Red Sox: What if Roger Clemens never left in free agency?

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Houston Astros former players Jeff Bagwell (left) and Roger Clemens (right) throw out a ceremonial first pitch before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park. /

There’s no question that Roger Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in his era. The Rocket is already a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame and could one day wind up in Cooperstown.

After being taken 19th overall by the Red Sox in the 1983 MLB Draft, no player came close to impacting their team as much as Clemens did. For the first 13 years of his Major League career, he led the Red Sox in almost every major pitching category. He won the first three of his seven Cy Young Awards as a member of the Sox.

Just how good was Clemens? We’ll look at his numbers and evaluate just how important his value was to the Sox in the mid 90’s. How special would it have been to see the same pitcher pitch for the same ball club spanning 24 seasons? Were there benefits to leaving Boston to chase a title? In the end we’ll be looking at a plethora of statistics and relevant history to see if the Sox were smart for letting him walk or silly for not signing him long term and for his career.

Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

Roger Clemens in Boston

Few, if any, could argue that his legacy in Boston will live on. While Clemens is no longer playing baseball in any capacity, his longevity and ability to dominate lasted for over a decade in Boston. He was the premiere power pitcher in the mid 80’s until the mid 90’s and for Red Sox fans, that was a very good thing. Roger Clemens was the face of Boston pitching before Pedro Martinez arrived on the scene in 1998.

Clemens won 20 or more games in Boston three times, winning a total of 24 games in 1986 as a 23-year old. The Rocket is also the only pitcher to strike out 20 batters in a game twice. Only two other pitchers have recorded 20 strike out performances. Kerry Wood of the Chicago Cubs in 1998 and Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals in 2016.

Just how good was Clemens in 1986? Clemens won both his first Cy Young Award that year and his first Most Valuable Player Award. You don’t win that kind of hardware without being spectacular. He won the Cy Young twice more as a Sox in 1987 and 1991. Clemens won the award three times in a six year span in Boston.

Clemens’ best years in Boston

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Clemens posted a 24-4 record with a 2.48 ERA and struck out 238 batters over 254 innings in 1986.

The following season he went 20-9 with a 2.97 ERA and struck out 256 batters in 281 2/3 innings pitched.

In 1990, at just 27 years old, he became a 20 game winner for the 3rd time in his career and 3rd time in just five seasons. The Rocket posted a 21-6 record with a 1.93 ERA and recorded 209 strike outs in 228 1/3 innings pitched.

As a member of the Sox, he led the league in Wins in back to back seasons in 1986 and 1987. Clemens led in ERA four times including 1986 and three consecutive years from 1990 until 1992. The Rocket dominated with the most strike outs three times in 1988, 1991 and 1996. The second most strike outs of his career came in 1988 when he recorded 291 K’s.

The Rocket was also fantastic at shutting out ball games. Clemens led the league in shutouts five times as a member of the Red Sox, back-to-back years in 1987 and 1988, where he also led the league in complete games and again led shutouts from 1990 thru 1992.

Rogers Clemens’ career numbers in Boston are staggering.

Clemens Red Sox Career Numbers

Seasons – 13
ERA – 3.06
Wins – 192
Losses – 111
Innings Pitched – 2776.0
Strike Outs – 2590
Complete Games – 100
Shutouts – 38

Some pitchers never ever accumulate 100 wins in their career, Clemens was able to hit 192 in just 13 years. Lest we forget, in 1984 and 1985, he only pitched partial years. Was Clemens better than Pedro Martinez? Who had better numbers?

Pedro Martinez‘ numbers in Boston

Seasons – 7
ERA – 2.52
Wins – 117
Losses – 37
Innings Pitched – 1,383 2/3
Strike Outs – 1,683
Complete Games – 22
Shutouts – 8

While Clemens had the better numbers, he still missed that one elusive award, the World Series Title which he never had as a member of the Red Sox. After departing in free agency after the 1996 season, he found himself in the thick of things with another American League foe. Did he do better there?

Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Roger Clemens in Toronto

Roger Clemens in the Bronx

After two stellar seasons playing in Canada, the New York Yankees came calling inquiring for his services. Clemens spent the next five years of his career playing in the Bronx. He wasn’t as effective as when he was in Boston or Toronto but he did have one season where he hit the 20 wins mark. Most importantly, Clemens was able to finally get the award that had long eluded him. The Rocket won two World Series Titles in New York, the first in 1999 and the second in 2000.

Finally, he’d done it. So he wasn’t done, not after seeking number three. 2001 began with a historic run, becoming the first pitcher to start a season 20-1 before finishing his campaign going 20-3. Clemens didn’t lose his second game of the season until September 25, 2001. The Yankees almost won their 3rd straight World Series but the Diamondbacks had other plans, winning their first Title in their history. Clemens won his 6th Cy Young Award in 2001.

During the 2003 campaign, Clemens had stated that he was going to retire from baseball at age 40. A respectable number and after 20 seasons in the league and winning two Titles, he had felt like it was time to hang it up. Clemens put up respectable numbers for the Yankees in five seasons.

Roger Clemens Numbers in New York

Seasons – 5
ERA – 3.99
Wins – 77
Losses – 36
Innings Pitched – 1,004
Strike Outs – 946
Complete Games – 3
Shut Outs – 2

The story of Roger and all his records and memorable moments looked like it was over after his five years in New York, standing ovations and public farewells. The Rocket was full of surprises as his last stop didn’t end in New York this time around.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Roger Clemens in Houston

Oh Roger. That’s what baseball fans were thinking after retiring and being done with baseball, he decided that he wasn’t done after all. And while his last season in New York looked like he was done, he was again able to turn back the clock. Just like in 1996 when he looked done leaving Boston, he fooled us again. Fool me once shame on you, fool me me twice, shame on me, the expression couldn’t have been more accurate.

