Happy 36th Matt Clement!

Matt Clement played for the Red Sox during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. He was a desperation signing following the World Championship 2004 season. Following that season, the Sox lost two starters in Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez. They needed bodies to fill out the rotation, and Clement was one that fell into their hands. It actually started out pretty good for the Sox, as Clement made the All-Star team in 2005 after a great first half. It looked like Theo may have lucked out with the signing. Unfortunately, Clement was hit in the head by a line drive, and never regained the all-star form with the Sox. Whether it was coincidence, or the liner shook his confidence, Clement wasn’t the same.

I flipped through my scorebook, and could not find any games pitched by Matt Clement. That’s too bad, since it would have been nice to have seen another all-star pitcher. (I do have a lot of Wakefield starts in those years, for some reason) Perhaps the defining moment for Clement as a Sox (other than the line drive) was him blowing up in game one of the 2005 ALDS. Clement went 3.1 innings, giving up 8 earned runs as the Sox lost the game en route to a series sweep. Those aren’t exactly two quality memories for a player.

But, Clement was an all-star from a team that made the playoffs. That has to count for something in the hearts and minds of Red Sox fans. And for that, he deserves warm birthday wishes.

Happy 36th Birthday Matt Clement!