Title: Strikeout Kings- Roger Clemens
LillyRocks - August 20, 2007 11:19 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE |
| Pitching- it's what defines baseball in many circumstances. Without the pitcher, baseball would lose it's core. Baseball would have no support; with that- no runs could be scored, no pitches would be thrown and no games could be decided. Pitchers are an ultimate component of baseball, and sports alike. And what better idea to add to the pitching toolbox than a strikeout. Ah, the beauty. Wether it's a fastball you whiff on down the middle to a curveball that paints the corner, strikeouts are the ultimate way to define a game. And that's what these players did-- they equiped themselves with a unique arsenal of pitches, some unique, others just unhittable, and crafted them into the ultimate pitch. These five baseball players I am writing about defined what we know as "strike outs". No matter what game you play, earning an alias such as "The Rocket" makes you host to a promising crown. Clemens has worn that crown with an incredible arsenal of pitches, making him well deserving of 4,647 career strikeouts. Even today Roger continues to make a name for himself on the pitching mound, playing for the Bronx Bombers in New York City. The shelves of Roger Clemens' residence are probably stacked ceiling to floor in hardware, hardware consisting of seven total Cy Young awards, two more than any other pitcher in MLB history. Clemens has called four teams home in his stint with baseball, those being the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros. Clemens is a veteran of the 4,000 strikeout club, being a member since the 2003 season. He recorded his 300th win in the same game of the famous strikeout. Clemens' parents seperated at birth, and the only feeling of jealousy Roger admitted to ever feeling was to viewing fathers with their sons in little league dugouts. (Roger's mother married another man, but he died when Clemens was nine years old) Clemens resided in Dayton, Ohio until his high school years, when he moved to Texas. Roger became a local celebrity, starring in the three major sports, and was scouted by the Twins and Phillies as a senior, but decided to get a college education instead.  Roger became known as the Longhorns greatest pitcher ever, being the first to have his number retired. An alumni of two universities, Roger started college at San Jacinto College North, where he went 9-2 in one season. Roger Clemens was selected in the draft to go where Nolan Ryan began his career at, New York, but didn't sign his contract he was offered. He instead transferred colleges, this time around he was a sophmore at the University of Texas. As a Longhorn, Roger was fierce Big Twelve competition, compiling a career record of 24-7. He litterally "hooked" anyone who stepped in the batter's box throughout his career in Austin, and tasted his first sucsess as a ballplayer with a win in the 1983 College World Series. Roger became the first ever retired number in Texas University baseball history. Roger also had an awarded named after him, which is given annually to the best pitcher in NCAA Baseball. Roger was drafted in the first round very swiftly, going 19th, and became a member of the Boston Red Sox organization. He climbed through the farm system at a rapid pace, leaving other minor leaguers in the dust. Called up in 1984, a year after he was selected in the draft, Roger tasted immediate sucsess as a pitcher. He helped Boston reach the World Series in 1986, and was a large factor of the Red Sox rotation. He compiled 24 wins that year and won the MVP award along with the first of seven Cy Young Awards. On April 29th, 1986, Roger Clemens tasted history. He brought his best stuff to the mound, charting 20 strikeouts in one game, which has since been matched by the arms of Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson. He would later match this feat again, becoming the only player to do so.  There was no bumpy beggining for Roger, he was an immediate sucsess. He impressed every team he faced, and received his first Cy Young three years after being drafted. Aside from the limelight of his career, Roger had begun to struggle starting in the 1996 season. He had tied the career record in wins for the Red Sox with Cy Young, but the Red Sox decided to let him go. Flirting with numerous contract offers, Roger decided to play for American League East Rival Toronto. Toronto wasn't the best of teams at the time, but Roger had some of the best numbers of his career in Canada. He won two Cy Youngs and accomplished an amazing feat of the Pitching Triple Crown in his two seasons in Toronto. (A Pitching Triple Crown in when a pitcher leads the majors in strikeouts, wins and ERA in one season) Clemens got revenge on Boston at Fenway Park in his first appearance since signing with the Blue Jays-- he struck out 16 of the 24 batters he faced.  