Roger Clemens

The Rocket works out sometimes for five hours a day when he doesn't pitches. During the 2005 season, Manny Ramírez is the 3rd highest paid player in Major League Baseball at the yearly salary of $19,906,820.00. Roger Clemens is famous for his extraordinary dedication to keeping himself in the best physical condition he possibly can. His season was capped off by being named the MVP of the World Series as he led the Red Sox to their first title since 1918. During the 2005 season, Roger Clemens is the 6th highest paid player in Major League Baseball at $18,000,022.00. Along with Derek Jeter (a single), Ichiro Suzuki (a double) and Iván Rodríguez (a triple), Ramírez made history as the American League became the first All-Star team to hit for the cycle during the same inning. His son Koby, 18, was drafted by the Astros as a catcher on July 14, 2005. In the All-Star Game, facing Roger Clemens in the top of the first inning, Ramirez knocked out a two-run home run giving his teammates an immediate 3-0 lead.

They have 4 sons: Koby Clemens, Kory, Kacy, and Kody ("K" is a baseball scorer's notation for "strikeout"). Also along with Ortiz, Ramírez hit back-to-back home runs six times, tying the major league single season set by Hank Greenberg and Rudy York (Detroit Tigers) and Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordóñez (Chicago White Sox). Clemens married Debra Godfrey on November 24, 1984. In addition, Ramírez and David Ortiz became the first pair of American League teammates to hit 40 home runs, have 100 RBI, and bat .300 since the Yankees Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in 1931, and the first Red Sox duo with 40 homers since Tony Armas and Jim Rice (1984). Clemens was fined $50,000. He led the American League in home runs (43), slugging average (.613) and OPS (1.009); finished 3rd in RBI (130), 6th in on base percentage (.397), 8th in base on balls (82), 10th in runs (108), and posted a .308 batting average. (Ironically, he was only one of two major leaguers who refused to cross the picket line when the umpires later went on strike.) In the 1st inning of Game 2 of the 2000 World Series, Clemens threw a piece of a shattered bat out of his way and, as New York Mets' Mike Piazza claimed, directly at Piazza, clearing both benches. Coupled with impressive play on the field, this absolved Ramírez in the eyes of many Boston fans and sportswriters.

Clemens was suspended for the first 5 games of the 1991 season and fined $10,000. He displayed a good attitude and an enthusiasm for playing, two qualities his critics had charged that he lacked. On October 10, 1990 he was ejected in the 2nd inning of an ALCS game for cursing at home plate umpire Terry Cooney. In 2004, nevertheless, Ramírez silenced his critics. His storied temper has gotten him into hot water more than once. All 29 other teams passed, due to the length and costs of his contract. He has 169 SOs, and a MLB-best 1.57 ERA. After the season, the Red Sox put him on irrevocable waivers, meaning he was had but for the asking.

During that time they were shut out eight times. Despite his strong play in the 2003 post-season, Ramírez's Red Sox lost in heartbreaking fashion to Wilson's Yankees in the ALCS. Through September 4, Clemens has an 11-6 record despite ranking 95th in run support, with the Astros scoring 3.57 runs on average in games in which was the pitcher of record. When it was learned that he had been seen in a hotel bar with close friend, Yankees infielder Enrique Wilson, the controversy grew, causing Boston manager Grady Little to bench Ramírez for one game. Currently, Clemens is in the midst of having the finest season of his career, and could post baseball's lowest single-season ERA since Bob Gibson in 1968. Some Red Sox fans criticized the outfielder, saying he should have played despite the ailment. Only left-hander Warren Spahn is ahead of Clemens in wins among live-ball pitchers. In the summer of 2003, Ramirez found himself as the latest victim of the Boston Sports Media's thirst for blood when he missed several games with pharyngitis.

On May 9, he finally got his second win of the season against the Florida Marlins, giving him 330 for his career. His 165 RBI total in 1999 was the highest by any player since Jimmie Foxx in 1938; and made him the first player to have more RBI's than games played in a season since Ted Williams in 1949. However, it took him a month to surpass Carlton, as he was victimized by horrendous run support in a string of five starts that produced one loss and four no-decisions. He made the All-Star team four times, and hit 127 homers and 432 RBI in 415 games over last three seasons. On April 8, 2005, Clemens won his first start of the season against the Cincinnati Reds, which tied him with Steve Carlton for second in wins for live-ball pitchers. From 1993 to 2000 Ramírez collected 236 home runs and 804 RBI in 967 games for the Cleveland Indians, including a career-high 45 home runs in 1998, and a team-record career-high 165 RBI in 1999, when he hit .333 with 44 homers and 131 runs (also a career-high). He has more career wins than any other right-handed pitcher of the live-ball era. During the 2004 season, he was nominated for play of the year because of a spectacular catch he made in left field at Yankee Stadium to rob Miguel Cairo of a home-run.

