NEW YORK – CIRCA 2001: Roger Clemens #22 of the New York Yankees pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 2001 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Clemens played for the Yankees from 1999-03 and in 2007. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Roger Clemens once again did not get voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his final year on the ballot but the legendary pitcher seems unaffected.
The results of the latest BBWA election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame were revealed on Wednesday and only one player will be inducted as part of this vote: Red Sox legend David Ortiz. While deserving in the eyes of many, much of the discussion is about who didn’t get in — namely, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds didn’t get in on their final year on the ballot.
For the 10th-straight year, Clemens and Bonds fell short of the 75 percent vote needed to get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Now, their hopes rest on the votes from the Today’s Era committee, which will vote later in the year.
As for now, though, the legendary Clemens isn’t sweating it. After the results of the vote were revealed, the former Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros hurler took to Twitter to release a statement about not getting into the Hall of Fame yet again.
Roger Clemens on Hall of Fame snub: ‘I didn’t play baseball to get into the HOF.’
Those that didn’t vote for Clemens will surely refute his talk about “the right way” as his connection to PED usage is all but certainly the reason he’s not heading to Cooperstown. Because based on his stats and accomplishments, there’s no rational argument as to why he shouldn’t be a Hall of Famer.
With that said, you do have to admire the Rocket’s attitude about the vote.
He’s clearly come to terms with the fact that the BBWA weren’t going to vote him into the Hall of Fame and is at peace with that and what he accomplished in his illustrious career. That’s a healthy attitude to have and one that, frankly, many others should strive for.