Ryan vs. Clemens: no contest

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 29, 2001

Roger Clemens continues to prove that the fastball -- not the barrels of broken bats -- is his forte even at 38 years old.

The five-time Cy Young Award winner began the season eighth on the strikeout list but has leapfrogged Walter Johnson, Gaylord Perry, Don Sutton and, on Monday, Tom Seaver with 147 strikeouts this season.

"Some of the guys that I'm passing," Clemens said, "I learned from them."

But to appreciate his accomplishment is to savor again how Nolan Ryan became baseball's all-time strikeout leader during a 27-year career, before it was acceptable for power hitters to strike out so frequently.

Consider:

Clemens has 3,651 career strikeouts to Ryan's 5,714.

It took Clemens 11 seasons to reach the 2,063 strikeouts he still needs to tie Ryan's mark.

Ryan struck out more batters in six separate seasons than Clemens did in his career-high, 292-strikeout season of 1997.

So unless the Rocket can pitch until he's 50 years old and master a knuckleball or get a new arm, he will not catch Ryan. The best he could do is match and/or pass Nos. 2 and 3 on the strikeout list -- Steve Carlton (4,136) and Bert Blyleven (3,701).

You can guarantee he'll know when, and if, those milestones are nearing.

Yankees manager Joe Torre likens Clemens to a roving encyclopedia when it comes to records he's about to attain.

"When you get to that age, what drives you? I think you have to dangle a carrot for yourself, whatever that may be," Torre said. "Going into the World Series, that's easy, that's enough motivation. But these regular-season games, I'm sure there are different things he uses."

TASTE OF THE FUTURE: The Mariners provided a glimpse of what the post-season might hold by sweeping a four-game series against the then AL Central-leading Twins last weekend.

Seattle never trailed in the series and outscored the Twins 19-8. Minnesota led the Indians by five games at the All-Star break but dropped 2 percentage points behind Cleveland because of the Seattle series.

"They outplayed us for four days, outpitched us," manager Tom Kelly said. "They did everything a little bit better than we did and they deserved to win. We'll tip our hat to them."

A'S FOR EFFORT: The trade that sent outfielder Jermaine Dye from Kansas City to Oakland, the sixth between the franchises in the past two seasons, all but assured the A's are serious about keeping their team intact for a run at the playoffs.

That means first baseman Jason Giambi, outfielder Johnny Damon and reliever Jason Isringhausen likely will not be traded because Oakland is five games behind Cleveland in the wild-card race.

"Instead of going the other way, we're adding on," manager Art Howe said. "That's a great message."

DUNN DEAL: Much like the Rays and catcher Toby Hall, the Reds promoted their most prized prospect and not a moment too soon.

Outfielder Ryan Dunn, who accepted a scholarship to play quarterback for Texas out of high school, had compiled statistics in the minors that matched his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame. The 21-year-old combined for 32 homers and 84 RBI while batting .334 at Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville before the Reds recalled him on July 19.

The No. 2 pick in the 1998 draft has wowed manager Bob Boone and was batting .379 with three doubles, one homer and five walks.

"He will end up being the classic leader of the team," Boone said. "His presence, he is so big, is one thing. And he is a personable guy, mingles well, fits in with everybody. A major-league clubhouse can be a real tough place. And, of course, he is en route to major stardom."

THE UNSTOPPABLE UNIT: Consider it payback for a pair of losses the Padres handed then-Houston pitcher Randy Johnson in the 1998 divisional playoffs.

The Diamondbacks left-hander, who has re-established himself as the most dominant pitcher in the game, beat San Diego on July 18 and July 24 by striking out 30 in 141/3 innings and allowing just two singles.

Arizona and San Diego play each other seven more times this season.

TWO DAYS AND COUNTING: Toronto outfielder Shannon Stewart may be traded before teammate Jose Cruz as the Rockies, Cubs, Mariners and Mets all have shown interest. The Phillies appear interested in a reliever whether it be Ugueth Urbina, Kelvim Escobar, Paul Quantrill, Mike Williams, Scott Sullivan or Danny Graves. ... Pirates pitcher Jason Schmidt (Astros, Twins, Indians, Red Sox, Cardinals) and Padres pitcher Sterling Hitchcock (Cardinals, Twins) also are trade-bait.

BY THE NUMBERS: Clemens became the first 14-game winner in the American League and the first Yankees player since Jimmy Key in 1994 to win 11 in a row. ... In only his fourth professional start for Burlington (N.C.), Indians prospect J.D. Martin, 18, pitched five scoreless and hitless innings, walking none and striking out 14 of the 16 batters he faced.

THE LAST WORD: "They said it couldn't be done." Brewers manager Davey Lopes said jokingly after his team ended the longest losing streak this season -- 11 games. Milwaukee beat the Dodgers 4-3 thanks to a run-scoring single by Mark Loretta with two outs in the bottom of the ninth on Wednesday.

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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