How low can you go, Rocket? Nice Read!

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=581 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=581><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=581 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>07/22/2005 2:59 AM ET
How low can you go, Rocket?
Clemens' 1.47 ERA harkens to Gibson's spectacular 1.12 mark
By Mark Newman / MLB.com
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When Roger Clemens takes the mound for the Houston Astros tonight to face the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium, he will continue to quietly work on an achievement for the ages.

Clemens, who will turn 43 on Aug. 4, will enter the game with a 1.47 earned-run average. That's on pace to be the lowest full-season ERA since Bob Gibson's magical 1.12 mark for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968.

At a time when ERAs under 4.00 are considered to be of high quality, Clemens has one that, if the season ended now, not only would rank close to Gibson's but would be the second-lowest by a single-season league leader since Walter Johnson posted a 1.27 ERA for the Washington Senators in 1918.

Clemens' current ERA would rank as the 31st lowest in history. It is actually 1.465, so it would slip right in ahead of Mordecai Brown's 1.470, accomplished for the Cubs in 1908.

Any ERA under 2.00 in recent years has been spectacular and rare.

Ron Guidry compiled a 1.74 ERA while going 25-3 for the Yankees in 1978. Dwight Gooden's ERA was 1.53 when he was a second-year sensation for the Mets in 1985. The next-lowest was Greg Maddux, who finished with a 1.56 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in the strike-shortened 1994 season. Even more impressive was Maddux's subsequent year, when he helped Atlanta toward a world championship by going 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA.

Clemens led the American League for Boston with a 1.93 ERA in 1990, Kevin Brown had a 1.89 ERA for Florida in 1996, and Pedro Martinez led the NL in 1997 (1.90, NL) and the AL in 2000 (1.74).

Considering Clemens' age and performance, it's difficult not to appreciate a future Hall of Famer who has reached milestone after milestone in recent years.

"These last two years have been just special," Clemens said on May 9, when he recorded his 330th career win, passing Steve Carlton on the all-time list -- while lowering his ERA to 1.10. "I was more than happy with my career two years ago, but this has been a blessing. I'm glad I left that small percentage point open [to stay active], for just this reason. I didn't know what was going to happen."

No one knew his ERA would get so low, either. And one would be hard-pressed to suggest that specialized relievers and a lesser workload, with more rest between starts than pitchers such as the Big Train ever had, are contributing factors. The bottom line is 1.465 -- thanks largely to a 35-inning road streak of zero earned runs allowed to start the season -- and the possibility of history.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=375 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#333399><TD class="textLg white" colSpan=5> Single-Season Leaders in ERA</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#cccccc><TD class=textSm align=left> Rank</TD><TD class=textSm>Player</TD><TD class=textSm>Team</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>ERA</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Year</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 1.</TD><TD class=textSm>Tim Keefe +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Troy (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>.857</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1880</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 2.</TD><TD class=textSm>Dutch Leonard</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Boston (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>.961</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1914</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 3.</TD><TD class=textSm>Mordecai Brown +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.038</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1906</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 4.</TD><TD class=textSm>Bob Gibson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>St. Louis</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.123</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1968</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 5.</TD><TD class=textSm>Christy Mathewson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>New York (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.144</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1909</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 6.</TD><TD class=textSm>Walter Johnson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Washington</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.145</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1913</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 7.</TD><TD class=textSm>Jack Pfiester</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.154</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1907</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 8.</TD><TD class=textSm>Addie Joss +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Cleveland</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.163</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1908</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 9.</TD><TD class=textSm>Carl Lundgren</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.174</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1907</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 10.</TD><TD class=textSm>Grover Cleveland Alexander +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Philadelphia (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.220</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1915</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 11.</TD><TD class=textSm>George Bradley</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>St. Louis (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.225</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1876</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 12.</TD><TD class=textSm>Cy Young +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Boston (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.264</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1908</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 13.</TD><TD class=textSm>Ed Walsh +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.266</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1910</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 14.</TD><TD class=textSm>Walter Johnson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Washington</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.270</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1918</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 15.</TD><TD class=textSm>Christy Mathewson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>New York (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.276</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1905</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 16.</TD><TD class=textSm>Jack Coombs</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Philadelphia (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.300</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1910</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 17.</TD><TD class=textSm>Mordecai Brown</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.313</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1909</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 18.</TD><TD class=textSm>Jack Taylor</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.331</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1902</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 19.</TD><TD class=textSm>Walter Johnson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Washington</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.362</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1910</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 20.</TD><TD class=textSm>George Bradley</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Providence (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.378</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1880</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 21.</TD><TD class=textSm>Charley Radbourn +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Providence (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.379</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1884</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 22.</TD><TD class=textSm>Walter Johnson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Washington</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.390</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1912</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 23.</TD><TD class=textSm>Mordecai Brown +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.391</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1907</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 24.</TD><TD class=textSm>Harry Krause</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Philadelphia (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.394</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1909</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 25.</TD><TD class=textSm>Ed Walsh +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.407</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1909</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 26.</TD><TD class=textSm>Ed Walsh +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.416</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1908</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 27.</TD><TD class=textSm>Ed Reulbach</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.419</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1905</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 28.</TD><TD class=textSm>Orval Overall</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.421</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1909</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 29.</TD><TD class=textSm>Christy Mathewson +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>New York (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.428</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1908</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 30.</TD><TD class=textSm>Fred Anderson</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>New York (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.444</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1917</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> </TD><TD class=textSm>Roger Clemens</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Houston</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.465 *</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>2005</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=left> 31.</TD><TD class=textSm>Mordecai Brown +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Chicago (NL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.470</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1908</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ffffcc><TD class=textSm align=left> 32.</TD><TD class=textSm>Rube Waddell +</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>Philadelphia (AL)</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1.479</TD><TD class=textSm align=left>1905</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#333399><TD class="hlSm white" colSpan=5> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=textSm align=right colSpan=5> * through July 21
+ Hall of Famer</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Henry Chadwick, the "father of the box score," is credited with first devising earned-run average. To determine an ERA, take a pitcher's earned runs allowed, multiply by nine, then divide that number by his innings pitched. The last coefficient represents the average earned runs allowed per nine innings.

