| Maddux vs. Clemens: Who has dominated our era? |
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| Written by Troy Chuinard | |
| Tuesday, 29 January 2008 | |
Two of the most notable pitchers in the recent era of baseball have been Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens. What’s interesting about each of these phenomenal athletes is that they both have utilized very different approaches throughout their successful careers. Maddux combines a wicked cut fastball with pinpoint location, while Roger has relied heavily on his stunning fastball, which has reached in the upper 90’s on several occasions. If you are an analytical baseball fan, you may have taken part in the debate: who has been the better pitcher?
There are valid arguments for each player. Let’s look at the numbers. Clemens has won a total of 7 Cy Young Awards throughout his career, not to mention one Most Valuable Player Award. Most fans know that it is very difficult to win the MVP award as a pitcher, but the rocket has managed to do so. Clemens also has the edge in career wins with 354 to Maddux’s 347. In terms of strikeouts, Clemens is second on the all-time list right under Nolan Ryan. Maddux is eleventh. Career earned run average also makes the analysis difficult; Maddux and Clemens have compiled a 3.11 and 3.13 respectively.
When it all boils down to it, I would personally say that Greg has impressed me more. Not only has the issue of steroids played a role in my decision, but also the fact that Maddux was never blessed with an intimidating fastball that can blow hitters away. The finesse that Maddux has brought to the game has easily gone unmatched. Tom Glavine is probably the closest pitcher in terms of repertoire, and considering he pitched with Maddux for several years, it is no mystery that he picked up a few pointers along the way. Maddux has also set an all-time record in Gold Glove Awards with a total of 17, while Roger has never won any. While each pitcher has numerous accomplishments making it a difficult issue to debate, one thing is for certain: their names will both be highly considered on Hall of Fame balloting when they become eligible.
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So who has the overall edge? If you surveyed 1,000 baseball fans across the country, more than half would probably say Clemens. However, one should consider the recent allegations surrounding Clemens and his abuse of performance enhancing substances. Now that the Mitchell Report has been released, several fingers have been pointed, one of them particularly at “The Rocket” himself. Considering that there is speculation of Clemens’ ethics, Maddux may begin to get more recognition as the game’s best pitcher during the 1990’s. As evident in the statistical figures mentioned above, Clemens appears to put up slightly better numbers. One factor that was not brought to attention is postseason experience. Clemens has made more postseason appearances than Maddux, which may indicate that he has had a stronger influence with his teams.
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