The season in which he won the most games was 1986, when he was an amazing 24-4. The season in which he struck out the most batters was 1988, when he whiffed 291. He led the league in ERA in 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998, and 2005 and in ERA+ in 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, and 2005. He led the league in shut outs in 1987, 1988, 1990,1991, 1992, and 1997. His best WHIP of 0.969 was accomplished in fateful season of 1986. He won the Cy Young Award in 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, and 2004. In 1986, he was the American League’s Most Valuable Player.
Clemens' Best Years Were With Boston
Roger Clemens pitched for the Boston Red Sox from 1984-1996. Most of his awards were achieved as a member of the Boston Red Sox. He led the league in various categories that denote pitching excellence while with Boston. No accusations have been made that Roger Clemens ever used performance-enhancing substances from 1984-1996 when he was with Boston. If his career included only his Boston years, he would rank as one of the all time greats.
Clemens Pitched for the Sox, Jays, Yanks, and Astros
Roger Clemens has pitched for the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, and Astros. He spent 13 seasons in Boston, 2 seasons with Toronto, 6 with New York, and 3 with Houston. There is only one logical conclusion, which is that Roger Clemens’ identity is a Red Sox. Clemens spent only two seasons with Toronto, and they were great seasons In 1996 he was 21-7 and in 1997 he went 20-6. He had 563 strikeouts in those two seasons and was the Cy Young Award winner in each of them, but the two seasons with Toronto did not define Clemens’ career.
Yankees Acquire Clemens
In February, 1999, the Yankees traded three players – David Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd—to the Blue Jays in order to obtain Clemens’ services. Roger struggled in his first Yankees’ season, but the team was good enough to win the pennant and Roger pitched and won the fourth game of the 1999 World Series to complete the Yankees’ sweep of Atlanta.
Good But Not Great As a Yankee
Clemens never approached his Red Sox greatness with the Yankees. In 2001, he was 20-3 with a 3.51 ERA and a 128 ERA+, which are very good, but not as good as some of his Red Sox seasons. His other Yankees’ seasons varied from acceptable to very good. He certainly had some problems in the playoffs when with the Yankees, but he didn’t exactly lead the Red Sox to a championship they should have won in 1986.
Clemens' Primary Team is Boston
Many players who were with more than one team have selected the team with which they wanted to be identified or have had that team determined for them. Wade Boggs is a Red Sox, not a Yankee, Hank Aaron is a Milwaukee Brave, not a Milwaukee Brewer, Gary Carter is an Montreal Expo, not a New York Met, and amazingly, Leo Durocher is a Brooklyn Dodger, not a New York Giant. Of course, in Clemens’ situation, it will be Roger and not some private organization that determines his team identity. It can be nothing but a Red Sox.
Reference:
Roger Clemens at Baseball-Reference
