he said the contact guys. tony gwynn? although clemens was mostly if not for his whole career in the American league. wade boggs? when they weren't on the same team. don Mattingly 👍
Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
This interviewer is like Joe West and Angel Hernandez, he wants to be the center of attention. The best interviewer and umpire is the one that nobody notices.
Terrible. With inadequate knowledge of the subject. Roger does not even come close to the record for CG. Two years before Roger had 18 complete games, Bert Blyleven had 24. Five years before that, Rick Lankford had 28.
@Mark Johnson I agree, Clemens knew 18 wasn't even close to the record. Clemens would have been aware of Langford's 28 in 1980, Catfish Hunter and Steve Carlton threw 30 CG's in 1975 and 1972 respectively. The live-ball record for single season complete games is 33.
I counter that view with Sean Evans. A masterful interviewer who knows how to not only shine in his own, but bring out the absolute best in every person he interviews
@@impassable just trying to add a little light hearted humor to these bleak, depressing days. sorry if I'm annoying you, I'll go back to the medicine cabinet and take some more anti-depressants
The single season record for complete games (live ball era) was 33 by Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1920 and Burleigh Grimes in 1923. Cy Young pitched 749 complete games compared to Justin Verlander who has pitched 26.
@@mastod0n1 I don't know who Clemens, a great pitcher, would have wanted to face. I was talking about complete games. But, even though I don't think he ever faced him, it would have been Pete Rose.
I saw Roger pitch in 1984, when he first came up. I was blown away at how he pitched in the final 3 innings. He got stronger as the game went on. He got hurt shortly after that, and missed the rest of '84 and most of the 1985 season. I maintain that he was throwing the hardest when I saw him in 1984. Maybe too hard.. but the other team knew they were getting the heat, and it did not matter that much. I was lucky enough to see his CG shut out, when he struck out 11, vs the White Sox. I think he struck out the side in the 9th, but can't quite remember..... I do remember that he owned them in the 9th, they went down swinging at air. The crowd was going crazy, but they were not selling the place out yet, it took after teh '86 year to do that every night. In 1986, I'd go in the day of the game, and be able to buy tickets at the gate.... But Clemens was the main reason why that ended right there. After that year, you heard the scalpers offering the tickets as you walked into the place.
Clemens had 18 complete games in 1987. No one has had that many since. However, Fernando Valenzuela had 20 complete games in 1986. So you could say the same about him.
I remember when 'complete games' were taken for granted, even though relief pitchers started to become really en vogue esp. in some part of the 80s...complete games were still common back then. Now complete games are RARE. I think this is one of many examples of 'de-evolution' in sports and that they really 'don't make em like they used to.'
18 complete games in a season is a record?????????? Dumbest interviewer ever???? In 1975 10 men had 18 or more complete games, with Catfish Hunter tossing 30. (I looked at one random year, complete games were the norm back then). The interviewer knows nothing of baseball history and did no research to say that.
Indeed. The interviewer is an ignoramus. Post WWII pitchers like Koufax, Gibson, Hunter, and many more had several seasons with more than 20 complete games. Bob Feller avg. 30+ complete games for a decade.
@@epm5433 Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
@Todd D Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
@Henry Malmoth Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
@@MichaelTaylor-kw5nh last I checked, Piazza is in the Hall of Fame and Clemens isn’t. Whatever the merits of that decision, Piazza had a helluva career…especially for a guy who was the 1,390th player selected in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft. That’s a stock I’m sure you would’ve liked to go back and buy.
@@kingblaze6960 I'm a little confused. 33 isn't the record either. It's not even the most Grover Cleveland Alexander had in a season. I believe the record holder for a single season is Old Hoss Radbourn.
@@alabastersnowhill4484 In 1879, the Reds played an 80 game season. Will White started 75 of those games. He completed every one of them, plus pitched in relief one game. He pitched 680 innings.
Denise G. Denise, a lot of people cheated. Doesn’t make it right but why have such anger against the Rocket? He was dominating before he ever juiced. I’ll take The Rocket on my team regardless if he juiced because just injecting something into your body isn’t going to turn one into a hall of fame immortal. Look at the balco list. I believe 99% of those guys were marginal players
@@RobertJohnson-mn3br Although I agree with you, I must say that what really bothered me is that, instead of admitting he did take steroids, he threw Debra under the bus in the first chance he had in order to not take any responsibility
Boston resident and Fan during the Clemens era here.. Clemens was a disgrace to the game .. and that violent bat throwing incident along with the deliberate pitch to piazza’s head defines Clemens as the bully that he was. He was a cheat , and a fraud , and a liar. I despised him and was so glad he left Boston..
When the interviewer and Clemens spoke about pitching complete games the player that immediately came to my mind was Bert Blyleven. I immediately googled Blyleven and found out that Bert completed 242 games. Amazing.
@@curthennig9448 Yeah, the interview's comment was so ignorant I couldn't believe it. I wonder if he was perhaps trying to goad Clemens into saying something inaccurate and getting Clemens into trouble. More likely, the interviewer just didn't know what he was talking about. But how? He clearly knew that Clemens' personal record was 18 CGs, couldn't he have done a bit more research? I just can't stand being expected to be right when people in the media clearly aren't. Fernando Valenzuela had 20 CGs one year before Clemens' 18 in 1987. And Blyleven had 24 in 1985.
I saw Clemens pitch in Double A, the opposing pitcher was my friend (who would later pitch a couple of seasons in the bigs). I asked my friend what he thought of Clemens and all he said was "he doesn't belong in this league".