Roger Clemens experienced the best two years of his baseball career in Canada, posting two Cy Youngs and two Pitching Triple Crowns. Roger Clemens was a huge trade that the New York Yankees received in 1999, as Roger had a great career wearing pinstripes. In his first two seasons with New York, he won the World Series. Roger Clemens dominated the postseason play, but was the lead contributor of massive criticism in his 2000 year. As you know, New York is home to two major league teams, and the one that's just a subway train away from Yankee Stadium caused some controversy with Roger. The Mets had assembled a defensive and offensive mastermind behind home plate, Mike Piazza, who may be one of the greatest catchers in baseball history. In a midseason Subway Series, Clemens was slated to pitch and was facing Mike. Clemens missed badly with a fastball, beaning Mike, and watch the ball strike Piazza in the hand and then bounce of his face. Piazza was then heard criticizing Clemens to a massive extent, and baseball gained extensive popularity when the two teams met up with each other in the playoffs. In Game 2 of the World Series Piazza came to the plate in his first at-bat. A pitch shattered Piazza's bat and sent it dangerously close to Clemens. Roger picked up the bat as if it was the ball and threw it towards the first base line, narrowly missing Mike. Both benches cleared, but Clemens stayed in the game. He would later be fined $50,000. Aside from the major controversy Clemens was labled with, he would go on to suceed the next season. He assembled a beautiful start, going 20-1 and finishing the season at 20-3. He would go on to win his 6th Cy Young with those types of numbers. Early in the year of 2003, Roger announced that he would retire at the end of the year. This was a notable year in Clemens' career, the year that he would go on to record his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout. Roger would leave the game for a short stint, and then decide he needed baseball. In 2004, a year after he said he would retire, Roger was back, only this time he was dressed in crimson and black. Roger Clemens was a Houston Astro, and his alias "The Rocket" had come in to major effect. Despite his portly and older appearance, Clemens seemed to have the arm of a 26 year old ace. In his first season as a Houston Astro Clemens would win his 7th and final Cy Young. He also became second on the all-time strikeout list. In 2005, Clemens had his back against the wall yet again. He was contemplating retirement, but didn't want to leave the game he loved dearly. The Astros gave him a huge and solid contract of 18 million dollars, which made him the highest paid pitcher and the history of baseball. Clemens didn't have an astounding record, compiling a record of 13-9, but the run support in Houston wasn't the greatest. Aside from a 1.87 ERA which could've potentially won Roger his 8th Cy Young, he had struggled in terms of winning. Houston lost three games throughout the season 1-0 when Roger was pitching. You can't win with that kind of run support. Houston decline the re-signing of him, making him another resident of the free agent market. Texas, Houston, Boston and New York all expressed interest in him, but it would work to no avail. After his Team USA lost to Mexico in the Baseball Classic, Clemens claimed he was retiring yet again. No formal retirement was ever arranged, though, and Roger came back in an Astro uniform in late 2006. He finished with a 7-6 record with a 2.30 ERA. On May 6th, 2007 Roger had become a member of the Yankee pitching staff yet again. A team that had been struggling so much had picked up a long-lost ace, Roger Clemens, who was again sitting on the bench with friend Andy Petitte. He pitched in Lexington, Kentucky to try and get back into shape and spent time with his son, Koby, who is a member of the Astro affiliate Lexington Legends. He climbed pretty quickly through the minor league circuit, making his debut in early June against the Pirates. Clemens would receive a victory and struck out seven in a decent performance. On July 2nd, Clemens would also pick up his 350th victory against the Minnesota Twins.  Roger Clemens has made an impressive comeback, and still amazes fans today. Roger Clemens has been the center of several controversies and accusations, some including steroid usage. Many members of the media have also noted that Clemens is a little nervous when throwing, as he hits a lot of batters. Roger has also been criticized for his comments whilst being interviewed, and criticized over the way teams treat him. In Jose Canseco's book that contained plenty of dirt on several major leaguers, Clemens was a popular name. Canseco stated that Roger knew about steroids and had probably used them, referencing his breakthrough performance after leaving Boston. Clemens has denied all questions about steroid usage. No matter how Roger is viewed, he is certainly known as one of the filthiest pitchers in the game's history. Clemens doesn't seem to overpower a ton of hitters while on the mound, but he does outwork them. You don't get 4,647 strikeouts for no reason. Clemens will go down in history as one of the greatest and most reliable pitchers in terms of strikeouts and holding teams from scoring. Every aspect of Clemens seems to define him as a "Strikeout King" |
milehighrox - August 21, 2007 08:22 PM (GMT)
Awesome article.