Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens
Pitcher
Born: August 4th, 1962 Dayton , United States
Strikes: Right	Throws: Right
Debut in Major League Baseball
May 15,  1984  with the  Boston Red Sox
Last MLB assignment
September 16,  2007  with the  New York Yankees
MLB statistics (up to 2007 end of career)
Win-loss	354-184
Earned Run Average	3.12
Strikeouts	4,672
Teams
Boston Red Sox (1984-1996) Toronto Blue Jays (1997-1998) New York Yankees (1999-2003) Houston Astros (2004-2006) New York Yankees (2007)
Awards
11 × All-Star (1986, 1988, 1990–1992, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003–2005) 2 × World Series winners ( 1999 , 2000 ) 7 × Cy Young Award winners (1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004) 1986 MLB All-Star Game MVP Major League Baseball All-Century Team

William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962 in Dayton , Ohio ), nicknamed "The Rocket" is one of the most famous former pitchers in Major League Baseball . Most recently he was active in the 2007 season for the New York Yankees . Clemens played his first game in the MLB on May 15, 1984 for the Boston Red Sox , where he was under contract as a starting pitcher for 13 seasons .

Career

Boston Red Sox (1984-1996)

In 1983, Clemens was from the Boston Red Sox at No. 13 drafted and went through in the wake quickly the minor league system. On May 15, 1984 he made his debut in the major league.

With his 24 wins as a starting pitcher , Clemens played a major role in ensuring that the Red Sox reached the 1986 World Series , which they then failed to win. Clemens received the American League MVP award this season . In addition, Clemens succeeded, as the first pitcher ever in the MLB, to send 20 batsmen off the field with a strikeout in a regular game over nine innings . This feat, which he succeeded against the Seattle Mariners , he was able to repeat ten years later (1996) against the Detroit Tigers .

Although Clemens jersey number 21 is not officially retired at the Red Sox , no other player has worn it since he left the club.

Toronto Blue Jays (1997-1998)

After his trade with the Blue Jays , Clemens was able to win the Cy Young Award and the Pitching Triple Crown in each of his two seasons in Canada .

In his first home game in the Blue Jays dress, Clemens made a good game, allowing only four hits and a single run in eight innings played. Of the 24 outs he threw, there were 16 strikeouts.

New York Yankees (1999-2003)

The trade with the New York Yankees was the opportunity for Clemens to finally win the World Series , which he finally managed in 1999 and 2000.

On July 8, 2000, an incident occurred between Clemens and catcher Mike Piazza of the New York Mets . Clemens hit Piazza in the face with a pitch. It was claimed that the hit by pitch was intended by Clemens, as Piazza had hit him very successfully beforehand. A month before the incident, Piazza had even beaten a Grand Slam against Clemens . The first reunion after this incident took place in the World Series 2000, of all things, which reached both New York clubs, i.e. the Yankees and the Mets.

At the beginning of 2003, Clemens announced his retirement from professional sport, which he wanted to do at the end of the season. On June 13, 2003, Clemens reached two important pitcher milestones in one game against the St. Louis Cardinals . On the one hand it was the 300th victory in his career and on the other hand Clemens was able to throw his 4000th strikeout in this game.

Houston Astros (2004-2006)

In 2004, Clemens decided to step back from retirement and signed a one-year contract with the Houston Astros . In May 2004, Clemens was able to take second place in the all-time best list with his 4137th strikeout, behind record holder Nolan Ryan (5714 strikeouts). Clemens announced that he would resign after the 2004 season.

But even this resignation was short-lived. The Astros offered him an annual salary of $ 13.5 million for the 2005 season. Clemens asked for 22 million and in the end they agreed on a one-year contract for 18,000,022 US dollars. He proved that Clemens was far from being scrapped when he achieved the best earned run average of his career with 1.87 in his 22nd year as a professional . Thanks to him, the Astros reached the 2005 World Series, in which Clemens only threw two innings (in game 1). The Astros lost by a sweep of the Chicago White Sox .

Clemens wanted to end his career for the third time after the season but again signed a one-year contract with a salary of 22,000,022 US dollars. That would be the highest sum that has ever been paid for a season in the MLB. If Clemens does not play for the whole season, however, he will only receive part of the sum (around 12 million US dollars). Clemens returned to the hill on June 22, 2006 against the Minnesota Twins , but lost 4-2 to rookie Francisco Liriano .

New York Yankees (2007)

On May 6th, Roger Clemens announced that he would play for the New York Yankees again. According to reports from the New York Times, Clemens signed a prorated contract worth $ 28 million for the entire season. Clemens came only to a few missions, so that he came in the season only on a record of 6-6 and ended the season with an ERA of 4.18. He then ended his active career.

Overview of stations

• 1984-1996 Boston Red Sox
• 1997-1998 Toronto Blue Jays
• 1999-2003 New York Yankees
• 2004-2006 Houston Astros
• 2007 New York Yankees

particularities

• Clemens has won the Cy Young Award seven times , more often than any other player.
• Clemens was the fourth pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in both leagues.
• In 2004, at the age of 42, Clemens was the oldest pitcher ever to win the Cy Young Award.
• Clemens is one of only three players who took part in the All-Star Game for both leagues .
• Clemens appears in an episode of The Simpsons with the title "The Wonder Striker" as an animated character that he dubbed himself.
• Clemens also appeared in an episode of the MythBusters series , which dealt exclusively with baseball myths.

Web links

Commons : Roger Clemens  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Player information and statistics from MLB  or  ESPN  or  Baseball Reference  or  Fangraphs  or  The Baseball Cube  or  Baseball Reference (Minor League) (English)
• Homepage of the Roger Clemens Foundation (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Tyler Kepner: Clemens Returns, and So Does Hope for Yankees. The New York Times , May 7, 2007, accessed November 10, 2014 .