Clemens, a dominant pitcher over the last two decades, was found not guilty last month on six counts of lying to Congress about steroid use.
But while Clemens may have avoided the jail cell, the perception about his drug use hasn't necessarily changed, putting his Hall of Fame candidancy in jeopardy.
Former Yankees and Dodgers manager Joe Torre, however, is still on Clemens' side. The former skipper said the Rocket deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, according to ESPN. Torre was quick to add that he can't make anyone else see things the same way, but he said he was happy for Clemens after he was found not guilty.
"I'm a little prejudiced on Clemens," Torre said. "He was like a son to me. Unfortunately, the question mark is always gonna be there with him. It's something that's sad for me … because I disliked him like everyone else until I got a chance to know him. He was a great teammate for these guys and he was very devoted to the team he was playing on, and I always respected that."
The Baseball Writer's Association of America is about to encounter an interesting and delicate series of candidates with similar baggage to Clemens. The steroid era in baseball left behind players with impressive resumes but questions about drug use, and voters are now going to have to make judgement calls with the information available to them.
On the field, Clemens has as strong a resume as any candidate in the history of the game. But the assumption of Clemens' drug use, even after his acquittal, may give voters pause when deciding whether to give Clemens a spot alongside the sport's all-time greats.
