Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens is one of the most dominant and controversial pitchers in baseball history. Nicknamed “The Rocket,” he was a seven-time Cy Young Award winner with a blazing fastball, fierce competitiveness, and a legacy both praised and questioned.

⚾ Teams Played For:

Boston Red Sox (1984–1996)
Toronto Blue Jays (1997–1998)
New York Yankees (1999–2003, 2007)
Houston Astros (2004–2006)

🏆 Career Highlights:

7× Cy Young Award Winner (most ever for a pitcher)
2× World Series Champion (1999, 2000 Yankees)
11× All-Star
1986 AL MVP – rare for a pitcher
354 Career Wins
4,672 Strikeouts – 3rd all-time
7 ERA titles

🔥 Reputation on the Mound:

Known for his fiery temperament, Clemens was intimidating, ultra-competitive, and often toeing the line of “unhinged.”
Famous duels included battles with Mike Piazza, who Clemens once infamously threw a broken bat shard at during the 2000 World Series.
Workhorse: threw complete games deep into his 30s, with unmatched velocity and control.

🔥 1. The Broken Bat Incident – 2000 World Series

Roger Clemens vs. Mike Piazza, Game 2, Yankees vs. Mets:

Earlier that year, Clemens had hit Piazza in the head with a 92-mph fastball, giving him a concussion.
Tension was sky-high during the World Series.
In Game 2, Piazza shattered his bat on a swing. A sharp barrel flew toward Clemens—he picked it up and chucked it toward Piazza.
Benches nearly cleared. Clemens claimed he thought it was the ball.

Piazza: “I’m walking to first, and this maniac throws wood at me.”

⚾ 2. 20 Strikeouts Game – Twice

Clemens is one of only two pitchers to record 20 strikeouts in a 9-inning game—and he did it twice:

1986 vs. Mariners (as a 23-year-old Red Sox)
1996 vs. Tigers (his final year in Boston)

His 1986 performance helped him win both the Cy Young and MVP, a rare double for a pitcher.

💉 3. The Steroid Allegations and Congressional Hearing

Named in the 2007 Mitchell Report for alleged steroid/HGH use.
Former trainer Brian McNamee said he injected Clemens over a dozen times.
Clemens denied everything in front of U.S. Congress, under oath.
His friend Andy Pettitte contradicted his story, saying Clemens told him he used HGH.
Indicted for perjury and obstruction—but was acquitted in 2012.

Clemens: “I’ve never taken steroids. Period.”

🔁 4. Red Sox to Yankees: The Betrayal

Clemens was a Red Sox icon for 13 years.
After the 1996 season, Boston let him walk, saying he was in the “twilight of his career.”
Clemens responded by winning two Cy Youngs in two years with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Then he joined the Yankees, Boston's hated rival—further fueling the fire.

Boston fans: “He stabbed us in the back.”
Clemens: “I had more to prove.”

🧠 5. The Rocket's Intensity

Known for extreme competitiveness—screamed at teammates, hit batters on purpose, trained obsessively.
In one story, he told hitters:

“If you lean out over the plate, I’ll put you on your ass.”
He’d pitch inside and dare you to charge him.

😬 6. Late Career Reinventions

In his 40s, Clemens pitched for the Houston Astros and put up absurd numbers, including a 1.87 ERA in 2005.
Helped lead Houston to its first World Series appearance.
Famously signed midseason contracts, showing up late to skip the grind of April and May.

🧾 7. The Hall of Fame Snub

Despite 354 wins and 7 Cy Youngs, Clemens fell short in 10 years of Hall of Fame voting.
Many voters couldn’t look past the steroid cloud, despite his never failing a test and being acquitted in court.