On May 21, 1996, former Red Sox
pitcher and Hall of Famer Roger
Clemens beats the New York Yankees for career win 200.
Clemens nicked “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.
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| Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens in 1995. |
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.
Clemens would finish his career
with
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.
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| New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens in 2000. |
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.
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