Hang #21 up at Fenway, what are we waiting for? It's already retired.

BOSTON -- The Red Sox should retire Roger Clemens #21 and put it up in right field at Fenway this summer.  And they don’t need to wait for the Baseball Hall of fame Voters to decide this for them.

Many Red Sox fans remain conflicted about Roger, including me.  The same guy who is (arguably) the greatest pitcher in Red Sox History was also a Yankee and lives under the cloud of steroid accusations.   Roger is and always will be a big hot button for Red Sox fans . But how you feel about him cannot change how he performed for 13 seasons in a Red Sox uniform.  When it comes to the debate for “Greatest Pitcher in Red Sox History” there are two players sitting at the head table .  Pedro and Roger.  Pedro’s #45 is already hangs in right field at Fenway.  Roger’s #21 now should also.

The biggest cloud over Clemens is and always will be the steroid accusations.  I’m not here to defend nor condemn Roger concerning PED’s. Only Roger knows the truth about what he did or didn’t do and he continues to live with the consequences of the accusations.  In his three years on the hall of fame ballot Roger’s votes have remained consistent (37.6%, 35.4% and 37.5%).  So while two thirds of the voters won’t ignore the steroid accusations,  a third of the voters will not ignore Roger’s numbers (354 wins, 4672 k’s, 7 Cy Young Awards, 1 MVP).   And when it comes to hanging number 21 at Fenway,  the Red Sox shouldn’t ignore Roger’s Boston numbers (192 wins , 3 Cy Young Awards and 1 MVP).

So while Roger did wear a Yankees uniform and he does have a steroid cloud that continues to hang over him, none of that can change his time in Boston.  His 13 years at Fenway left an unforgettable impression on all of us and 21 should go up to remind us of that every time we walk into the park.  There’s no need to wait to retire #21 because it already is retired.  There’s a reason no player has worn that number in a Red Sox uniform since Roger Clemens left Boston in 1996.  Players know that number belongs to Roger and to nobody else.  The Red Sox know this too.  So raise number 21 at Fenway this summer.  There’s no reason to wait.

An editorial by FOX25 sports anchor Butch Stearns

Cox Media Group