Clemens Called On for a Red Sox Feat--Series Clincher

This has not been a great World Series for the young Turks of the pitcher’s mound.

First we had the Special K Showdown--Dwight (Dr. K) Gooden vs. Roger (Lord of the K’s) Clemens in Game 2. The best pitchers in the sport.

Both got KO’d.

Clemens gave up three runs in 4 innings and was forced out of the game with a 6-3 lead and got no decision. Gooden stuck around long enough for a decision, an uncharacteristic 9-3 defeat. He gave up 6 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings.

Then came Game 5 Thursday night, a time for Gooden to make amends.

Gooden promptly went out and loaded the bases in the first inning, surrendered a run in the second and lost confidence in his fastball shortly thereafter. He also lost the game, 4-2, yielding 4 runs and 9 hits in 4-plus innings.

Now, it is Clemens’ turn again.

Tonight in Game 6, he will attempt to scale Mt. Shea--the pitching mound that, according to Clemens, was sculptured in the tradition of some of Manhattan’s tallest skyscrapers--and go where no Red Sox pitcher has ventured in 68 years.

Tonight, Clemens will attempt to pitch the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series championship since 1918.

For Red Sox fans, this is literally the moment of a lifetime. And for Manager John McNamara, this is the moment he has awaited since this World Series opened eight days ago. He structured his pitching rotation, gambling by starting Al Nipper in Game 4, with the hope that the Series would reach this point: one game away from deliverance, with a well-rested Clemens set to deliver the goods.

“We had it set up this way and we wanted it to go this way,” McNamara said. “We’re up, 3-2, and we have the winningest pitcher in baseball going.”

To get here, McNamara pitched Clemens three straight times on three days’ rest. Twice, the result was a no-decision, and last Sunday’s stint was his second shortest of the season. It was also one of his least effective, which sent a message, loud and clear, to McNamara.

“That was not the same Roger Clemens we saw all season,” McNamara said. “You could see that he wasn’t himself at Shea on Sunday. He said he could use an extra day, and we had the luxury of giving it to him, being up, 2-0.”

Thus, Clemens has not pitched since last Sunday. That’s five days of rest, which brings us to a fairly interesting statistic.

When Clemens pitched with the benefit of five or more days of rest during the regular season, he was 8-0 with one no-decision. His earned-run average in those starts was 2.12--similar to the New York City area code. His record-setting 20-strikeout effort against the Seattle Mariners was delivered on five days’ rest.

“He threw about 120 (m.p.h.) that day,” recalled Red Sox center fielder Dave Henderson, who was then in the Seattle lineup. “His slider was about 110.

“I went up three times and I don’t think I fouled a ball off. He was awesome. None of us had a chance. We even broke out our ‘pepper’ swings, just to make contact. That didn’t work, either.”

Clemens is calling his start tonight just another challenge. “This whole year has been grueling and tough, but I’ve met every challenge,” he said. “I don’t know how many innings I’ve pitched this year, but every one seemed to be pressure-packed. I’ve had to pitch a lot of games after we’ve lost, and I’ve done the job.”

Clemens was 14-1 in games he pitched after a Boston defeat.

Regarding his erratic showing in Game 2 at Shea Stadium, Clemens offered a few theories.

“Despite the fact it was my third time pitching with three days’ rest, there were a couple of other factors,” he said. “One was the start of the flu (Clemens had an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke while flying from Anaheim to Boston after Game 5 of the American League playoffs).

“I really think the flu took a toll on me--more than I thought originally. I was running temperatures of 100 or more for three straight days. I’d break out in a cold sweat just walking around the clubhouse.

“Dr. (Arthur) Pappas (Red Sox physician) put the chains on me and made me stop running, stop doing sit-ups--all the things that prevent me from thinking about other things.”

Was Clemens still ill when he pitched against the Mets?

“I’m not going to tell you I was sick,” he replied. “I wouldn’t want to admit it and make it sound like an excuse.

“(But) cold weather gives you a false impression of feeling good. I left too much in the bullpen that night. By the third inning, I was done.”

Factor No. 2, Clemens said, was Shea Stadium’s mound.

“I never felt comfortable on that mound,” he said. “I don’t like the mound there. I don’t like a lot of things about that park. But I have to put it in the back of my head.

“The mound is built so high that it’s hard to get any drive with your legs. And when you do try to use your legs and drive off, everything stays high. That’s why I said I felt more comfortable at the plate than I did on the mound.”

How does Clemens plan to confront Mt. Shea the second time around? He says he may try a different leg kick. He says it can be conquered.

“It’s only a problem right here,” Clemens said, pointing to his head.

“Physically, I’m gonna be sore in different places, but baseball is 80% mental, and you can get people out that way, too.”

Clemens’ opponent tonight will be Bob Ojeda, left-hander and former Red Sox teammate who helped extend the Series this far by beating Boston, 7-1, in Game 3. Ojeda limited the Red Sox to 5 hits and 1 run in 7 innings.

Ojeda knows his assignment.

“I gotta win, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “I’m not uncomfortable with this situation. . . . We are down, 3-2, and it is very obvious what we have to do--win two games.”

He was asked about matching up against Clemens under such circumstances.

“This is not a one-on-one game,” Ojeda said. “I’m not John McEnroe playing Ivan Lendl. If we are going to win this thing, we will win it with a team effort. You have to be realistic. One, two or three guys are not going to decide the game.”

He was asked about the pressure facing him tonight.

“It is not by choice,” Ojeda said. “You don’t pick these types of things. Yes, there is more pressure in the World Series than a game in June. This is for the whole banana. But I would rather do this than be fishing.”

Fishing was how Ojeda was spending his time last year. Now, he and the Mets are wishing.

And Clemens? He has the Mets on the whole banana peel, hoping to give them one final push tonight.