Clemens kicked it into another notch, getting 18 wins at age 41. He posted an 18-4 record with a 2.98 ERA and registered 218 strike outs in 214 1/3rd innings. It was the 14th time in his career where he had hit 200+ innings pitched and the 12th time in his career to record 200+ strikeouts.

Roger just wasn’t going away. In his first year in Houston, the Astros got as far as the National League Championship Series where they were knocked out, losing in seven games to the Cardinals. The year did finish with some great news as Clemens had won his 7th Cy Young Award. Clemens also became the first player to win the award with four different teams. Only three other pitchers won four Cy Young Awards and all three have been enshrined in Cooperstown.

Historic Season at age 42

Still once again, the Rocket posted unreal numbers. In 2005, at age 42, Clemens posted a 1.87 ERA, the second best of his 24 year career. In 10 of the games that he started, he didn’t allow a single earned run including three in a row in April which brought his season ERA down to 0.32 after his 4th start of the season.

Clemens looked like he could do no wrong. Six of those starts he didn’t get a decision. In 2005, the Astros made it to the World Series for the first time in their team’s history. Unfortunately, due to a hamstring pull, he was limited to just two innings and the White Sox eventually swept the Astros in four straight games.

Clemens’ career numbers in Houston were nothing to smirk at either. Due to his dynamic start in Houston, his numbers again looked above average and considering his age, he did great.

Roger Clemens Numbers in Houston

Seasons – 3
ERA – 2.40
Wins – 38
Losses – 18
Innings Pitched – 539.0
Strike Outs – 505
Complete Games – 1
Shut Outs – 0

Finally after making it official again, Clemens decided that he was done with baseball and would announce his retirement after the World Baseball Classic in 2006. While he signed a lucrative contract to pitch in Houston for a third season, it was prorated as he joined the team officially in June. Never living up to the hype, age had finally caught the best of the Rocket. Finally the fire was getting put out and the fumes could be seen.

The Rocket never pitched past 7 innings in any game during his 2006 campaign. In the last year of his time with Houston, Clemens posted a 2.30 ERA with a 7 – 6 record. After retiring, un-retiring, retiring, re-ti…you get the idea, he was almost done with one more stop.

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

Roger Clemens back in New York

After 13 years in Boston, two years in Toronto, five years in the Bronx, and three in Houston, Clemens STILL wasn’t 100% done. After making an announcement at the then old Yankee Stadium, fans heard the old Rocket say:

“Thank y’all. Well they came and got me out of Texas, and uhh, I can tell you it’s a privilege to be back. I’ll be talkin’ to y’all soon.”

The Yankees later revealed that at 44 years old, the Rocket was back to play after being asked by the late George Steinbrenner to come back. He was again a Yankee, agreeing to a prorated one-year deal worth over $28 million dollars. His monthly salary was about $4.7 million and after the season was over, he would have accumulated almost $19 million, which was the equivalent to over $1 million dollars per start.

There certainly was no telling how sweet a home run felt if you hit one off of ole’ Rog in 2007. Clemens was able to win his 350th career game as a member of the Yankees and finished with 354 wins, 9th all time, just one shy of matching Greg Maddux for 8th all time.

It was a fitting end for Roger Clemens who faced the drafted him 24 years prior. He recorded a no decision while allowing one run on two hits, walking three and struck out four. Finally, yes FINALLY, after 24 memorable years, 7 Cy Young Awards, 2 World Series Championship Titles, the Rocket had finally smoked out.

Now all that’s left is to answer our question that started it all, was it a mistake to let Roger walk?

Verdict?

Roger “The Rocket” Clemens will go down as one of the greatest to ever pitch in the game of baseball. Was it a mistake for not signing him? It’s highly debated. I would say yes it was a mistake letting him walk only because I envision a rotation that had both Clemens and Martinez in it? That sounds lethal.

There were allegations of steroid abuse which many believe to have been true and the fact that his name was mentioned over 80 times in the now famous Mitchell Report didn’t help his case. While also being named by several teammates and books as a performance enhancing user and labeled as a “cheater,” Roger Clemens still lasted in the game for many years.

Hated by many teams, especially the ones that never had him play for them, and embraced by many fan bases, he certainly filled seats and at the end of the day he made history in several ways before his alleged drug use. No one can take away his 20 strikeout performances, his 7 Cy Young Awards, and no one can take away his two World Series Championships Titles with the Yankees.

Clemens’ Career Numbers

Seasons – 24
ERA – 3.12
Wins – 354
Losses – 184
Innings Pitched – 4,916 2/3
Strike Outs – 4,672
Complete Games – 118
Shut Outs – 46

I think the Sox would have loved his production in the late 90’s and early 2000’s and after everything was said and done, he could have been a part of the first team to break the curse for the Red Sox in 86 years when the won it in 2004 and then again in 2007. Chasing titles has it’s perks but not at the cost of potentially selling your soul to get there.

Clemens was important during a time when baseball was dying and with the strike, few players had great followings. Clemens was one of the few and while his era is now over, we may never see anyone like him again. Winning back to back Cy Youngs? Possible. Winning a Cy Young with two different teams? Possible. Three teams? Unlikely. Four teams? Impossible.

Next: What if Red Sox never acquired Carl Everett?

What are the odds that we see another pitcher get 4,500 strike outs? Clemens finished 3rd all time with 4,672 strike outs. The world may never see another Roger Clemens again and we should be blessed to have seen him pitch for as long as he did.

Stay tuned for the next “What If” article coming out in two weeks.

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