Every Major League team invites back former players to work with their younger players during spring training. It’s one of those great traditions in the game, as great players from the previous generation pass on knowledge to the next.
But, some special guest instructors are get more attention than others — especially when they’re Roger Clemens.
On Sunday, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that he had invited “The Rocket” to serve as a guest instructor during spring training and he expected him in Tampa sometime this week.
If Clemens does show up, it will be the first time he’s been around the Yankees since 2007.
“What a great teammate,” Boone said of Clemens. “I think he’s got a ton to give and a desire to give it. And I know a lot of our guys are excited to see him.”
Clemens had two stints with the Yankees, first from 1999-2003 and then in 2007. While with the Yankees he won his 300th career victory. He was also part of their 1999 and 2000 World Series champions.
The end of his career in New York came with controversy. His name was part of the Mitchell Report, released in 2007, which detailed use of performing-enhancing drugs in the game. His name was mentioned 82 times in the report.
It became further controversial when Andy Pettitte disclosed that he has used HGH to recover from injuries and disclosed that he remembered Clemens making the same admission.
The disclosure tanked both players’ odds of getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Clemens fell off the ballot in his last year of eligibility in 2022.
Jose Canseco also wrote that Clemens had “expert knowledge” of steroids in his book.
Clemens was one of the game’s legendary power pitchers in the mold of Nolan Ryan, who grew up in Alvin, Texas. Clemens was born in Ohio but went to high school in Spring Woods in Houston. Clemens played 24 years, nearly as long as Ryan, who played 26 years before he retired after the 1993 season.
In his long career, Clemens won a league MVP, seven Cy Young awards, two pitching triple crowns and seven ERA titles. He was also named an 11-time All-Star, named the All-Star Game MVP and a Major League player of the year.
He finished his career with a 354-184 record, a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts in 709 games.
