Ryan sets a new strikeout record; Clemens goes for win 350

RYAN SETS A NEW STRIKEOUT RECORD

On July 2, 1990 Nolan Ryan strikes out batter 100 on the season, setting an MLB record of 22 seasons with at least 100 strikeouts. Starting the streak in 1978.

The record was previously held by Don Sutton, who had done it in 21 consecutive seasons.

Ryan, who enjoyed the best years of his career with the California Angels, where he threw four of his MLB record seven no-hitters. Those seven no-hitters are three more than any other pitcher. He is tied with Bob Feller for most one-hitters, with 12. Ryan also pitched 18 two-hitters. Despite the seven no-hitters, he never threw a perfect game, nor did he ever win a Cy Young Award.

Only Ryan, Sandy Koufax (four), Cy Young (three), Bob Feller (three), and Larry Corcoran (three) have pitched more than two no-hitters. Corcoran was the first pitcher to throw a second no-hitter in a career (in 1882), as well as the first to throw a third (in 1884).

Thirty men in all have thrown more than one no-hitter. Randy Johnson has the longest gap between no-hitters: he threw a no-hitter as a member of the Seattle Mariners on June 2, 1990, and a perfect game as an Arizona Diamondback on May 18, 2004.

The pitcher who holds the record for the shortest time between no-hitters is Johnny Vander Meer, the only pitcher in history to throw no-hitters in consecutive starts, while playing for the Cincinnati Reds in 1938. Besides Vander Meer, Allie Reynolds (in 1951), Virgil Trucks (in 1952), and Ryan (in 1973) are the only other major leaguers to throw two no-hitters in the same regular season.

Five pitchers have thrown a no-hitter in both the American League and the National League: Cy Young, Ryan, Jim Bunning, Nomo, and Randy Johnson. Only four catchers have caught a no-hitter in each league: Gus Triandos, Jeff Torborg, Darrell Porter and Ron Hassey. Triandos caught Hoyt Wilhelm's 1958 no-hitter and Jim Bunning's perfect game, Torborg caught Koufax's perfect game and Ryan's first no-hitter, Porter caught Jim Colborn's 1977 no-hitter and Bob Forsch's second no-hitter in 1983, and Hassey caught Len Barker's and Dennis Martínez's perfect games.

Ryan is one of only 29 players in baseball history to have appeared in Major League baseball games in four decades and the only pitcher to have struck out seven pairs of fathers and sons. While his lifetime winning percentage was .526, Ryan was an eight-time MLB All-Star, with 324 wins and 292 losses. With a career 3.19 earned run average.

Ryan would finish his career with 5,714 career strikeouts, which rank first in major league baseball history by a significant margin. He leads the runner-up, Randy Johnson, by 839 strikeouts. Similarly, Ryan's 2,795 bases on balls lead second-place Steve Carlton by 962; walking over 50 percent more hitters than any other pitcher in Major League history. Ryan and Sandy Koufax are the only two pitchers inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame who had more strikeouts than innings pitched.
Other than Jackie Robinson (whose number was retired by the entire MLB), Ryan is currently the only major league baseball player to have his number retired by at least three different teams: the Angels, Astros, and Rangers.

 Ryan was inducted into Cooperstown Hall of Fame in 1999 with 98.79 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared.








CLEMENS GOES FOR WIN 350

On July 2, 2007 Roger Clemens gets career win number 350.

Clemens nick named “The Rocket” would go on to have a great career pitching for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros.

Clemens would rack up many more accolades in his career besides just winning 200 games, including seven CY Young awards, in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2004, which are two more than the next player on the list Randy Johnson, who would earn five over his 20-year career. Clemens would also win the 1986 All-Star Game MVP.

Clemens would be nominated to the All-Star game 11 times, including 1986, 1988, 1990-1992, 1997-1998, 2001, 2003-2005. Clemens also won two World Series titles with the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000.

Clemens is also one of only two pitchers to have a 20-strikeout game; the other was Chicago Cubs Kerry Wood. However, Clemens is the only pitcher to accomplish the feat twice, doing so in 1986 and 1996.


In 1986 Clemens won the MVP and the CY Young award, becoming the first pitcher in the American League since 1971 to win both awards in the same season. In 1971 Vida Blue did the feat.
Clemens finished the season with a league leading 24 wins, 238 strikeouts and a league leading 2.48 ERA. Clemens fantastic season on the mound beat out Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees for the MVP, Mattingly had a solid season with a league leading 238 hits, league leading 53 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI’s and a .352 batting average.

Since Clemens two other pitchers have won the CY Young award and the AL MVP in the same season.

Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in 1992, with a record of 7-1, with a league leading 51 saves, 91 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.91. The runner up that year was Kirby Puckett of the Minnesota Twins. Puckett had a good season with a league leading 210 hits, 19 home runs, 110 RBI’s and a .329 batting average.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander in 2011, with a record of 24-5, league leading 250 strikeouts and a league leading ERA of 2.40. The runner up that year was Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox. Ellsbury had a good season with 32 home runs, 105 RBI’s, 39 stolen bases and a .321 batting average.

When Clemens finished his career he had 354 wins and 184 losses, a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts. His 354 wins were good enough for seventh all-time when he retired, but Greg Maddux has since surpassed him with 355 wins. His 4,672 strikeouts were good enough for second all-time when he retired but since then Randy Johnson has surpassed him with 4,875.

Clemens won the pitching Triple Crown twice in his career, both in his time with the Blue Jays in back-to-back seasons. In 1997 Clemens finished the season with a 2.05 ERA, 21 wins and 292 strikeouts leading the MLB in all three categories. In 1998 his stats would not be as impressive but he would once again lead the MLB in ERA with 2,65, wins with 20 and strikeouts with 271.

Clemens in one of only five pitchers to have won the pitching Triple Crown more than one time. The others are Christy Matthewson, 2, Walter Johnson, 3, Grover Cleveland Alexander, 3, Left Grove, 2, Lefty Gomez, 2 and Sandy Koufax, 3.

In 1999, Clemens was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

Clemens was on the ballot for the Cooperstown Hall of Fame this year but with his name still being dragged through the mud, which is the Mitchell Report and steroids in baseball it might be a few years before he makes his entrance into the Hall of Fame.