Matt Clement
Encyclopedia
Matthew Paul Clement is a former Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
. Clement played for the San Diego Padres
(-), Florida Marlins
, Chicago Cubs
(-) and Boston Red Sox
(-). While on the Red Sox active roster, he was injured all of the 2007 season. He batted and threw right-handed.
Clement had a sinking fastball
in the low 90s and a hard slider
he mixed with a four-seamer
and a changeup
. He held opposing batters to a .233 batting average
from 2002–05, while posting a 47-42 record and a 3.99 ERA
.
at Florida brought the Cubs within one game of the pennant.
In June 2004, Clement was 6-2 and a candidate to be named to the All-Star Game
. But in his next six starts before the break, Clement went 0-4, despite a 2.15 ERA. His run
support in those starts was just 1.19 runs per game. He finished with a 3.68 ERA but went 9-13 for the Cubs, who scored only 79 runs in his 30 starts (which is 2.63 runs of support per game, the sixth-lowest mark in the NL). Against American League
teams in interleague play, Clement had a 7-7 record with a 3.60 ERA in 19 starts.
As a member of the Boston Red Sox in the 2005 season, Clement was named as an All-Star Game selection for the first time in his big league career, replacing injured Blue Jays
pitcher Roy Halladay
. Clement's record was 10-2 before the All-Star break, and he finished the season at 13-6 with a 4.57 ERA. On July 26, 2005, Clement was struck in the head by a line drive
from Carl Crawford
of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Clement made just 12 starts in 2006, posting a 5-5 record with a 6.61 ERA, before having season ending shoulder surgery in September. He was rehabilitated at the Red Sox extended spring training
complex in Fort Myers, Florida
, but did not make a major league appearance in the 2007 season.
On January 3, , Clement was signed to a major league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals
. The Cardinals' team doctor said that Clement was healthy and would be able to begin the season playing regularly. The Cardinals cited his recent rehabilitation and physical as reasons for adding him to the starting rotation for the 2008 season with no expected limitations upon reporting to Jupiter, Florida for spring training. However, Clement would begin the year on the disabled list
after making no appearances in Spring Training. On June 3, Clement made a minor-league rehab start at Single-A Palm Beach
, allowing only 1 hit over six innings. He was released by the Cardinals on August 2.
Clement signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays
on December 12, 2008 and was invited to Spring Training.
After being unable to make a spot in the rotation, Clement announced his retirement from baseball on April 5, 2009.
, Butler Senior High School. He also was part of an ownership group that purchased the Butler BlueSox
. He still considers himself a Chicago Cubs
fan.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
. Clement played for the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
(-), Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(-) and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(-). While on the Red Sox active roster, he was injured all of the 2007 season. He batted and threw right-handed.
Clement had a sinking fastball
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
in the low 90s and a hard slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
he mixed with a four-seamer
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
and a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
. He held opposing batters to a .233 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
from 2002–05, while posting a 47-42 record and a 3.99 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
Baseball career
In nine seasons, Clement won 87 games and lost 86, and was 1-2 in post-season play, going 1-1 with the Cubs in 2003 and 0-1 with Boston in 2005. His win in Game 4 of the 2003 National League Championship Series2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...
at Florida brought the Cubs within one game of the pennant.
In June 2004, Clement was 6-2 and a candidate to be named to the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. But in his next six starts before the break, Clement went 0-4, despite a 2.15 ERA. His run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
support in those starts was just 1.19 runs per game. He finished with a 3.68 ERA but went 9-13 for the Cubs, who scored only 79 runs in his 30 starts (which is 2.63 runs of support per game, the sixth-lowest mark in the NL). Against American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
teams in interleague play, Clement had a 7-7 record with a 3.60 ERA in 19 starts.
As a member of the Boston Red Sox in the 2005 season, Clement was named as an All-Star Game selection for the first time in his big league career, replacing injured Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
pitcher Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
. Clement's record was 10-2 before the All-Star break, and he finished the season at 13-6 with a 4.57 ERA. On July 26, 2005, Clement was struck in the head by a line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
from Carl Crawford
Carl Crawford
Carl Demonte Crawford is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...
of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Clement made just 12 starts in 2006, posting a 5-5 record with a 6.61 ERA, before having season ending shoulder surgery in September. He was rehabilitated at the Red Sox extended spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
complex in Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
, but did not make a major league appearance in the 2007 season.
On January 3, , Clement was signed to a major league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. The Cardinals' team doctor said that Clement was healthy and would be able to begin the season playing regularly. The Cardinals cited his recent rehabilitation and physical as reasons for adding him to the starting rotation for the 2008 season with no expected limitations upon reporting to Jupiter, Florida for spring training. However, Clement would begin the year on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
after making no appearances in Spring Training. On June 3, Clement made a minor-league rehab start at Single-A Palm Beach
Palm Beach Cardinals
The Palm Beach Cardinals are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals major-league club....
, allowing only 1 hit over six innings. He was released by the Cardinals on August 2.
Clement signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on December 12, 2008 and was invited to Spring Training.
After being unable to make a spot in the rotation, Clement announced his retirement from baseball on April 5, 2009.
After retirement
After retiring from baseball, Clement permanently moved back to his hometown of Butler, Pennsylvania, where he became the head coach of the boy's basketball team at his high school alma materAlma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Butler Senior High School. He also was part of an ownership group that purchased the Butler BlueSox
Butler BlueSox
The Butler BlueSox are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Butler, Pennsylvania, in the United States. They are a member of the East Division of the summer collegiate Prospect League.-History:...
. He still considers himself a Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
fan.