When you go to a minor-league game that has a top prospect, it's like there's the freak guy and then everybody else seems to have about the same skill level.
As of end of 1988 Season - Mattingly's lifetime average against the American League's best pitcher is .364. ''He's the best hitter I have to face,'' Clemens says.
This guy is interviewing one the greatest pitchers in the last 50 years LET HIM TALK!!!!! These guys forget people don’t care what you have to say they want to hear the guest. The best interviewers one the ones that shut up when they ask a question. Obviously doesn’t know his stats the most complete games EVER really dude 18 that’s not even in the top 100 of all time. Maybe the last 25 years possibly. Btw Roger was amazing.
Clemen's 18 CG's in a season doesn't even get into the top 500 of all-time for a season. Some media really need to do their research before making a comment like that.
I’m surprised Roger himself didn’t say “dude, how about Nolan Ryan in the 70’s?” Two years in a row with 26 complete games, and that’s barely more than half of the modern record of 43CG. Zero fact checking.
@@richevans609 It depends what you consider modern day. Clemens' 18 CGs were 33 years ago. The year before Fernando had 20. The year before that Blyleven had 24. It gets worse and worse the more you look back. If the argument is he has the most since 1987, then it's valid. But that's not what was said. Otherwise there is zero fact checking.
Saw him several times at fenway in the 80s. He was a beast. Him, Pedro and Randy Johnson were the most overpowering pitchers I ever saw. Couldn't care less about whether he took roids. He belongs in the HOF.
Roger Clemens was a beast as a pitcher and me living in Massachusetts seeing the Red Sox on television I use to love seeing this man pitch in a game because you knew he was going to give it his all on the mound. And on a side note I have a you tube channel type in Russell Mills May 22, 2017 to find me.
Odd that the interviewer thought 18 complete games was a record...modern or otherwise. Nolan Ryan had over 20 five different times in his career. I didn’t check bet I suspect guys like Steve Carlton, Bob Gibson, and a few others from the 60s, and 70s did too.
Ruth's 3rd year in MLB he pitched 35 complete games. 2nd yr he pitched 23 complete games. 23 wins -12 losses, 1.75 era and 9 shut outs. Set a World Series record; 29 consecutive scoreless innings. When he quit pitching full time at 23, he already had 81 wins. This is still the record (for a lefty). Imagine a rookie pitcher, out of reform school, plays a half dozen games in the minors, is a dominant pitcher who hits 500 foot home runs.
According to Baseball Reference, he pitched 35 games, about 245 IP with a 22-9 record, in the minors. As a batter in the minors, he showed a lot of power, but only a .231 avg and K'd nearly as many times as he got a hit. So clearly his pitching was more advanced at age 19 than his batting.
Thanks for stats link. You're right; he was pitcher ready, hitting almost. He clearly sat at most non-pitching games, which may be why. 121 at bats; 10 triples, 2 doubles. If he hit full time, a 45 triple in a season pace may have brought him up sooner. Probably full time starter in outfield in 1915 by mid-season for WS champ team. Boston CF was Tris Speaker, the greatest fielder in baseball for decades. His Ruth quote in 1928 - "Greatest outfielders I have known? By outfielders I mean solely the ability to play the position quite apart from batting. I will say, without hesitation, that Babe Ruth is one of the half dozen greatest outfielders I ever saw. Most feared, deadly arm in baseball. This is aside from his slugging ability, which is unrivaled. Purely as an outfielder, Babe will rank among the game's greatest. Better than Cobb. @@erad67
For sure. Kofax had 54 in 2 years in the mid 60's... and Trevor Hoffman hasn't thrown a pitch in the majors in almost 10 years. This interviewer needs to lay off the adult beverages.
18 maybe the record since like 1980 or something but of course it is not the record of all time. Clemens may have known it but didn't want to embarrass the guy
C’Mon Rocket - Don’t Lie Brother, MIKE PIAZZA was the Correct Answer or at least deserved to be mentioned!!! For a While, in the Biggest Spots, he Owned YOU, Bro!!! W that, you, Pedro, Maddox, Unit, were the Mt Rushmore’s in my opinion (Doc ‘85 notwithstanding)!!
Not only is this host constantly interrupting Clemens, he gave a false stat. Clemens did have 18 complete games in 1987, & nobody has come close since, but it's not a record. Many, many pitchers, have thrown for more than Clemens 18 before 1987 & further back. Numbers that are well beyond 18.
Absolutely. Bob Gibson had 28 CG in 68 and 69. Bob Feller 36 CG 1936. Walter Johnson 38 In 1910 and 6 other seasons with 30 or more CG. Yes, the pitcher was expected to go 9 innings or more " back in the day." There are many-- hundreds? --many examples.
SaW Roger all his career but very closely during his Toronto time. Saw every home game. He Dominated. Roids or no roids, the best i saw. Wish he would have stayed longer than two years but respected his decision to leave. It was a absolute pleasure to see him with the Blue Jays.
He was great with the Blue Jays. I remember thinking he was getting over the hill but man he kept throwing great games. Obv he needed the enhancements, but so what, all the hitters were juiced too and younger.
MrArob826 Was he supposed to? That wasn't necessarily the focus of the interview. I would have preferred a different journalist or history intervifmewing him, but still I don't think not mentioning Piazza really affected the content of the discussion one way or another.
