Sometimes the memories you have of people are not the good ones, and the Yankees have no exceptions.  Their glory and celebrations throughout the years have also been riddled with tragic stories of failure, embarrassment, sadness and even death.

Some have made the organization re-consider how they do business in free agency; others have made them realize how lucky they were to have such amazing players and people in their franchise.

Roger Clemens was finished in Boston.  The organization didn’t want him, but he knew there was more left in the tank.  With that in mind, Clemens left for Toronto, ready to prove them wrong.  After two spectacular seasons, the Yankees came calling in 1999, ready to solidify a dynasty.

Clemens was great for the Yankees in five seasons, going 83-42 with a 4.01 ERA, and winning two World Series.  He claimed his 300th game in pinstripes, and seemingly walked off into a Miami sunset during his “last” game in the 2003 World Series.

However, quick reconsideration sent the Rocket to Houston, where he continued his dominance well into his 40’s. After three seasons with the Astros, Clemens was seemingly done: again.

But in 2007, a year that the Yankees were struggling in for basically an entire season, they reached out to Clemens to ask for his return.  Answering the call in grand fashion, Clemens announced to the world that he would come back to the Bronx for half a season, ready to lead the Bombers back to the promised land.

That would be his last shining moment as not only a Yankee, but as a professional baseball player.  His next moments were, in a word, sad.

His less-than-spectacular 6-6 record for the Yankees that season was the least of his worries.  He did not return in 2008, but instead fell into a storm of trouble that he and many major league players were battling. The wall protecting steroids had been knocked down, and many players were coming out, admitting their usage and praying for forgiveness.

Clemens, who throughout his career maintained an image of defiance and toughness, did not disappoint, even in front of Congress.  His denial of steroids to this day has ruined not only those images, but any that associate him with a baseball player.

Clemens is destined to sail off into another sunset, but this horizon looks a little more bleak.