Yankee Stadium welcomes back Roger Clemens, with old allegations about his confrontation with Mike Piazza and the batting incident revisited
Roger Clemens Returns to Yankee Stadium, Bat-Throwing Incident Resurfaces
Roger Clemens, the legendary pitcher who won three games during the Yankees' 2000 World Series run, returned to Yankee Stadium on Saturday for the Old-Timers' Day event. However, the focus was not just on his past successes, as the bat-throwing incident from Game 2 of the 2000 World Series was brought up once again.
In the controversial incident, Clemens picked up a shattered piece of Mike Piazza's broken bat and threw it towards Piazza after the bat broke along the first-base line. Piazza, caught between running and reacting to the breaking bat, appeared confused about the location of the ball during the incident.
Joe Torre, Clemens' manager on the 2000 championship team, defended Clemens' actions, stating that Piazza might not have been running if he knew the ball was foul. Torre suggested this misunderstanding contributed to the incident.
The act itself, throwing an object at an opponent with force, is viewed as unsportsmanlike by many observers, even if Clemens insisted it was not done with intent to harm. The incident remains a notable and controversial moment from the 2000 Subway Series, bringing attention to the heated rivalry between Clemens and Piazza that season, including a prior hit-by-pitch event earlier in 2000.
Despite the controversy, Clemens heard a nice hand from the crowd. However, his famous toss at Piazza was not shown in a montage of his highlights during the event.
Clemens, who joined the Yankees in a trade with Toronto during spring training in 1999, had a solid performance in 2000, finishing the season with a 13-8 record and a 3.70 ERA. He won three games during the postseason, including Game 2 against the Mets in the World Series. His career statistics are impressive, with a total of 354 wins and a 3.12 ERA, placing him third in strikeouts behind Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson.
The Yankees honoured the 2000 team, the last team to win three straight titles, and several other teams were also represented at the event. The widows of Billy Martin, Thurman Munson, and Bobby Murcer were introduced, and members of the 1977 and 1978 World Series teams, including Willie Randolph, Graig Nettles, Chris Chambliss, Ron Guidry, Bucky Dent, and Mickey Rivers, were also present.
Andy Pettitte expressed happiness about seeing Clemens at the event, and Jeter delivered a taped video message after Mariano Rivera was introduced. The Yankees struggled at times in the 2000 regular season, losing 15 of their final 18 games, but they outlasted the A's by winning a Game 5 on the road in the Division Series and beat Seattle in a six-game ALCS before winning the World Series against the Mets in a five-game Fall Classic.
In other news, Clemens received 65.2% of the votes in his final year on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot in 2022, falling short of the 75% required for induction. Despite this, his legacy as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history remains undeniable.
During the Old-Timers' Day event at Yankee Stadium, Clemens' famous bat-throwing incident from the 2000 World Series against Mike Piazza was brought up again, stirring controversies about the unsportsmanlike act. Baseball's heated rivalry between Clemens and Piazza that season was highlighted, including a prior hit-by-pitch event earlier in 2000. Despite the controversy, various sports enthusiasts, including some from MLB, recognized Clemens' incredible contribution to the sport, with his career statistics placing him third in strikeouts behind Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson.