@@seamusin1697 Well to me, Mike was the Best Hitter he faced. Mike never backed down from him and Rocket didn't like the fact that he couldn't get into his head. But that is really my opinion
@@MrArob826 I don't know if Piazza was "the best hitter he faced" - Clemens faced some all-time greats, but Piazza did own him in interleague games. No question about that.
18 Complete Games isn't remotely the record. In '68 when Denny McLain won 31 games... that was a big deal... but what's more impressive is that he pitched 28 complete games. Insane. I'm sure there were others in that range but I'm a long time Tigers fan so that's what I pay the most attention to. In the '68 World Series Bob Gibson... probably the greatest pitcher ever... and Mickey Lolich, each started 3 games... and they both pitched 3 complete games. And that's not dis on Roger Clemens, who was an absolutely incredible pitcher... just being nit-picky about the complete games thing. One of the truly amazing things about Clemens was his longevity. To play at that high level for so long... wow!
@@robertwhitten265 I don't know. The 56 game hitting streak probably never will. And I doubt Cy Young's win total will as well. Some records are just not going to happen because they don't play a certain way anymore.
Always cool to see guys even as hot headed as Clemens, Pedro, etc talk about the game after the competitiveness is no longer a factor. Far more sincere and less volatile in their accounts
Big Train played in a more modern era, different game- Cy Young, as did other pitchers of his time, sometimes picked up 2 complete game victories on the same weekend.
I learned pitching as a kid from Fergie at a baseball camp with Scott Bullet...fun fact, Jenkins always kept a squash ball in his back pocket to use as a grip workout, strange habit from the hall of famer
The highest complete games total post-dead ball era is Bob Feller, with 36 in 1946. Before 1920, complete games and a short rotation were the norm. (Will White had 75 in 1879!)
Of moden era pitchers (After 1920), he had the highest WAR, all time: 3rd - Clemens (136 WAR) 6th - Seaver (106 WAR) 7th - Maddux (104 WAR) 8th - R. Johnson (103 WAR) Nolan Ryan was in 20th Place at 83 WAR (in 27 seasons) But those top 4 were the best pitchers of the 2nd half of the 20th Century, easily (and Seaver amassed his in only 20 seasons, while the others amassed theirs in 23-24 seasons)
Since he mentioned contact guys I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Ichiro Suzuki has to be in the top 3. 10 seasons of 200+ hits and he holds the record of most hits in a season
18? The live-ball era started in 1920. The most complete games recorded in a live-ball season is 33, achieved three times in all-twice at the dawn of that era by Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1920 and Burleigh Grimes in 1923, and also by Dizzy Trout in 1944 according to Wikipedia.
are you kidding me? 18 complete games is nothing in the context of baseball history. Do some research before you bring up something like that. I mean guys were throwing 30 a year in the 70s.
The last 25 years. 18 complete games in one season is unheard of. Especially with the specialty arms out of the bullpens. But it’s not even close to being a record.
ANSWER: Surprisingly, the top hitter (highest batting average) against Clemens with more than 75 ABs was Tony Phillips who hit .333 against Clemens in his career in 87 ABs. Ken Griffey hit .311, Paul Molitor .308 and Harold Baines .305. George Brett hit .284 against Clemens in his career.
Everyone keeps giving this interviewer a hard time for talking too much but fail to destroy him for his complete ignorance of the record for complete games.
Nolan ryan, steve carlton bob gibson, phil neikro, jim Palmer and tom seaver all had more complete games in one season then Roger clemons. Most of them did it on numerous occasions.
Saw a game in Arlington , Clemens against Nolan Ryan . Ended like you’d suspect , a 2 run homer by Palmeiro in the bottom of the eighth - Texas wins 2-1 over Boston . Great game .
So the question remains: Who is the best hitter Roger Clemens faced? Guess we'll never know unless a competent interviewer asks him.
Agreed! We never got an answer.
i’m going to read between the lines and say Ichiro.
Trot nixon, mike piazza are 2
He answered the question Reggie Jackson 44 the original power hitter
@@handsomepetevideos Sheffield .611
Never answered the question because the interviewer wouldn't shut up and distracted him
Nor did he get Clemens back on topic.
Exactly!!!
No, roger was going off on different tangent’s.
Ya he probably woulda said Mike Piazza
he said the contact guys. tony gwynn? although clemens was mostly if not for his whole career in the American league. wade boggs? when they weren't on the same team. don Mattingly 👍
The interviewer needs to shut up and listen.
Lord that’s annoying
@@arktkt06 Yes, Roger never did name specific contact hitters because "Jerry Lewis" did not give him a chance. Thanks for the note Ark. Mac
Mac Beavers lol @ Jerry Lewis
Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
@saint jack Yeah, people have short memories. Clemens was juiced.
This interviewer is like Joe West and Angel Hernandez, he wants to be the center of attention. The best interviewer and umpire is the one that nobody notices.
Terrible. With inadequate knowledge of the subject. Roger does not even come close to the record for CG. Two years before Roger had 18 complete games, Bert Blyleven had 24. Five years before that, Rick Lankford had 28.
@Mark Johnson I agree, Clemens knew 18 wasn't even close to the record. Clemens would have been aware of Langford's 28 in 1980, Catfish Hunter and Steve Carlton threw 30 CG's in 1975 and 1972 respectively. The live-ball record for single season complete games is 33.
I counter that view with Sean Evans. A masterful interviewer who knows how to not only shine in his own, but bring out the absolute best in every person he interviews
Plus his look is so cartoonish it's distracting.
Was thinking the same thing. The interviewer is a tool.