The deal gave Clemens the highest yearly salary earned by a pitcher in MLB history. While playing for Cleveland in the sixth inning of Game 6 of the 1998 American League Championship Series, he turned his back on a line drive off the bat of the New York Yankees Derek Jeter and attempted a leaping catch at the top of the right field wall, only to have the ball hit him in the back of the feet. However, on January 21, 2005 both sides agreed on a one-year, $18m contract, thus avoiding arbitration. Ramirez has been known to be involved in several comical misadventures while playing the outfield. The Astros submitted an offer of $13.5m and Clemens countered with a record $22m demand. Ramírez is aggressive playing balls off the Green Monster and holding runners to singles. Clemens again decided to put off retirement before the 2005 season after the Houston Astros offered salary arbitration. He still has trouble at times with footwork, his range is limited, but his arm is fairly strong and he has soft hands.

This also made him the fourth pitcher to win the award in both leagues, after Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martínez, and Randy Johnson. Ramírez is a serviceable fielder, although is unlikely to win any Gold Glove Awards. He became the oldest player ever to win this award, at age 42. He has good power that way and seems content to go with the pitch, but he is not afraid to take the occasional free walk. After the season, he won his seventh Cy Young Award, extending his record number of awards. He does most of his damage from center field to the right field line. Clemens had an 18-4 record in 2004, giving him a career record of 328-164. He combines power, contact and patience at the plate, against left-handed pitchers and righties equally well, but he still doesn't pull the ball very often for a power hitter.

On May 5, 2004, Clemens recorded his 4,137th career strikeout to place him second on the all-time list behind Nolan Ryan, and finished the season with 4,317 strikeouts. Ramirez is universally considered one of the best all-around righthanded hitters in the American League. He chose to put off his retirement, signing a one-year deal with his hometown Houston Astros on January 12, 2004, joining close friend and former Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte. He has totaled 390 home runs and 1270 RBI in 1535 games. His career record upon reaching the milestones was an impressive 300-155; his record at the end of the season was 310-160 with 4,099 strikeouts. Through the 2004 season, Ramírez is a career .316 hitter, with a .397 on base percentage and a .613 slugging average. He became the 21st pitcher ever to record 300 wins and just the third ever to record 4,000 strikeouts, joining Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Steve Carlton (4,136). .

The 300th win came on his fourth try; the Yankee bullpen blew his chance of a win in his previous two attempts. In 2004, he became an American Citizen. Louis Cardinals in Yankee Stadium, Clemens recorded his 300th career win and 4,000th career strikeout, the first player in history to record both milestones in the same game. Though originally from the Dominican Republic, he grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City a short distance away from Yankee Stadium. On June 13, 2003, pitching against the St. He bats and throws right-handed. Early in 2003, he announced his retirement, effective at the end of that season. Previously, Ramírez played with the Cleveland Indians (1993-2000).

He finished the season at 20-3 and added another Cy Young Award to his resume. Manny Ramírez [rah-MEE-rez], born Manuel Arístides Ramírez (May 30, 1972 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), nicknamed "Manny", is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Boston Red Sox (since 2001). In 2001, he became the first pitcher in history to start a year 20–1. He was featured on the cover of the Electronic Arts Sports electronic game MVP Baseball 2005 [1]. In 1999 and 2000, he won World Series titles with the Yankees. Ramírez appealed to fans by joining the 2004 Red Sox tradition of growing a unique hairstyle, maintaining a solid set of dreadlocks throughout the season. Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees before the 1999 season for David Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd. 20 grand slams - 1st and 2nd.

In his 2 seasons there, he won the Cy Young both years. 129 intentional walks - 12th and 56th. After Boston general manager Dan Duquette claimed Clemens was in the "twilight of his career" and opted not to re-sign him following the '96 season, Clemens signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. 1.010 OPS - 3rd and 9th. Remarkably, Clemens accomplished the feat twice; on April 29, 1986 against the Seattle Mariners, and on September 18, 1996 against the Detroit Tigers, more than 10 years later. 785 extra base hits - 18th and 89th. Randy Johnson also struck out 20 batters in the first 9 innings of a game, but since the game went into extra innings, Johnson was not awarded the record). .599 slugging average - 3rd and 8th.

Clemens is one of only two pitchers to have thrown 20 strikeouts in a 9-inning major league game (Kerry Wood is the other. .411 on base percentage - 9th and 35th. "I'd probably crack his head open to show him how valuable I was." Clemens remains the only starting pitcher since Vida Blue in 1971 to win a league MVP award. 1270 RBI - 12th and 98th. "I wish he were still playing," Clemens responded. 410 home runs - 9th and 38th. Hall of Fame slugger Hank Aaron angered the hurler by saying that pitchers should not be eligible for the MVP. .316 batting average - 4th and 69th.

In 1986 his 24 wins helped guide the Sox to the World Series (which they lost) and earned Clemens the American League Most Valuable Player award for the regular season and the first of his seven Cy Young Awards (he also won the AL award in 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998 and 2001 and the National League award in 2004). Career rankings among active players and on the All-Time lists