Even if he does, flirting with 300 in today’s game will be tough. Pitchers average fewer starts because of the five-man rotation, and managers increasingly rely on bullpen specialists to get late-inning outs. According to “Unhittable: Baseball’s Greatest Pitching Seasons,” Cy Young finished 91.9 percent of his starts; through 1999, Pedro Martinez had completed 15.4 percent. The trend has continued the past three seasons. Another issue: ballparks have been getting smaller since the opening of Baltimore’s Camden Yards in 1992, while players have been getting bigger. That’s meant more offense, which owners like because it puts people in seats. Finally, with the incredibly lucrative contracts that are handed out now, will pitchers even want to play for 20 years? Clemens doesn’t loaf between starts. “The day he pitches is his day off,” says his trainer, Brian McNamee. There may never be another pitcher so productive in his free time.