I'm still waiting for an answer to the question. The interviewer wouldn't shut up.
Pick any great contact hitter from his time LOL
Todd Walker .355 average against Clemens. You're welcome.
@@jcarlovitch Mike Piazza hit .364 against him
Clemens does not know how to answer a question
He literally didn’t let him answer the question.
I think he would have hated to face Tony Gwynn. He is nearly impossible to strike out.
Sure he did. Roger had plenty of time to answer.
I wished Roger would have shut up so that we could hear more of the interviewer
Nice sarcasm
@@impassable just trying to add a little light hearted humor to these bleak, depressing days. sorry if I'm annoying you, I'll go back to the medicine cabinet and take some more anti-depressants
@@spactick No I thought it was funny
Lolololol
@@impassable I know, I'm just joking around
Let Roger talk.... I wanted to hear more about the contact hitters he faced
Right??? Let an interview marinate a little bit
“EIGHTEEN COMPLETE GAMES”
Stop bouncing around the question Clemens, you know it's Piazza
Best comment today that I saw
💀
Just say it...Piazza... he owned you.
I thought the bat was the ball.
@@spinedoc18 Looked like a spent syringe to me.
The first name popped in my head was Mike Piazza even before i started this clip. No one can deny that.
Mike had his number..
Yeah, two steroid guys going at it.
He wouldn't have faced Mike Piazza that much if at all, he said it was contact hitters not home run hitters.
Mike Piazza was contact home run hitter if you seen hin play
@@craigrasmussen3559piazza cleared of steroid rumors.
The single season record for complete games (live ball era) was 33 by Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1920 and Burleigh Grimes in 1923.
Cy Young pitched 749 complete games compared to Justin Verlander who has pitched 26.
Evan Smith a libtard that knows nothing about baseball that happened before 1990.
...and?
@@mastod0n1 I don't know who Clemens, a great pitcher, would have wanted to face. I was talking about complete games. But, even though I don't think he ever faced him, it would have been Pete Rose.
yeah I didn't think 18 was the record either
@@Piano888able He didn't like facing Molitor.
Mike Piazza had his number; his ego would never allow him to admit it.
FACTS!
I saw Roger pitch in 1984, when he first came up. I was blown away at how he pitched in the final 3 innings. He got stronger as the game went on.
He got hurt shortly after that, and missed the rest of '84 and most of the 1985 season.
I maintain that he was throwing the hardest when I saw him in 1984. Maybe too hard.. but the other team knew they were getting the heat, and it did not matter that much.
I was lucky enough to see his CG shut out, when he struck out 11, vs the White Sox.
I think he struck out the side in the 9th, but can't quite remember..... I do remember that he owned them in the 9th, they went down swinging at air. The crowd was going crazy, but they were not selling the place out yet, it took after teh '86 year to do that every night. In 1986, I'd go in the day of the game, and be able to buy tickets at the gate.... But Clemens was the main reason why that ended right there. After that year, you heard the scalpers offering the tickets as you walked into the place.
Amazing what you can do with a bit of extra help...
That interviewer is wrong, Clemens does not have that record.
I was thinking cy had it...?
Roger that.
Gibson had 20+ CG for 5 years. This guy is dumb
Robin Roberts had 33 in 1953. Before 1900, the season record is over 75. The interviewer is a huge putz.
Not close
In my opinion, Mike Piazza. Mike Piazza owned Roger Clemens
Clemens had 18 complete games in 1987. No one has had that many since. However, Fernando Valenzuela had 20 complete games in 1986. So you could say the same about him.
Still nowhere near the complete game record in a season.
I remember when 'complete games' were taken for granted, even though relief pitchers started to become really en vogue esp. in some part of the 80s...complete games were still common back then.
Now complete games are RARE.
I think this is one of many examples of 'de-evolution' in sports and that they really 'don't make em like they used to.'
18 complete games in a season is a record??????????
Dumbest interviewer ever????
In 1975 10 men had 18 or more complete games, with Catfish Hunter tossing 30. (I looked at one random year, complete games were the norm back then).
The interviewer knows nothing of baseball history and did no research to say that.
Indeed. The interviewer is an ignoramus. Post WWII pitchers like Koufax, Gibson, Hunter, and many more had several seasons with more than 20 complete games. Bob Feller avg. 30+ complete games for a decade.
@@epm5433 Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
@Todd D Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
@Henry Malmoth Base ball (two words) trivia time! Who is the only Hall of Famer to have pitched at least ten seaons and never once had a losing record...there is only one! I love trivia about base ball.
@@BillMorganChannel Toooo Easy. Babe Ruth :)
HEY Roger!! Jim Thome absolutely owned you 8 Home Runs, 373 batting average and when you were with the Yanks he took you deep twice in one game.
Hey Evan, no one is watching this to hear you talk. Believe me.
Great Cornholio shut up Evan
Seems like after all this time he would admit it was Mike Piazza mike owned him
But yet the yankees beat the mets in the 2000 world series :) someone is going to own someone but u cant own them all :)
King Blaze, and between Clemens and Piazza...which one has given a speech in Cooperstown and which one hasn’t?
@@InMotionForAMillion im not a Clemens fan but my yankees have many players who had speeches in Cooperstown :)
@curragh 42 so do the mets.. And even if u take out the few users theres stil way more in Cooperstown yankees than mets lol
@@kingblaze6960 And a gutless little weasel in Andy Pettite.
Mike Piazza will always be his Father
Of what PED’s?
