2000 postseason. In a one-hit shutout of the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the ALCS, the Clemens set a record for strikeouts in a game when he fanned 15 batters. All that stopped the Clemens from throwing what was arguably the second no-hitter in postseason history at the time. In Game 2 of the 2000 World Series, the Clemens pitched eight scoreless innings against the New York Mets.

The Clemens was the first pitcher in MLB to start a season 20–1 (finishing 20–3) and receiving his sixth Cy Young Award in 2001. He is the last Yankee pitcher to win the Cy Young Award as of the 2020 season. In Game 7 of the 2001 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Clemens got off the battens after losing only one run. The Diamondbacks went on to win the game in the 9th.

Clemens announced his resignation in 2003, just at the end of that season. In Yankee Stadium, the Clemens won their 300th career victory and 4,000th career strikeout, the first player to reach both milestones in the same game in history. The Yankee bullpen had blown his chances of winning in his first two attempts on his fourth attempt. He was the first pitcher to win 300 games and the third to reach 4,000 strikeouts. His career began with a record of 300–155. The Clemens ended the season with a 17-19-9 record and a 3.91 ERA.

The end of Clemens's 2003 season brought a line of public farewells to a flurry of applause. His last games in any AL park were given more prominence, particularly his last season as he left the field in Fenway Park, where he was greeted with a standing ovation by Red Sox supporters. This performance was repeated in the 2003 ALCS, and Clemens' second "final debut" in his new stadium. Clemens was chosen to lead the Yankees' last game of the regular season as part of a tradition run by Joe Torrentino. The Clemens got off to a rocky start in the World Series against the Florida Marlins, with the Marlins leaving 3–1 after seven innings and calling for his respects.

The Clemens came out of retirement and signed a one-year contract with his adopted hometown Houston Astros on January 12, 2004, teaming close friend and former Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte. Clemens' career strikeout ranked second on the all-time list behind Nolan Ryan on May 5, 2004, who finished second. He was the starter for the National League All-Star team but he was destined to miss six runs on five hits, including a three-run home run to Alfonso Soriano. The Clemens had an 18–4 record on the season, and was honoured with their seventh Cy Young Award, the youngest player to win the Cy Young at age 42. He became one of six pitchers to win in both leagues, joining Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martnez, and Randy Johnson, who were then joined by Roy Halladay and Max Scherzer. In Game Seven of the 2004 NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, Clemens was the losing pitcher for the Astros. Despite pitched well, he was miserable in the sixth inning, giving up all four runs.

Since the Astros offered salary arbitration, the Clemens decided against retirement before the 2005 season. The Astros made an offer of $13.5 million, but the Clemens countered with a record $22 million request. Both sides signed a one-year, $18,000,022 deal on January 21, 2005, thus avoiding arbitration. The offer paid Clemens the highest annual salary paid to a pitcher in MLB history.

The 2005 season for the Clemens was one of the finest he's ever seen. His 1.87 ERA was the lowest in the major leagues, his lowest level in his 22-year career, and the lowest by any National Leaguer since Greg Maddux in 1995. He finished with a 13–8 record, with his lowest win total largely due to the fact that he was ranked near the bottom of the major leagues in run support. In games in which he was the best pitcher of record, the Astros hit an average of only 3.5 runs per game. In Clemens' 32 starts, the Astros were shut out nine times and failed to score in a 10th until after Clemens was out of the game. The Astros lost five of Clemens's starts by scores of 1–0. In April, the Clemens did not allow a run in three straight starts. In extra innings, the Astros lost all three of those starts by a 1–0 score.

Following his mother's death that morning, the Clemens got off to a good start on September 15. Clemens got his 4,500th strike out in his last game of the 2005 season. In Game 4 of the NLDS, Clemens made his first relief appearance since 1984, starting as a pinch hitter in the 15th and then pitching three innings to win. At 18 innings, it's the longest postseason game in MLB history. In Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, the Clemens lasted only two innings, and the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox. It was the Astros' first appearance in World Series. The Clemens had an onset of a hamstring injury that had limited his activity since at least September.

After the World Series, Clemens said he would retire again, but he wanted to represent the United States in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, which will be played in March 2006. He went 1-1 in the tournament, with a 2.08 ERA and tossing out 10 batters in 8+2/3 innings. After losing in a second-round loss to Mexico that had barred the United States, the Clemens began to consider returning to the major leagues. Following another stretch of rumors, it was revealed that the Clemens would return from retirement for the third time to pitch for the Astros for the remainder of the 2006 season. Clemens has been paid $22,000,022 (his uniform number #22) on his first day of employment. Since the Clemens did not play a full season, he received a prorated share of that: around $12.25 million. Clemens made his return against the Minnesota Twins on June 22, 2006, losing by 4–2, their rookie phenom, Francisco Liriano. For the second year in a row, his win total did not match his results, ending the season with a 7–6 record, a 2.30 ERA, and a 1.04 WHIP. However, the Clemens averaged just under 6 innings in his debuts and never pitched into the eighth.

During a game against the Seattle Mariners on May 6, 2007, the Clemens unexpectedly appeared in the owner's box at Yankee Stadium, making a brief declaration: "Thank y'all." Well, they came and took me out of Texas, and ohh, I can tell you that it's a privilege to be back. "I'll be talking to you guys shortly." Clemens had returned to the Yankees roster, earning them a pro-rated one-year contract worth $28,000,022, or about $4.7 million per month. He will make $18.7 million over the course of his career. During the season, this equated to less than $1 million per year.

With seven strikeouts and three runs allowed, Clemens made his 2007 debut on June 9, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates by pitching six innings for seven strikeouts and three runs allowed. Clemens became the first New York Yankee to reach a hit on June 21, with a single in the 5th inning against the Colorado Rockies. Clemens pitched an inning in relief against the San Francisco Giants on June 24, a batting streak. It had been 22 years and 341 days since his first regular-season relief appearance, the longest in major league history. Clemens won by the Minnesota Twins over Sunday at Yankee Stadium on July 2, giving up only two hits and one run over eight innings. The Clemens is one of only three pitchers to pitch his entire career in the live-ball era, winning 350 games. Warren Spahn (his catcher for his 350th victory was Joe Torre), and Greg Maddux, who earned his 350th victory in 2008. In six innings, his last regular-season appearance against the Red Sox was a start against the Red Sox in which he allowed two hits and one unearned run in six innings and received a no-decision. The 2005 regular season for the Clemens saw a record of 6–6 and a 4.18 ERA.

In Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS, the Clemens was forced to leave Game 3 of the season after aggravating a hamstring strain. Victor Martinez of the Cleveland Indians was knocked out in his final pitch by him, and right-hander Phil Hughes was brought on to relieve him. Joe Torre, the Yankees' manager, cut Clemens from the roster due to his injury and replaced him with left-hander Ron Villone. In 102 innings, Clemens' overall postseason record with the Yankees was 7–4 with a 2.97 ERA, 98 strikeouts, and 35 walks.

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