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Jays Journal

Blue Jays have plenty of ties to the Hall of Fame ballot

By Chris Henderson

COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 24: Roberto Alomar gives his speech at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 24, 2011 in Cooperstown, New York. In 17 major league seasons, Alomar tallied 2,724 hits, 210 home runs, 1,134 RBI, a .984 fielding percentage and a .300 batting average. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 24: Roberto Alomar gives his speech at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 24, 2011 in Cooperstown, New York. In 17 major league seasons, Alomar tallied 2,724 hits, 210 home runs, 1,134 RBI, a .984 fielding percentage and a .300 batting average. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 26: Former Boston Red Sox player Roger Clemens is honored during a ceremony for the All Fenway Park Team prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 26, 2012 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 26: Former Boston Red Sox player Roger Clemens is honored during a ceremony for the All Fenway Park Team prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 26, 2012 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /

It was two years of magic

Roger Clemens

“The Rocket” is back for another trip on the ballot after he earned 54.1% of the vote last year, his 5th on the ballot. He’s received an increase in the vote over the last few years and seems to be trending towards an eventual inclusion. If you look at the numbers it’s a no brainer, but of course, it’s about more than that for Clemens and several players of his generation.

He’s only been excluded because of the PED allegations throughout his career, as his resume is speaks for itself. His record was 354-184, and he finished with a 3.12 ERA, 4,672 strikeouts, and a whole host of other numbers that we’ll likely never see again.

Two of Clemens’ finer seasons came with the Blue Jays, as he won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 1997-98. He went 21-7 with a 2.05 ERA in 1997, and followed it up with a 20-6 campaign and a 2.65 ERA. He threw 498.2 innings in his two seasons in blue and white, and was an absolute force in his age 34 and 35 seasons, despite the Red Sox thinking his career may have been on the downturn.

Of course, Clemens went on to pitch for the Astros and Yankees as well, finally finishing up his storied career in 2007 at the age of 44. It was unfortunate the Blue Jays had to move on from the ace, but he wanted to move on to New York, and the Blue Jays obliged, getting David Wells and Homer Bush in return for the fireballer.

Clemens was an 11 time All-Star, 7 time Cy Young Award winner, and also won the MVP award in 1986.

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