Graduated in 1993 from Butler (Pa.) High School where
he played both baseball and basketball...was a standout
basketball player in high school and turned down several Division
I scholarship offers to instead pursue a professional baseball
career...Matt and his wife, Heather, have two sons, Mattix and
Madden, and make their offseason home in Butler, Pa.
2007
Missed the entire season while rehabbing from arthroscopic right shoulder surgery which took place on 9/26/06.
Began the season on the 15-day disabled list and was transferred to the 60-day D.L. on 7/6.
After spring training, continued his rehab at Boston's minor league facility in Fort Myers, Fla.
Joined the major league team in Boston during the second half of the season and threw a pair of simulated games at Fenway
Park in September. Reported to Instructional League in Florida in late September.
2006
SUMMARY: Was limited by shoulder troubles to just 12 starts in his 2nd season with Boston,
going 5-5 with a 6.61 ERA...did not pitch after June 14, when he prematurely left his start at Minnesota
due to shoulder discomfort...was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 16 (retroactive
to June 15) with a right shoulder strain...went through a period of rest and rehabilitation over the
next 3 months in hopes of returning to action in late September...made a rehab start for the Gulf
Coast League Red Sox on July 4 vs. the Pirates GCL squad (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K)...experienced further
discomfort while attempting to throw a side session in Toronto on September 22.
SHOULDER SURGERY AND REHAB: Underwent arthroscopic right shoulder surgery by Dr. James
Andrews on September 26 in Birmingham, AL...Matt began with a period of rest after the procedure,
followed by an extensive rehabilitation process.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Worked 7.0 innings in 2 of his first 3 starts, but did not reach that mark
in any of his final 9 outings...alternated a win with a loss for each of his 10 decisions...allowed 6
earned runs or more in a start 3 times, including a season high 8 earned runs on May 24 vs. the
Yankees...reached 100 pitches in a start only 5 times, including a season-high 108 on May 19 at
Philadelphia...went 1-3 with a 7.86 ERA (23 ER/26.1 IP) in 5 starts at Fenway Park and 4-2 with a
5.77 ERA (25 ER/39.0 IP) in 7 starts on the road...was 2-0 with a 3.97 ERA (5 ER/11.1 IP) in 2 starts
during the day...opponents hit .291 off Clement, including a .414 (24-for-58) mark with runners
in scoring position.
MORE 2006 HIGHLIGHTS: Had arguably his best start of the season on May 4 vs. Toronto, earning
the win after allowing just 2 hits and a run over 6.0 innings in Boston's 7-4 victory...struck out
a season-high 7 in his season debut on April 7 in Baltimore, when he notched the win with 7.0
innings of 4-run ball...walked a season-high 6 batters in a start 2 times, including his season finale
on June 14 at Minnesota.
2005
SUMMARY: In his first season in Boston, Clement was selected to the American League
All-Star team and finished 13-6 with a 4.57 ERA in 32 starts...ranked 7th in the A.L. with
a .684 (13-6) winning percentage and tied for 9th in the league with 6.9 strikeouts per 9
innings (146 K/191.0 IP)...his 68 walks were the fewest of any full season in his career...the
Red Sox were 22-10 in his starts, their most wins behind any starter...went 9-1 with a
3.33 ERA (38 ER/102.2 IP) in 16 starts through the end of June and 4-5 with a 6.01 ERA
(59 ER/88.1 IP) in 16 starts the rest of the way...lost 3 of his last 5 starts after losing
only 3 of his first 27 outings...only Tim Wakefield and Bronson Arroyo threw more innings
on the staff, while only Wakefield rang up more K's and made more starts...18 of his 32
starts were quality starts.
STAR SIGHTING: A first-time All-Star, Clement threw a scoreless 5th inning in the
American League's 7-5 win in the Mid-Summer Classic July 12 at Comerica Park in
Detroit...Luis Castillo and David Eckstein flew out before Clement walked Bobby Abreu
and struck out Carlos Beltran to close out the inning...entered the All-Star break 10-2
with a 3.85 ERA (50 ER/117.0 IP) in 18 starts...in 14 starts after the break, went 3-4
with a 5.72 ERA (47 ER/74.0 IP).
CONTROLING INTEREST: Issued 68 walks in 191.0 innings, an average of 3.2 per 9
innings...the total was his lowest ever in a full big league season but was tied for 9th-highest in the A.L...walked 2 or fewer in 21 of his 32 starts...issued a season-high 6 free passes September 24 at Baltimore, but still threw 6.0 shutout innings...ranked 5th in the
league with 13 wild pitches and was 2nd to only Tampa Bay's Casey Fossum (18) with 16 hit batsmen.
