What is Roger Clemens' Net Worth and Career Earnings?
Roger Clemens is a retired American Major league Baseball pitcher who has a net worth of $70 million. Renowned as one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history, Roger Clemens recorded 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts, and won a record seven Cy Young Awards. Following the end of his playing career in the late 00s, Clemens was embroiled in federal legal proceedings related to accusations of steroid use and subsequent charges of perjury resulting from his testimony to Congress.
During his 23 year pitching career he was a member on four different professional teams. He spent two seasons wearing a Toronto Blue Jays jersey and each year won the pitching Triple Crown (leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts) and a Cy Young Award.
In 1999 he was traded to the New York Yankees, where he won his first World Series. By 2003 he reached his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout in the same game. He is one of only four pitchers to have more than 4,000 strikeouts in their entire career (the others are Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, and Steve Carlton). Clemens won his seventh Cy Young Award during his three season stint with the Houston Astros, then in 2007 he rejoined the Yankee squad.
According to the Mitchell Report, Clemens allegedly used anabolic steroids during his late career. This allegation was collaborated by the testimony of his former trainer, Brian McNamee. Clemens firmly denied these allegations under oath before Congress. The case was referred to the Justice Department on suspicions of perjury. Clemens was indicted on six felony counts involving perjury, false statements, and obstruction of Congress, on August 19, 2010. He pled not guilty on August 30, 2010, and the trail started on July 13, 2011, however a mistrial was declared on the second day of testimony due to prosecutorial misconduct.
Salary and Career Earnings
During his MLB career Roger Clemens earned $150 million in salary alone. He also earned $10 – $20 million from endorsements.
Under his last contract with the New York Yankees, Clemens earned a pro-rated $28 million per year.
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Early Life
Roger Clemens was born on August 4, 1962 in Dayton, Ohio as the fifth child of Bess and Bill. When he was still a baby, his parents separated, and his mother remarried to Woody Booher. In the early 70s, Booher passed away. Clemens spent the majority of his teen years in Houston, Texas, where he went to Spring Woods High School. There, he played baseball as well as basketball and football.
Collegiate Career
In 1981, Clemens began his collegiate baseball career at San Jacinto College North. He was subsequently chosen by the New York Mets in the MLB draft, but decided not to sign. Instead, Clemens went on to attend the University of Texas at Austin, where he posted a 25-7 record across two seasons and won the 1983 College World Series.
Boston Red Sox
In the 1983 MLB draft, Clemens was selected in the first round by the Boston Red Sox. After playing for a while in the minors, he made his major league debut in May of 1984. Clemens soon proved to be one of the most dominant pitchers in the MLB. In 1986, he posted a 24-4 record with 238 strikeouts and a 2.48 ERA, and became the first MLB pitcher ever to strike out 20 batters across nine innings. Consequently, he won the AL MVP Award and the first of his record seven Cy Young Awards. In the postseason, the Red Sox beat the Angels in the ALCS en route to a World Series title. Despite a lousy 1987 season, Clemens won his second straight Cy Young Award. The Red Sox performed better the following season, clinching the AL East Division title. In 1990, the team again won that title; however, in the ALCS, Clemens was ejected for arguing with the umpire. Because of this, in 1991, he was suspended for the season's first five games and issued a $10,000 fine.
In his final season with the Red Sox in 1996, Clemens recorded his second career 20-strikeout game, this time against the Detroit Tigers. This made him the only player to ever achieve two 20-strikeout games. Despite his success – and the huge sum of money offered to him by his team – Clemens elected not to re-sign with the Red Sox after the 1996 season. Across his 12-year tenure with the team, he posted 192 wins and 38 shutouts, plus an all-time franchise record of 2,590 strikeouts.
Toronto Blue Jays
After leaving the Red Sox, Clemens signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. He went on to have incredible success in both of his seasons with the team. In 1997, Clemens posted a 21-7 record, 2.05 ERA, and 292 strikeouts, and in 1998 had a 20-6 record with a 2.65 ERA and 271 strikeouts. In both years, he claimed the Triple Crown and Cy Young Award.
New York Yankees, Part 1
For the 1999 season, Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees. His success on the team was immediate, as he helped the Yankees win the World Series in both 1999 and 2000. Clemens continued to perform in top shape in 2001 when he became the first MLB pitcher ever to begin a season with a 20-1 record. The Yankees again made it to the World Series, but fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In his last season with the team in 2003, Clemens notched his 300th career win and 4,000th career strikeout in the same game. Following the Yankees' loss to the Florida Marlins in the 2003 World Series, Clemens retired.
Houston Astros
Clemens came out of retirement in early 2004 to sign with the Houston Astros. Finishing the season with a record of 18-4, he won his record seventh and final Cy Young Award. The 2005 season was another triumph for Clemens, as he posted a career-best 1.87 ERA. In the World Series, the first ever for the Astros, the Chicago White Sox swept the team.
New York Yankees, Part 2
In 2007, Clemens returned to the Yankees. That July, he posted his 350th career win. Advancing to the ALDS, he was eventually removed from the roster due to a hamstring injury.
Later Pitching
Clemens continued to pitch after his departure from the MLB. In 2012, he signed with the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball's Sugar Land Skeeters. Four years later, for the National Baseball Congress World Series, he played with the Kansas Stars.
Steroid Controversy
Clemens has been the subject of much controversy over the course of his career. Particularly, he was accused of using anabolic steroids, with his name cited in the Mitchell Report on steroid use in the MLB. Clemens ended up testifying before Congress in early 2008, claiming his innocence. Due to inconsistencies in his testimony, however, the Congressional committee recommended that the Justice Department investigate whether he had lied under oath. Clemens was ultimately indicted by a federal grand jury in 2010 on counts of perjury and contempt of Congress. Following an initial mistrial, Clemens was found not guilty on all his counts in 2012. However, the controversy ended up hampering his chances to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
In late 1984, Clemens wed Debra Lynn Godfrey. Together, they have four sons named Koby, Kory, Kacy, and Kody. Clemens has been known to allegedly engage in extramarital affairs, with a notable paramour reportedly having been country music singer Mindy McCready.
Real Estate
Roger and his family have several homes in Texas. Their primary home is a large mansion in Houston. The 10,500 square-foot mansion sits on 2.6 acres and is worth around $5 million. The family also owns a lake house on the shores of Lake Conroe in Montgomery, Texas that is worth around $2 million.