Clemens had 50x the career Piazza did, lol
@@MichaelTaylor-kw5nh last I checked, Piazza is in the Hall of Fame and Clemens isn’t. Whatever the merits of that decision, Piazza had a helluva career…especially for a guy who was the 1,390th player selected in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft. That’s a stock I’m sure you would’ve liked to go back and buy.
@@VetteMAE2 take that Michael Taylor.
@@MichaelTaylor-kw5nhlol he will never be in the hof because he was a cheater.
Cy Young has more complete games than Roger Clemens has games started.. So no, I dont think his 18 in a season is the record...
Wrong.. Grover Cleveland alexander had 33 complete games in a season in 1920.
@@kingblaze6960 I'm a little confused. 33 isn't the record either. It's not even the most Grover Cleveland Alexander had in a season. I believe the record holder for a single season is Old Hoss Radbourn.
I think he was thinking about the 20 strikeouts Clemens had in one game but that still is not 18 lol
@Bob thank you Bob I thought I had that right but it tossed me a little curve ball there lol
@@alabastersnowhill4484 In 1879, the Reds played an 80 game season. Will White started 75 of those games. He completed every one of them, plus pitched in relief one game. He pitched 680 innings.
Piazza owned Clemens, but he won't dare admit it.
Kevin McArdle Virtually every great pitcher has a nemesis.
Denise G. Denise, a lot of people cheated. Doesn’t make it right but why have such anger against the Rocket? He was dominating before he ever juiced. I’ll take The Rocket on my team regardless if he juiced because just injecting something into your body isn’t going to turn one into a hall of fame immortal. Look at the balco list. I believe 99% of those guys were marginal players
@@RobertJohnson-mn3br Although I agree with you, I must say that what really bothered me is that, instead of admitting he did take steroids, he threw Debra under the bus in the first chance he had in order to not take any responsibility
The rocket is better all-time
@@RobertJohnson-mn3br how do you know when Roger started abusing.
Horrible interviewer, let the man speak.
18 complete games is no record. Look it up. Catfish had 30 one year.
I'll never forget Piazza getting drilled, even as a Yankees fan it made me sick.
Boston resident and Fan during the Clemens era here.. Clemens was a disgrace to the game .. and that violent bat throwing incident along with the deliberate pitch to piazza’s head defines Clemens as the bully that he was. He was a cheat , and a fraud , and a liar. I despised him and was so glad he left Boston..
@@ricdenicnow tell us how you really feel
@@ricdenic I saw him strike out 20 against Seattle there.
Actually, he did it twice in his career
When the interviewer and Clemens spoke about pitching complete games the player that immediately came to my mind was Bert Blyleven. I immediately googled Blyleven and found out that Bert completed 242 games. Amazing.
What about Fergie Jenkins? The interviewer didn't have a clue about single season complete games by starting pitchers.
@@curthennig9448 Yeah, the interview's comment was so ignorant I couldn't believe it. I wonder if he was perhaps trying to goad Clemens into saying something inaccurate and getting Clemens into trouble. More likely, the interviewer just didn't know what he was talking about. But how? He clearly knew that Clemens' personal record was 18 CGs, couldn't he have done a bit more research? I just can't stand being expected to be right when people in the media clearly aren't. Fernando Valenzuela had 20 CGs one year before Clemens' 18 in 1987. And Blyleven had 24 in 1985.
Juan Marichal completed 244, and Bob Gibson completed 255. Marichal completed 30 games in 1968. The interviewer is an idiot.
@@curthennig9448 right! Completed 267 for his career and completed 30 in '71.
I saw Clemens pitch in Double A, the opposing pitcher was my friend (who would later pitch a couple of seasons in the bigs). I asked my friend what he thought of Clemens and all he said was "he doesn't belong in this league".
@breadandcircuses8127 Probably eluding to that he should already be pitching in the majors or at the very least triple A, instead of Double A ball.
@breadandcircuses8127because it was a no Roger, Ted or Earl league. Anyone with those names wasn't supposed to be there.
@@KolossusB Yea, that 1.54 ERA & 0.853 WHIP in AA backs that up.
When you go to a minor-league game that has a top prospect, it's like there's the freak guy and then everybody else seems to have about the same skill level.
As of end of 1988 Season - Mattingly's lifetime average against the American League's best pitcher is .364. ''He's the best hitter I have to face,'' Clemens says.
Piazza totally owned him 5-8 4 home runs including a grand slam. Home run after getting beamed by Clemens in the head. The guy just had his number.
Piazza made Roger the miserable man he is today.
And wasn't it Piazza at whom Roger childishly threw that splintered bat?
@@jimmlygoodness And he didn't even manage to throw it at him properly. Roid rage is a terrible thing.
This guy is interviewing one the greatest pitchers in the last 50 years LET HIM TALK!!!!! These guys forget people don’t care what you have to say they want to hear the guest. The best interviewers one the ones that shut up when they ask a question. Obviously doesn’t know his stats the most complete games EVER really dude 18 that’s not even in the top 100 of all time. Maybe the last 25 years possibly. Btw Roger was amazing.
Clemen's 18 CG's in a season doesn't even get into the top 500 of all-time for a season. Some media really need to do their research before making a comment like that.
I’m surprised Roger himself didn’t say “dude, how about Nolan Ryan in the 70’s?” Two years in a row with 26 complete games, and that’s barely more than half of the modern record of 43CG. Zero fact checking.
Modern day?