SUPPORT STAFF: Received an average of 6.88 runs of support per 9 innings, 3rd-highest in all of baseball behind teammate David Wells (7.97) and
Chris Young of the Rangers (7.32)...the Red Sox scored 146 runs while he was in the game, the 5th-highest total in baseball...as a Cub in 2004, received an average of 2.6 runs while in the game,
the 6th-lowest total in the N.L.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN: Left 6 starts with the lead and on line for a victory only to see the bullpen give up the advantage: May 11 vs. Oakland, July 21 at Chicago (AL), July 26 at Tampa Bay, August 9 vs. Texas, August 19 at Los Angeles (AL) and September 24 at Baltimore...4 of those came in a 5-start stretch between July 21 and August
19...nonetheless, the Red Sox won all 6 of those games, all by a single run and 3 in extra
innings...the Red Sox scored a total of 14 runs in Matt's 6 losses, 3 or less in 5 and 2 or
fewer in 3.
QUICK START: Raced out to a 6-0 start for the first time in his career, posting a 3.06 ERA
over his first 11 starts...it was the longest winning streak to open a season by a Boston
starter since Pedro Martinez and John Burkett both went 7-0 to start 2002...the streak
was the 2nd-longest of Matt's career...he won 8 consecutive decisions September 5,
1999-May 2, 2000 as a member of the San Diego Padres.
TOUGH EARLY: Held the opposition to a .200 average (24-for-120) in the first inning, a
.209 average (43-for-206) on his first 30 pitches and a .218 average (57-for-262) the
first time through the lineup.
ETC.: Worked 6.0 innings or more in 21 of his 32 starts, 7.0 or more in 12 and 8.0 or more
in 5...threw a total of 3,181 pitches, an average of 16.7 per inning...allowed 6 stolen
bases in 8 tries...induced 20 double play grounders...allowed 18 homers...the only full
season in his career when he surrendered fewer was 2001 with Florida, when he gave up
15 in 169.1 innings...3 of his 6 losses came in September...beat 10 different teams with
2 wins against the Orioles, Devil Rays and Rangers...enjoyed 3 unbeaten months: April
(2-0), May (4-0) and August (2-0)...allowed 6 or more runs in a start on 7
occasions...recorded a 2.78 ERA (50 ER/161.2 IP) in his other 25 starts.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Went 8-4 with a 4.90 ERA (55 ER/101.0 IP) in 17 starts at Fenway Park and 5-2 with a 4.20 ERA (42 ER/90.0 IP) in 15 road starts...allowed only 6 homers at Fenway, 12 on the road...opponents batted .260 (192-for-738) with 44 doubles, 2 triples and 18 homers...righties hit just .244 (85-for-349) with 5 homers...lefties batted .275 (107-for-389) with 13 long balls...opponents hit .238 (20-for-84) with runners in scoring position and 2 outs and .235 (4-for-17) with the bases loaded...foes
hit .185 (5-for-27) in close-and-late situations and .161 (59-for-367) with 5 homers
and 146 K's in 2-strike counts...opposing lead-off hitters batted .239 (21-for-88) with a
.333 on-base percentage...No. 2 hitters batted .344 (32-for-93)...7-8 hitters combined
for a .172 average (26-for-151)...allowed a .557 average (30-for-79) on 1-1 counts and
.229 average (153-for-668) in all other counts.
MORE 2005 HIGHLIGHTS: Got a no-decision in his Red Sox debut, a 4-3 loss April 5 at
New York (AL)...allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks in 4.1 innings...after
posting a pair of no-decisions and a 4.35 ERA (5 ER/10.1 IP) in his first 2 starts, earned
his first Red Sox and A.L. win April 16 vs. Tampa Bay in his Fenway Park debut as a Red
Sox...allowed one run on 7 hits in 7.0 innings, walking 2 and punching out 6...5 days later
in Baltimore, blanked the Orioles on 8 hits over 8.0 innings for a 1-0 win...walked one and
struck out 7...tagged for 7 runs in 4.2 by the Orioles 5 days later, Matt rebounded to open
may with 2 wins and a 1.80 ERA (4 ER/20.0 IP) over his next 3 starts...allowed an
unearned run on 5 hits in 7.0 innings May 6 vs. Seattle and gave up just one run on 5 hits
in 7.0 innings 5 days later vs. Oakland...allowed a homer to Eric Chavez in that start, the
first long ball he had surrendered in 50.0 innings over parts of 7 starts since serving up
a gopher ball in his 2005 debut vs. New York...fired his lone complete game of 2005--the 6th of his big league career--in a 5-2 win over John Smoltz and the Braves May 22 at
Fenway...allowed 2 runs on 4 hits...walked none and struck out 7...went 4-1 with a 3.34
ERA (13 ER/35.0 IP) in 5 interleague starts, tying Gil Meche of the Mariners and Brendan
Donnelly of the Angels for the major league lead in interleague victories...struck out a
season-high 9 on 3 occasions: in back-to-back starts in 8.0 innings on June 13 vs.
