Facts, Trivia, Memories and More about Roger Clemens

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Acquired: February 18, 1999 - The Yankees acquired Roger from the Toronto Blue Jays in return for second baseman Homer Bush, lefty reliever Graeme Lloyd and lefty starting pitcher David Wells.

Signed: May 6, 2007 - Four years after his initial retirement and after several more retirements, Roger returned to the Yankees by signing as a "mercenary" free agent. He had done this the year before as well, sitting out spring training, then signing after the start of the season with a team he felt had a good chance at winning and that he believed he could help. In 2006, he signed with Houston at the end of May and had a pretty good season. His return to the Yankees was not as successful as Roger ran out of gas down the stretch and was a shell of his former dominant self. From August on, he pitched to a 3-1 record in seven starts, but had a bloated 4.67 ERA and batters hit a robust .285 off of him. It would turn out to be his final season at age 44.

Notes

• Bill N. from Cambridge, MA says that Roger answered his question of why Clemens switched from #12 to #22 in 1999 by saying it was because of Roger's son Koby.  Former NFL running back Emmitt Smith was Koby's favorite player and wore #22 throughout his career. A N.Y. Times article by William Rhoden on July 26, 1999 stated:

  "As it turns out, Clemens carried the secret to his breakout on his back: a new number. Before yesterday's game, Clemens decided to change his uniform number from 12 to 22. The move was spearheaded by his 12-year-old son, Koby, who wears No. 22 in Houston's Select League.

  ''We've been talking about it for some time, and he had a really good summer baseball season this year,'' Clemens said. ''So I told him I'd do it.''

  Clemens made sure no one else had the uniform -- ''I thought for sure someone had it in spring training'' -- and made the switch, much to his son's delight. ''He's pretty fired up about it,'' Clemens said."