Sleeping on the Rocket

In all the pre-All-Star game hype, I got a little lost in the Chris Carpenter - Dontrelle Willis debate. At the time, most folks - myself definitely included - focused on those two as the best candidates to start the All-Star game.

Since then, Dontrelle has faded but Carpenter has continued to pitch well. But one pitcher kept up with both Willis and Carpenter early in the year, and at this point it's safe to say that he's well out-performing both of them.

That pitcher is, of course, Roger Clemens.

I mean, seriously: have you been following the Rocket this year? His numbers are sick. When it's all said and done I think his ERA might compare favorably with Bob Gibson's (1.12) in 1968 after you adjust for the league averages.

Clemens ERA in total is pretty sparkling (1.45). But what blows my mind is his ERA on the road (away from the bandbox known as Minute Main Park) is a miniscule 0.41. I'm pretty sure that 0.41 has to be a Major League record, but I haven't been able to verify it.

Regardless, Clemens is having a special year at the end of what is a special career. We should all take notice of it, because there may never be anything like it again in our lifetimes.