Cincinnati and in 7.0 innings June 19 vs. Pittsburgh as well as in 8.2 innings July 6 at
Texas...threw a season-high 122 pitches in the Texas start, in the process becoming the
club's first 10-game winner...fired 7.0 innings of 3-hit shutout ball for an 8-0 win June 19
vs. Pittsburgh...walked one and matched his season high with 9 K's...allowed a run on 7
hits over 7.0 innings with no walks and 4 K's for a 7-1 win at Philadelphia in his next start
on June 26...left his July 26 start at Tampa Bay after only 2.1 innings, when he was hit
in the right side of the head by a line drive off the bat of Carl Crawford...did not go on the
D.L., but did not pitch again until August 4...went 1-2 with an 8.88 ERA (25 ER/25.1 IP)
in 5 July starts, but rebounded to go 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA (12 ER/30.0 IP) in 5 August
outings...earned his final win September 3 vs. Baltimore, working 8.0 innings and allowing
4 runs (2 earned)...had not lost consecutive starts all season before losing 3 in a row
September 8-18...threw 6.0 innings of 4-hit shutout ball in a no-decision September 24
at Baltimore.
IN THE POSTSEASON: Made the start in Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Chicago, enduring a 14-2 setback to the White Sox...in 3.1 innings, allowed 8 runs on 7 hits and a pair of hit-by-pitches, walking none, fanning none and allowing 3 home runs to match the club post-season record (done several times)...the 8 runs allowed also matched the post-season club record set by Roger Clemens in Game 1 of the 1986
ALCS vs. California...the White Sox scored 5 runs in the first inning, capping their scoring
with a 3-run homer by A.J. Pierzynski...Chicago scored another run in the 3rd inning and
2 more in the 4th to drive Clement from the game after recording only 10 outs.
2004
Capped his 3-year stint with the Cubs by going 9-13 in 30 starts...posted a 3.68 ERA, 2ndlowest
of his career (3.60)...struck out 190 in 181.0 IP, an average of 9.4 K's per 9 innings (tied for
5th-best in the N.L.)...limited foes to a .229 average,
8th-lowest in the league...after starting the season 6-3 with a 3.05 ERA (22 ER/65.0 IP) in 10 starts through
May 28, won just 3 games the rest of the way with
a 4.03 ERA (52 ER/116.0 IP) over his final 20 starts...dropped his first start of the year April 8 at Cincinnati
and then went 5-0 with a 1.53 ERA (6 ER/35.1 IP) in
5 starts April 14-May 6...tied his career high with a
5-game losing streak June 18-July 16 despite a stellar
2.61 ERA (11 ER/38.0 IP) over the 6-start stretch...was
the victim of poor run support, as his average of 4.03
runs of support per game was 6th-lowest in the N.L.
