Hochevar wins Clemens Award

HOUSTON -- Luke Hochevar of the University of Tennessee was named the 2005 Roger Clemens Award winner Thursday night at the Westchase Marriott Hotel. The Roger Clemens Award is presented each year to the top pitcher in college baseball.

Hochevar, the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year, struck out a school record 154 batters while posting a 15-3 record and 2.26 ERA for the season. He opened his season with the loss in a 10-1 defeat to Texas A&M at the Minute Maid Classic in Houston on February 11. But he rebounded to win 15 of his next 16 decisions to tie Lance Broadway of Texas Christian University for the national lead in wins.

Broadway, a first-round pick and 15th overall of the Chicago White Sox, and Cesar Carrillo of Miami, a first-round choice (18th overall) of the San Diego Padres, were the other finalists for the Roger Clemens Award, which is determined by a vote of a national committee of selectors.

Hochevar was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 40th overall pick of the supplemental round between the first and second rounds in last month's First-Year Player Draft. The Dodgers also drafted him out of high school.

"Just to be considered for this award is a great honor," Hochevar said. "To win it is just something you never dream could happen."

It was a whirlwind day for the award's namesake.

Clemens and the Astros worked out Thursday at Minute Maid Park in preparation for the three-game series beginning Friday at St. Louis. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner also attended a press conference for his son Koby, an eighth-round pick who came to terms with the Houston Astros on Thursday for a $380,000 signing bonus.

"It's special, it's been an unbelievable day," Roger Clemens said. "I'm happy it's behind him. He's a little upset that he's not going to be going to the University of Texas, but this is what he wants to do. It's something he's wanted to do since he was seven or eight years old."

Clemens met with each of the finalists and presented Hochevar with the award.

"I get a chance to keep up with these kids and watch them as they grow," Clemens said. "I'm glad to be here and see these guys."

The event is administered by non-profit Greater Houston Baseball Association, which donated $80,000 to the designated beneficiaries (the Roger Clemens Foundation, the Karl Young Summer College Baseball League and Baseball USA) from the net proceeds of the event.