Quote:
Originally Posted by KC_Connection
Perhaps not, but there's no way to know for sure how much they helped him. What I do know is that no pitcher has ever been as good for as long as he was. Maybe his peak wasn't the all-time greatest (though it was pretty close), but his longevity gives him the edge at the top for me.
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I know it's a different era, but you have to look at guys like Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson to come close to his durability and dominance. It's a good argument.
But I always thought it was pretty clear Clemens started juicing when he got to Toronto. His career had started trending down in Boston once he hit age 30. His last 4 years there, Clemens was:
745 IP
3.63 ERA
717 K
1.29 WHIP
304 BB
40-39 record
Translates to a yearly average of:
186 1/3 IP
ERA/WHIP the same
76 BB
180 K
10-10 record
I think if the Rocket doesn't start juicing, his 30s continue to be a slide into mediocrity. He still is probably hall-worthy, but not 'best all time' worthy.
I'd say the same about Bonds. He was on track to be one of the top 25 position players of all time, BEFORE the roids. I won't crown him 'best ever,' but he still was hall-worthy.