2003
Set a career high in wins by going 14-12 with a 4.11 ERA (92 ER/201.2 IP) in 32 starts for the Cubs...limited foes to a .227 average, 6th-lowest in the NL...righthanders hit .209, 4th-lowest among NL starters...allowed just 169 hits in 201.2 innings, an average of 7.54 per 9 innings, the 6th-best ratio in the league...fanned 171 for an
average of 7.63 K's per 9 innings, 10th-best in the NL...started the season 2-6 with a
4.99 ERA (34 ER/61.1 IP) in 10 starts through the end of May and went 12-6 with a 3.72
ERA (58 ER/140.1 IP) in 22 starts the
rest of the way...in his final 18 starts
beginning June 27, limited foes to a .197
average in 118.0 innings...allowed 3
earned runs or less in 8 straight starts
June 27-August 3, going 4-2 with a 2.29
ERA (15 ER/59.0 IP)...held foes to a
.146 average in that span...capped the
stretch by earning NL Player of the Week
honors from July 28-August 3...tossed
a complete-game 2-hit shutout in a 3-0
win July 29 vs. San Francisco...allowed
just 2 singles, 2 walks and a hit batsman while fanning 8...at one point, fanned
4 consecutive Giants on 12
pitches...followed that effort with a 2-1
win August 3 vs. Arizona, limiting the D-Backs to a run on 3 hits in 8.0
innings...overall, went 10-5 with 3.10
ERA (40 ER/116.0 IP) in 17 starts at
Wrigley Field and 4-7 with a 5.46 ERA
(52 ER/85.2 IP) in 15 starts on the
road...limited foes to a .197 average (15-for-76) with runners in scoring position
and 2 outs...exited his April 2 season
debut after 3.0 innings due to left lower
back tightness...had a season-high 10 K's April 18 at Pittsburgh...at the plate, went 3-for-3 off Pittsburgh's Kris Benson May 22, notching his first multi-hit game to snap an 0-for-43 skid...recorded his 50th career win June 11 at Baltimore...July 2 at Philadelphia,
combined with Mark Guthrie, Kyle Farnsworth and Joe Borowski on a one-hit 1-0 victory,
allowing the Phillies' lone hit (a single by David Bell to lead off the 5th)...started Chicago's
N.L. Central clincher September 27 vs. Pittsburgh, allowing one run in 7.2 innings in the
7-2 win...made 2 post-season starts, going 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA...after suffering the loss
in Game 4 of the NLDS vs. Atlanta, picked up an 8-3 win in Game 4 of the NLCS at Florida,
allowing 3 runs on 5 hits in 7.2 innings in defeating Dontrelle Willis, who was a part of the
same 6-player deal that sent Clement to the Cubs from Florida in March, 2002.
2002
Went 12-11 with a 3.60 ERA in 32 starts in his first season with the Cubs...set career bests with a 3.60 ERA, 215 K's, 3 complete games and a .215 average against while matching his career high with 205.0 innings...ranked 3rd in the N.L. in opponents average...his strikeout total ranked 4th in the league, as did his average of 9.4 K's per 9
innings...boasted 6 double-digit strikeout efforts...led the league with a 2.55 road ERA
(28 ER/98.2 IP)...held foes to a .145 average (10-for-69) with runners in scoring position and 2 outs...issued 2 walks or less in 17 of 32 starts and pitched 6.0 innings or more
in 21...struck out 12 in back-to-back starts April 13 at Pittsburgh and April 19 vs.
Cincinnati...also fanned 12 June 30 at the White Sox...won 3 straight starts May 23-June
2 and again August 24-September 3...May 5 at Los Angeles, tossed 4.0 no-hit innings
before leaving the game in the 5th after being hit by a Kevin Brown pitch in the right
bicep...went 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA over 5 starts from May 23-June 14, pitching at least
7.0 innings in each start...May 28 at Pittsburgh, tossed his first big league complete
game and shutout in a 3-0 win, allowing just 2 hits and 3 walks, fanning 8...pitched 6.0
no-hit innings before Brian Giles led off the 7th with a single...followed that outing with a
4-2 win vs. Houston June 2 to wrap up his first N.L. Player of the Week honor for the week
of May 28-June 3...tossed his 2nd shutout in a 4-0 win August 24 at Arizona...was hit by
3 pitches, the first Cubs pitcher to be hit 3 times since Bob Wicker in 1903.
2001
In his lone season with Florida, went 9-10 with a 5.05 ERA in 31 starts...had 134
strikeouts and 85 walks, 40 fewer than when he led the National League with 125 walks
in 2000 with the Padres...lowered his ERA more than a point after the All-Star break
compared to before, as he went 4-6 with a 5.47 ERA (60 ER/98.2 IP) in 18 starts before
the break and 5-4 with a 4.46 ERA (35 ER/70.2 IP) in 13 starts after...went 2-0 with a
2.08 ERA (3 ER/13.0 IP) in 2 interleague starts, including a 4-2 win in Boston June 13,
his lone outing at Fenway prior to 2005...with 15 wild pitches, led the league for the 2nd
straight season...picked up a 6-1 win April 8 vs. Atlanta, allowing just one run on 4 hits
and a walk in 8.0 innings, fanning 8...struck out 11 August 1 at Milwaukee for his first
career double-digit strikeout game...in his next start, defeated Arizona 10-4 at home,
taking a one-hit shutout into the 8th...missed his final start after being struck on the right
wrist by a Atlanta's Brian Jordan line drive in the 2nd inning of Florida's 7-1 win September 27...marked the first time in his big league career he missed a start due to injury.