According to Encyclopedia.com, the ERA "caught on as a measure of pitching effectiveness after relief pitching came into vogue in the 1900s. Prior to the 1900s, every pitcher was expected to pitch a complete game (and, in fact, for many years afterward). After pitchers like Otis Crandall and Charlie Hall made names for themselves as relief specialists, gauging a pitcher's effectiveness became more difficult using the traditional method of tabulating wins and losses. The National League first kept official earned-run average statistics in 1912 (the statistic was called 'Heydler's Statistic' for a while, after then-NL secretary John Heydler), with the American League following suit afterward."

Tim Keefe has the lowest recorded ERA by a league leader -- 0.86, in 1880. That was his rookie season for the Troy Trojans of the NL. He threw only 105 innings, but his team played only 83 games.

But when people think of ERA leaders today, there is no doubt that many think of Gibson.

One-point-one-two. Think about it. That's just over one run per game. Gibson was 22-9 that season, so just imagine the tough luck he must have encountered not to join Detroit's Denny McLain as a 30-game winner that season. Pitching mounds were lowered after that season to help spur offense, a further salute to what Gibson did.

In a 1998 cover story for The Sporting News, written by current MLB.com reporter Bill Ladson, Gibson and Curt Schilling talked baseball and devoted a lot of attention to that magical 1.12 ERA. Schilling said then:

"Nobody will have a season like [Gibson] had in 1968. No. 1, nobody will throw 300 innings again because they won't get enough appearances. Nobody will ever throw 28 complete games in a season. I will struggle to get 14. Pedro Martinez won the Cy Young [in 1997], and everybody marveled at a 1.90 [ERA]. But nobody is ever going to come close to a 1.12 [ERA]. That's one run per game. Somebody might throw 155, 160 innings, but barely qualify for the ERA title. Maybe you could do that. But nobody will ever throw 260 innings and do what he did.

"To me, it stands with [Joe] DiMaggio's [56-game hitting] streak. You don't understand how unbelievable it is until you start looking at the numbers since then."

Gibson said post-'60s pitchers have faced a bigger obstacle than a lowered mound.

"The strike zone, the way [the umpires] call a game, is entirely different," he said. "The pitcher may have to come out of a ballgame because they are not calling pitches here and there compared to us. So we could stay in the game a little bit longer because of the strike zone. And when the pitcher gets to the point where he's not in that strike zone, you are not getting strikes called, [the manager is] going to the bullpen for somebody else."

That is where Clemens is beating all the odds in 2005. Batters rarely see anything in the heart of the strike zone. "The guy consistently executes his plan," teammate Morgan Ensberg said. "You can see it. Everybody can see, everybody can tell. Brad Ausmus sets up away, he throws the ball away. Brad Ausmus sets up in, he throws the ball in."

Ensberg said that on June 28 in Colorado, after Clemens gave up one earned run over seven innings. It was a Preston Wilson solo homer that ended Clemens' road streak of innings without allowing an earned run at 35, the most by a pitcher to start a season since 1933. Clemens got no decision in that game, symptomatic of his season. He is 7-4, and, as Astros manager Phil Garner has said so many times, this is a pitcher who could be undefeated this season or at least leading the Majors in victories.