@@richevans609 It depends what you consider modern day. Clemens' 18 CGs were 33 years ago. The year before Fernando had 20. The year before that Blyleven had 24. It gets worse and worse the more you look back. If the argument is he has the most since 1987, then it's valid. But that's not what was said. Otherwise there is zero fact checking.
Saw him several times at fenway in the 80s. He was a beast.
Him, Pedro and Randy Johnson were the most overpowering pitchers I ever saw.
Couldn't care less about whether he took roids. He belongs in the HOF.
01:57 The record for complete games in a season is held by Will White of the Cincinnati Reds in 1879, 75 games. Roger's 18 is a long ways from 75.
live ball era *
@@vincentrodriguez947 meh
In 1879 😂 bro was playing stick ball against full time cowboys. I’m going to say that any “record” before 1950 should not be counted today.
@@BradyDoesntMiss Why?
@@vincentrodriguez947 Still isn’t the record.
Roger Clemens was a beast as a pitcher and me living in Massachusetts seeing the Red Sox on television I use to love seeing this man pitch in a game because you knew he was going to give it his all on the mound. And on a side note I have a you tube channel type in Russell Mills May 22, 2017 to find me.
Most complete games in a season was 75 held by Will white
That's not the modern record though
He exposed himself as not a baseball fan. There are many seasons where pitchers had more than 18 complete games.
He did that in an 80 game schedule.
Odd that the interviewer thought 18 complete games was a record...modern or otherwise. Nolan Ryan had over 20 five different times in his career. I didn’t check bet I suspect guys like Steve Carlton, Bob Gibson, and a few others from the 60s, and 70s did too.
My arm hurts reading that
Before I even clicked I knew it had to be or should be Mike P.
He didn’t say it but we all know it’s Mike Piazza! Piazza took him to school!
Piazza Owned Clemens!!
@Ernest Van Glahn and that's why Clemens threw the bat at him in the world series.
@@TheMETSMETS Exactly
Maybe so but it was the Yankees who beat the Mets in the world series
@@aspacebeing710 Unfortunatly that is true
The real answer here is Mike Piazza, but Clemens will never admit it.
Roger Clemens looks like he ate Roger Clemens.
So do you
he actually looks pretty close to his later seasons
Oh.. OK?
Trying to be funny.. Swing and a miss.
Looks the same to me
He didnt wanna say piazza 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Ruth's 3rd year in MLB he pitched 35 complete games. 2nd yr he pitched 23 complete games. 23 wins -12 losses, 1.75 era and 9 shut outs. Set a World Series record; 29 consecutive scoreless innings. When he quit pitching full time at 23, he already had 81 wins. This is still the record (for a lefty). Imagine a rookie pitcher, out of reform school, plays a half dozen games in the minors, is a dominant pitcher who hits 500 foot home runs.
According to Baseball Reference, he pitched 35 games, about 245 IP with a 22-9 record, in the minors. As a batter in the minors, he showed a lot of power, but only a .231 avg and K'd nearly as many times as he got a hit. So clearly his pitching was more advanced at age 19 than his batting.
Thanks for stats link. You're right; he was pitcher ready, hitting almost. He clearly sat at most non-pitching games, which may be why. 121 at bats; 10 triples, 2 doubles. If he hit full time, a 45 triple in a season pace may have brought him up sooner. Probably full time starter in outfield in 1915 by mid-season for WS champ team. Boston CF was Tris Speaker, the greatest fielder in baseball for decades. His Ruth quote in 1928 - "Greatest outfielders I have known? By outfielders I mean solely the ability to play the position quite apart from batting. I will say, without hesitation, that Babe Ruth is one of the half dozen greatest outfielders I ever saw. Most feared, deadly arm in baseball. This is aside from his slugging ability, which is unrivaled. Purely as an outfielder, Babe will rank among the game's greatest. Better than Cobb. @@erad67
GOAT
18 complete games in a season isn't close to being the record lol
For sure. Kofax had 54 in 2 years in the mid 60's... and Trevor Hoffman hasn't thrown a pitch in the majors in almost 10 years. This interviewer needs to lay off the adult beverages.
18 maybe the record since like 1980 or something but of course it is not the record of all time. Clemens may have known it but didn't want to embarrass the guy
Yeah 18 doesn’t even put him in the top 500, the record is 75
That interviewer doesn’t know ball.
Sooooo many Haters in the comments. Luv ya Roger, you were my childhood hero. without a doubt one of the elite greatest pitchers of all time
C’Mon Rocket - Don’t Lie Brother, MIKE PIAZZA was the Correct Answer or at least deserved to be mentioned!!! For a While, in the Biggest Spots, he Owned YOU, Bro!!! W that, you, Pedro, Maddox, Unit, were the Mt Rushmore’s in my opinion (Doc ‘85 notwithstanding)!!
Bert Blyleven had 24 complete games in 1985, Clemens' 2nd year in the league
No it's not. It's more or less oval
And he had to be home by eleven!
Bert fielded his position better than any other pitcher
It’s pretty obvious it’s Piazza.
edgar martinez
Jim Thome's eight home runs and 19 RBI and lifetime 373 average against Clemens. No player has more home runs against Clemens.
THANK YOU, for actually answering the question.
My boy Jim. Go Cleveland
Greatest of all time
Everybody know the bets hitter he faced was Mike Piazza: Lots of homers incluidng a grand slam.
Not only is this host constantly interrupting Clemens, he gave a false stat. Clemens did have 18 complete games in 1987, & nobody has come close since, but it's not a record. Many, many pitchers, have thrown for more than Clemens 18 before 1987 & further back. Numbers that are well beyond 18.