2000
Wrapped up his Padres career by making a career-high 34 starts, going 13-17 with
a 5.14 ERA...established a career high with 205.0 innings pitched, later matched in
2002...tied for 6th in the league in starts while leading the N.L. with 125 walks and 23
wild pitches...surrendered 4 grand slams, tying a major league single-season
record...began the season 4-0 to extend his personal winning streak to a career-best 8
games dating to September 5, 1999...after going 9-7 with a 4.84 ERA (62 ER/115.1 IP)
in 19 starts before the All-Star break, went just 4-10 with a 5.52 ERA (55 ER/89.2 IP)
in 15 starts in the 2nd half.
1999
Became just the 4th rookie in Padres history to win 10 or more games in his first
full season, going 10-12 with a 4.48 ERA in 31 starts...tied for first among N.L. rookies
in starts while ranking 3rd in ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts (135)...led all N.L.
starters with an average of 1.4 double plays induced per 9 innings...ended his campaign
strong, going 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA (8 ER/32.1 IP) over his final 5 starts, the beginning of
a career-best 8-game winning streak that extended into 2000...was 6-12 with a 4.98
ERA (82 ER/148.1 IP) in his first 26 starts leading to his strong finish...his season got
off to a rocky start, as he allowed 7 runs (6 earned) on 10 hits in 4.1 innings in an 8-3 loss
April 9 at San Francisco...rebounded by posting a 3.50 ERA (18 ER/46.1 IP) in his next
8 starts through the end of May despite a 1-4 record during that stretch...collected his
first major league hit April 20, a 3rd-inning single off Pittsburgh's Kris Benson...was the
winner in 4 straight starts from June 15-July 1, highlighted by a 6-1 win vs. Philadelphia
to start the span, allowing just one run on 4 hits in 6.0 innings...then lost 4 straight
decisions over 7 starts July 6-August 9.
1998
Began the season at Triple-A Las Vegas and ended by making his major league
debut with San Diego at the age of 24, going 2-0 with a 4.61 ERA (7 ER/13.2 IP) in 4
appearances (2 starts) as a September call-up for the eventual N.L. champs...went 10-9 with a 3.98 ERA in 27 starts for Las Vegas, leading all Triple-A pitchers with 160
strikeouts...following the season, was named to Baseball America's Triple-A All-Star team
and to Howe SportsData's All-Prospect club...had 3 double-digit strikeout games, including a 13-strikeout effort June 11 at Salt Lake...recalled to San Diego September 4,
he made his major league debut September 6 at Colorado with a 1.0-inning relief
appearance...allowed 3 earned runs but fanned his first batter faced (Jamey Wright)...went
2-0 with a 2.84 ERA (4 ER/12.2 IP) in his final 3 outings (2 starts)...made his first major
league start September 13 vs. Los Angeles, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 5 hits in 6.0
innings, picking up a no-decision in San Diego's 5-4, 10-inning loss...earned his first
major league win his next time out September 19 vs. Colorado, limiting the Rockies to
just one run on 6 hits in 5.2 innings in a 4-1 win...earned the lone relief win of his career
with a scoreless 7th inning September 27 at Arizona, a 3-2 Padres victory...was not on
the Padres' post-season roster.
1997
Earned Padres Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors after combining to go 12-8 with a 2.05 ERA in 27 starts for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Mobile...struck out 201 in 189.0 innings, an average of 9.6 K's per 9 innings, and worked
at least 7.0 innings in 17 of his 27 starts...began his year at Rancho Cucamonga, where
he went 6-3 with a 1.60 ERA and was named to the mid-season California League All-Star team...made 13 starts for Mobile, going 6-5 with a 2.56 ERA.
1996
Combined to go 12-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 27 starts between Single-A Clinton and Single-A Rancho Cucamonga...spent the first half of his campaign with Clinton, going 8-3 with a 2.80 ERA (30 ER/96.1 IP) in 16 Midwest League starts...struck out 109 in 96.1 innings, an average of 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings, the 3rd-best ratio in the MWL...was promoted to Rancho Cucamonga and went 4-5 with a 5.59 ERA in 11 starts for the
Quakes.
1995
Split his campaign between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Rookie-level Idaho Falls, making 26 starts and combining to go 9-7 with a 4.29 ERA...went 6-3 with a 4.33 ERA in 14 starts for Idaho Falls and 3-4 with a 4.24 ERA in 12 starts for Rancho Cucamonga.
1994
Made his pro debut and went 8-5 with a 4.43 ERA in 13 starts for Rookie-level Peoria...struck out 76 and walked just 17 in 67.0 innings, an average of 10.2 strikeouts and 2.3 walks per 9.0 innings...was promoted late in the season to Single-A Spokane,
going 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in 2 starts.
