MLB great Roger Clemens opens up on his legendary career: "I never played with the intention of making the Hall of Fame’’
Roger Clemens is widely regarded as one of the best pitchers in modern history. Over his 24-year career, Clemens won no fewer than seven Cy Young Awards and finished with 4,672 strikeouts, the third-most in history.
In a recent piece for USA Today, notable baseball writer Bob Nightengale caught up with Clemens ahead of the 2023 season. Clemens has been named by ESPN as an analyst for the upcoming season. Nightengale wanted to get Clemens' thoughts on the state of modern pitching.
Roger Clemens talks MLB pitch clock, Baseball Hall of Fame usatoday.com/story/sports/m…
"Roger Clemens talks MLB pitch clock, Baseball Hall of Fame" - Bob Nightengale
Roger Clemens, who has 354 career wins over nearly 5,000 innings on the bump, quipped that it would be difficult for him to go "three innings the way things are today."
Despite demonstrating one of the strongest MLB careers of any pitcher in modern history, allegations of PED use and marriage infedility have contributed to Clemens' inability to make the Hall of Fame.
Despite being on the ballot for a decade, he received less than the 75% vote threshold needed for admission. He received 65.2% of the vote in 2022, his final year of eligibility. When asked about the Hall of Fame by Nightengale, Clemens was nonchalant:
"I never played with the intention of making the Hall of Fame.’’
In addition to his seven Cy Young Awards, Clemens won 11 All-Star designations and two World Series rings, both with the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000. Clemens is also known for surrendering a key home run to then-rookie Miguel Cabrera as the Miami Marlins defeated the Yankees during the 2003 World Series.
Kody Clemens has been called up to the big leagues.
He’s the youngest of Roger Clemens’ four sons and the first to reach the majors. https://t.co/1xAOzDfYLE
"Kody Clemens has been called up to the big leagues. He’s the youngest of Roger Clemens’ four sons and the first to reach the majors." - B/R Walk-off
Regardless of missing the Hall of Fame, Roger Clemens remains one of the best
Allegations of PED use can tarnish a career forever (look no further than Alex Rodriguez), but even the most ardent Clemens detractors have to admit that he accomplished a lot.
Although he will never be a member of the Hall of Fame, Clemens has made it clear that it was never his intention to get there. Maybe we should believe him.
Since his retirement in 2007, Roger Clemens has continued to involve himself in various baseball programs. His son, Kody, made his MLB debut in 2022 and is set to appear as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023.