Absolutely. Bob Gibson had 28 CG in 68 and 69. Bob Feller 36 CG 1936. Walter Johnson 38 In 1910 and 6 other seasons with 30 or more CG. Yes, the pitcher was expected to go 9 innings or more
" back in the day."
There are many-- hundreds? --many examples.
SaW Roger all his career but very closely during his Toronto time. Saw every home game. He Dominated. Roids or no roids, the best i saw. Wish he would have stayed longer than two years but respected his decision to leave. It was a absolute pleasure to see him with the Blue Jays.
He was great with the Blue Jays. I remember thinking he was getting over the hill but man he kept throwing great games. Obv he needed the enhancements, but so what, all the hitters were juiced too and younger.
Sounds like a politician, answering a question and turning it into something else. Brilliant.
Just like a politician. He gets asks a simple question, then he talks for 2 minutes without answering the question.
Roger Clemens also ate 40 pizzas in 30 days~
It was a pleasure to watch him pitch. Every outing in his red sox days there was a buzz. He was must see tv. Should be in the hall.
He never mentioned Mile Pizzaz who OWNED the Rocket
MrArob826 Was he supposed to? That wasn't necessarily the focus of the interview. I would have preferred a different journalist or history intervifmewing him, but still I don't think not mentioning Piazza really affected the content of the discussion one way or another.
@@seamusin1697 Well to me, Mike was the Best Hitter he faced. Mike never backed down from him and Rocket didn't like the fact that he couldn't get into his head. But that is really my opinion
@@MrArob826 I don't know if Piazza was "the best hitter he faced" - Clemens faced some all-time greats, but Piazza did own him in interleague games. No question about that.
@@MrArob826 He actually tried to get into Piazza's head with a fastball that almost killed him.
@@nickv4073 So true, so very true
18 Complete Games isn't remotely the record. In '68 when Denny McLain won 31 games... that was a big deal... but what's more impressive is that he pitched 28 complete games. Insane. I'm sure there were others in that range but I'm a long time Tigers fan so that's what I pay the most attention to. In the '68 World Series Bob Gibson... probably the greatest pitcher ever... and Mickey Lolich, each started 3 games... and they both pitched 3 complete games. And that's not dis on Roger Clemens, who was an absolutely incredible pitcher... just being nit-picky about the complete games thing. One of the truly amazing things about Clemens was his longevity. To play at that high level for so long... wow!
Bert Bylelevan had 24 just two years before Clemens’ 18
@Jonathan McCully I doubt it. This interviewer is a CLOWN!
Complete games record in a season is 75. The most unbreakable record in sports.
@@MrTedMcForehead Which team did that and when?
My mistake. This was an individual record from the late 1800s?
A record that will never be broken, Walter Johnson 110 shutouts.
Nolan Ryan's career strike-outs and no-hitters won't be touched, either.
Baseball's been around for 150 years and likely will be around for another billion years. Every record will be broken thousand times over.
@@robertwhitten265 I don't know. The 56 game hitting streak probably never will. And I doubt Cy Young's win total will as well. Some records are just not going to happen because they don't play a certain way anymore.
Add to that all the times he lost 1-0 or 2-1- incredible (forgot the numbers but they're mind blowing).
Clemens vs Dave Stewart back in the days was the best pitching duels I’ve ever seen in my life. Oakland Would edge Roger 1-0, 2-1 great games.
Dave Stewart owned Clemens. Utter dominance.
I remember one of those games back in the very early 90s. Canseco homered for the only run in a Oakland 1-0 victory.
@@EthnHayabusa He didn't own him. Oakland had a far superior offense. Come on, bro - get yourself together.
We all know it was Piazza.
In fact, Piazza owned him so much, that Clemens needed Lincoln to emancipate him.
More than anything, I think Piazza got on his head so much that it was more psychological than anything else.
18 complete games is nowhere near the record.
Guy’s talking complete nonsense with that
@@sheehancf9 Being ignorant is ok, but do your research or don't say "18 complete games is a record".
In 1972 or 74 Steve Carlton threw 30 complete games in a season. So 18 is nowhere near the record lol.
Joseph Dinse .Bob Gibson 1968 had over 25 ⭐️
Always cool to see guys even as hot headed as Clemens, Pedro, etc talk about the game after the competitiveness is no longer a factor. Far more sincere and less volatile in their accounts
DIdn't Rick James say in the Chappelle Show skits...."Steroids are a helluva drug"???? :D lol
I thought the “Big Train” Walter Johnson the man with 110 shutouts would have had all the complete game records.
Big Train played in a more modern era, different game- Cy Young, as did other pitchers of his time, sometimes picked up 2 complete game victories on the same weekend.
Another interviewer, who loves the sound of his own voice, and elevates his importance above his guests.
Todd Walker went 11 for 31 for a .355 batting average. He was the best against Clemens. Jim Edmonds was a distant second with a .296 average.
Ken Griffey Jr. had a career avg of .311 against Clemens and slugged .589 against him.
Shawn Estes
18 complete games is not even close to the record. Ferguson Jenkins had 30 in 1971, for example.
I learned pitching as a kid from Fergie at a baseball camp with Scott Bullet...fun fact, Jenkins always kept a squash ball in his back pocket to use as a grip workout, strange habit from the hall of famer
The highest complete games total post-dead ball era is Bob Feller, with 36 in 1946. Before 1920, complete games and a short rotation were the norm. (Will White had 75 in 1879!)