Consider:

• Clemens has allowed more than two earned runs only twice this season. The last time was June 5 in a game he won against the Cardinals, who scored four earned runs off him. The other time was on April 29, when he allowed three over seven innings in a loss to the Cubs. The only other time he did not have a "quality start" (at least six innings with three or fewer earned runs) was May 24 against the Cubs, and in that game he pitched five scoreless innings.

• He has thrown scoreless ball in seven of his starts.

• That loss to the Cardinals "ballooned" his ERA from 1.30 to 1.67, the highest it has been at any point this season. He gradually pared it down to 1.41 before it rose slightly to the current 1.47. What that number ends up being will be one of the interesting things to watch this season

Clemens has been nothing short of sensational this year as was Bob Gibson back in the late 60's. Mordacai Brown pitched during the dead ball era but nonetheless was one of the best of his day.




Three Finger Mordecai Brown. Some players overcome handicaps. Brown turned his to an advantage. As a seven-year-old boy he caught his right hand in a corn grinder on his uncle's farm. It was necessary to amputate almost all the forefinger, and, although saved, the middle finger was mangled and left crooked. His little finger was also stubbed. Later, newspapers called him "Three-Finger," although to his teammates he was "Miner" because he'd worked several years in a coal mine before beginning in baseball at age 24. He started as an infielder, but when he learned to add spin to the ball by releasing it off his stub, he became a pitcher. He won 239 games while losing only 129 with a career ERA of 2.06.


wil.

Clemens won the 1997 ESPY award for Best Comeback Player for his 1996 season with the Blue Jays. Has anyone ever dominated his sport like this 9 years after winning a Comeback Player award? Doubtful.

What real suprises me is the number of pitchers that had ERA's lower than 2.00 in the late 1800 and early 1900...amazing

I believe that back then a foul ball with two strikes constituted strike three.

Belch One said:

I believe that back then a foul ball with two strikes constituted strike three.

Click to expand...

Wow....did not know that:monsters-

FYI:
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
The Astros abused the Nationals in the second game of a four-game series, extending their winning streak to a season-long six games to move within 3 1/2 games of the top of the National League wild-card standings
Clemens reveled in a rare offensive explosion from his team Friday, so he called it a night after six scoreless innings in the 14-1 rout of the Washington Nationals before 38,109 at RFK Stadium

<TABLE cellPadding=5 width=150 align=left bgColor=#cccccc border=0 hspace="5" vspace="5"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top bgColor=#666699></TD></TR><TR><TD>[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=-2][font=verdana,arial,helvetica,ms sans-serif][size=-1]ROAD WARRIOR[/size][/font]

In nine road starts, Roger Clemens has allowed two earned runs (0.31 ERA) and has not been taken out during an inning.
<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>[size=-1][/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]Date [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Opp. [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]IP [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]H [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]R [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]ER [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]BB [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]SO [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]April 13 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Mets [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]7 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]2 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]1 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]9 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]April 23 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Cardinals [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]7 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]6 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]May 9 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Marlins [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]7 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]3 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]6 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]May 24 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Cubs [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]5 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]2 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]1 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]6 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]June 17 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Royals [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]6 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]3 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]6 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]June 28 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Rockies [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]7 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]1 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]1 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]2 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]7 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]July 3 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Reds [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]7 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]1 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]July 17 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Cardinals [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]7 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]5 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]3 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]1 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]2 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]1 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]July 22 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]Nationals [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]6 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]3 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]0 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]3 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]10 [/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD>[size=-1]Totals [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1][/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]59 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]32 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]4 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]2 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]20 [/size]</TD><TD>[size=-1]55 [/size]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>[/size][/font]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
































Did you know?

Largely because of impressive displays from Roy Oswalt (eight scoreless innings) and Nationals righthander Esteban Loaiza (seven strong innings with only three runs (two earned) allowed, no walks were issued Thursday in the Astros' 3-2 victory.


Of the 1,425 games played this season before Friday, only 11 games (0.7 percent) were played without a walk issued, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Nothing more can be said about him...

Why would he retire, he may only be good for 7 innings now, but those 7 are as good as any in his career....I hope he pitches three more years...and he has stayed away from those damn leg injuries that always slowed him...

Road ERA that is impossible to believe....2 earned runs all yr on the road ....all yr!

"In nine road starts, Roger Clemens has allowed two earned runs (0.31 ERA) and has not been taken out during an inning"
did not notice this stat

2 earned runs this late...one of the most amazing stats I have ever seen...