Top Five Players Who Should Be In the
Hall of Fame
#3. Roger Clemens
This one is a no-brainer. Roger
Clemens is the best pitcher baseball has seen in the last sixty years—maybe
more. Let’s go over the details: an eleven-time All-Star, seven-time Cy Young
Award winner (won at least one in both Leagues), the 1986 AL MVP, two-time
Pitching Triple Crown winner, four times led the AL in wins, seven times led
the AL in ERA, five times led the AL in strikeouts, two-time World Series
winner, 354 career wins, 46 shutouts, 4672 strikeouts (third all-time), and a
member of MLB’s All-Century Team.
But it’s obvious why the
Baseball Writers of America Association won’t vote him into the hall, and that
would be his link to having used Performance Enhancing Drugs. However, he never
tested positive and there is no proof that he ever took PEDs. Now, his critics
will say I’m being naïve and they will point to indictment by a federal grand
jury for perjury, false statements and contempt of congress for lying to the United
States Congress when answering questions regarding the PED allegations.
However, I will point out that
he was found “not guilty” in his second trial after a mistrial was declared
during the first proceedings. Again, critics will point out that just because
he was not guilty doesn’t mean that he never used PEDs. And that’s true, it
doesn’t. But it also doesn’t mean that he did take them and any opinions are
strictly that: opinions and hearsay. And the fact that the BBWAA is hiding
behind these presumptions and opinions is rather sickening.
The fact of the matter is that
Roger Clemens is one of the best pitchers of all-time and to deny him entry
into the Hall Of Fame is shameful and hypocritical.
Now, let’s have a look at his
career.
Clemens first gained notoriety
in 1986 when he won his first Cy Young Award while winning 24 games with the
Boston Red Sox, leading them to the AL East title and a trip to the World
Series. His 2.48 ERA also led the AL and he struck out 238 batters. On April 29
of that season, he set a Major League record, that has never been broken, of
striking out 20 hitters in one game.
He won his second Cy Young in
1987 when he won 20 games, led the AL in complete games and shutouts while
striking out 256 batters. He would go to play a total of 13 years in Boston,
winning 192 games over that span, picking up his third Cy Young Award in 1991.
He signed as a free agent with
the Toronto Blue Jays prior to the 1997 season, and while he only pitched two
years in Toronto, he won baseball’s pitching triple crown (league leader in
wins, ERA and strikeouts) both years and won two more Cy Youngs.
He was traded to the Yankees
where he helped the team win two World Series (1999 and 2000) while picking up
his sixth Cy Young in 2001 when he posted a record of 20-3. He left the Yankees
after the 2003 season and signed with the Houston Astros where he would play
for three years. He won his seventh Cy Young Award in 2004 and helped pitch the
Astros to the National League Pennant in 2005.
One final season followed with
the Yankees in 2006 but age and injury had caught up to the right-hander and me
managed only a 6-6 record in 17 starts for New York. He retired following the
season at the age of 44.
Chances are Clemens could very
well earn entry into the Hall Of Fame one day, but it could be a while before
all the commotion dies down from the false PED accusations. Whether he took
them or not may never be known, but when other players from the so-called
“Steroid Era” are gaining entry into the Hall, it seems rather ridiculous that
the best pitcher we will see in our lifetimes is still being rejected.
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