How did they manage to get Rabbi Glickman as interviewer?
Cick like if you is here for Mike Piazza.
Fck Pizza Head
Hall of famer no doubt
Love him or hate him. Clemens was a monster and you could easily make the case of him being the greatest pitcher of all time
Greg maddux was the best actually..
Nolan Ryan
@@Marc-io8qm Ryan has nearly 300 losses and is the all time leader by a wide margin in walks and wild pitches.
He is !
Of moden era pitchers (After 1920), he had the highest WAR, all time:
3rd - Clemens (136 WAR)
6th - Seaver (106 WAR)
7th - Maddux (104 WAR)
8th - R. Johnson (103 WAR)
Nolan Ryan was in 20th Place at 83 WAR (in 27 seasons)
But those top 4 were the best pitchers of the 2nd half of the 20th Century, easily (and Seaver amassed his in only 20 seasons, while the others amassed theirs in 23-24 seasons)
So who was the toughest batter you ever faced!
Mikey P. owned the Rocket. He'll never admit though because he probably still hates him, and only because Piazza made him look bad every at bat.
Interviewer: Who was the best hitter you faced when you weren't on steroids? Clemens: Well, there was this one kid in little league....
It's Mike Piazza and we all know it
The Rocket looking pretty bloated these days.
Thats one of the things when u do the sauce and stop.
too much rocket fuel
Tony Gwynn Wade Boggs Itchiro
Sandy Koufax had 27 in just one season.. check his career record he was the best I saw him pitch twice in person in many times on tv
Over 80 percent of Cy Young's career starts were complete games. Dude had like 900 starts
Bob Gibson had 28 in 1968. Most ever in a season in the 'live ball' era was Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1920 with 33.
Denny Mclain pitched 28 complete games in 1968 when he won 31
Mike Piazza
Activated roid rage mode
How?
Manny Ramirez owned him
In this interview I learned only that Evan Smith needs to shut up longer.
Thought that was Tim Kurkjian for a second LOL. The "18 Complete Games!" bit is "James Shields threw 11...11 Complete Games!" all over again.
Since he mentioned contact guys I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Ichiro Suzuki has to be in the top 3.
10 seasons of 200+ hits and he holds the record of most hits in a season
he kept getting interrupted every .05 secs so he is not able to give a clear answer
Yep he had an uncanny way to simply make contact and you never knew where the thing was going he splayed it all over the field. Great contact hitter.
18? The live-ball era started in 1920. The most complete games recorded in a live-ball season is 33, achieved three times in all-twice at the dawn of that era by Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1920 and Burleigh Grimes in 1923, and also by Dizzy Trout in 1944 according to Wikipedia.
Ken Griffey jr used to tee off on Clemens out of all power hitters.
Conversely, Griffey Jr. couldn't touch Pedro Martinez. I know at one point he was 0-12 w/ 5 K's.
@@Lippett had Martinez went to the Yankees he would gone 4-4
Roger was afraid to pitch to Barry.
are you kidding me? 18 complete games is nothing in the context of baseball history. Do some research before you bring up something like that. I mean guys were throwing 30 a year in the 70s.
yeah a win was normally a CG back in the day, not sure what he was thinking of, and Roger is like "I do not know that"
The last 25 years. 18 complete games in one season is unheard of. Especially with the specialty arms out of the bullpens. But it’s not even close to being a record.
Fernando threw 20 in 86. He will be the last man to ever do that in baseball
Its not a record.....i thinks no one has reached that mark since....Maddux had to come close tho.
Holy smoke!!! I was thinking the same thing!!!
ANSWER: Surprisingly, the top hitter (highest batting average) against Clemens with more than 75 ABs was Tony Phillips who hit .333 against Clemens in his career in 87 ABs. Ken Griffey hit .311, Paul Molitor .308 and Harold Baines .305. George Brett hit .284 against Clemens in his career.
It was bonds just like anybody else that had to face him. Easy answer
Truth!
Didn't he walk bonds 4 straight times in one game? Lol
Bonds was everybody’s hardest batter to face.
@@americanmade3650 he sure was
Mutual juicers.
He never told us his toughest hitter. meh
No way Clemons has the record for most CG’s. That’s like saying Hakeem Olajuwon has the most blocks. He may, but he don’t.
I thought it would be Walter Johnson... I believe I remember reading he had 110 shutouts in his career.
The Rocket! Dude is quite humble during this interview. The mark of a champion and someone willing to grow.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Humble.... mark of a champion.... Man, you're funny. You should go into stand up.
Can this host not sit still? And stop interrupting.
“Yeah... right... yup... yeah...”
Everyone keeps giving this interviewer a hard time for talking too much but fail to destroy him for his complete ignorance of the record for complete games.
Mike Piazza owned Clemens.
Every time he faced Piazza, you could hear Clemens thinking “Please, don’t whoop me today, daddy!”
Hey Evan.....It's not about YOU! Let the man speak!
18 Complete games in a season isn’t in the top 100 for cg in a season smh but this guy has a show on false facts 🤷🏾♂️
Pretty sure Will white had 75 in the late 1800’s
Nolan ryan, steve carlton bob gibson, phil neikro, jim Palmer and tom seaver all had more complete games in one season then Roger clemons. Most of them did it on numerous occasions.
Did he answer the question? Lol... he should run for president...
Saw a game in Arlington , Clemens against Nolan Ryan . Ended like you’d suspect , a 2 run homer by Palmeiro in the bottom of the eighth - Texas wins 2-1 over Boston . Great game .