Roger Clemens wants an early win, rather than an Early Wynn.

History is staring the Rocket right in the face — literally, these days. An avid student of the game, he is all too aware of what it means to reach 300 victories.

And what it takes to get there.

Taped up in Clemens’ locker at Yankee Stadium is a glossy picture of Wynn, the pitcher who got stuck at No. 299 and needed seven trips to the mound before reaching the milestone in 1963.

“I’m hoping to get on it and get after it pretty quick,” Clemens said. “I’d like to get it and get it over with.”

Barring any setbacks from a bone bruise on his right hand, having been hit by a line drive in his last start at Fenway Park, Clemens will take his first shot at 300 on Monday at Yankee Stadium.

Fittingly, he’s scheduled to face his old team, the Boston Red Sox.

Only 20 major leaguers have made it to the mark that has long defined pitching greatness, and none since Nolan Ryan in 1990.

“I think when I finally accomplished it, at the time it was just a number I had achieved,” Ryan said. “When I look back, I think I probably have more appreciation for it now.”

Ryan also noted how Rafael Palmeiro recently became the 19th player to hit his 500th home run. Fred McGriff and Ken Griffey Jr. also are closing in on that gold standard for sluggers, meaning the elite 500 and 300 clubs could soon each have 21 members.

“The numbers throughout the history of the game are very similar, very comparable,” he said. “I would not say it is easier 30 years ago or now to win 300 games. If the pattern stays to what it has been the last 10 years, I think there will be more 500 home run hitters than 300-game winners.”

When Ryan made it, playing for the Texas Rangers at old County Stadium in Milwaukee, it ended an extraordinary era for pitchers. He was the sixth one in nine seasons to record his 300th victory.

Ryan followed future Hall of Famers Gaylord Perry, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Phil Niekro and Don Sutton.

Ryan, the greatest power pitcher ever, and Sutton, who relied on guile, wound up tied for 12th all time with 324 wins.

“I was aware of 300 and that it was probably a key to the Hall of Fame, and I felt the way that I pitched I had to win 300 to make the Hall of Fame,” Sutton said. “And a lot of guys don’t articulate goals. But that’s how I motivated myself by articulating those goals.

“I started thinking strongly about 300 when I broke Don Drysdale’s record with Los Angeles that was 210 wins. After that, I wanted to stay healthy enough and pitch successfully enough to get it.”

With Clemens on the verge of joining the exclusive club, it raises this question: In this age of increased offense and five-man rotations, how many more 300-game winners will baseball see?

As in, who will be great enough and healthy enough to average 20 wins over 15 seasons? Or even 15 wins for 20 years?

Greg Maddux is next up among active pitchers behind Clemens. He’ll try for his 277th victory Sunday when he starts for Atlanta against the New York Mets.

“Obviously it’s going to take a little longer to get the starts needed to do something like that,” the Atlanta ace said. “But at the same time maybe you’re a little bit fresher. So maybe it’s easier to win a game every five days instead of every four days. So maybe it evens out in the long run. Who knows?”

Maddux insists he’s nowhere near considering 300 wins.

“I’m just thinking about my next start,” he said. “I never thought about my 100th till I got past 99.”

Tom Glavine (247) and Randy Johnson (225) could do it, if age doesn’t catch up to them. Mike Mussina has a realistic shot.

Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez, meanwhile, are barely halfway there.

Besides, plenty can go wrong along the way.

Dwight Gooden made his big league debut the same year as Clemens, back in 1984. After three years, Doc already had been a Rookie of the Year, Cy Young winner and World Series champion.

But drug problems cut short what could have been a Hall of Fame career, and he retired after finishing the 2000 season as Clemens’ teammate on the Yankees. Gooden left with 194 wins.

Kerry Wood burst on the scene in 1998, striking out 20 — tying Clemens’ record — and pitching a one-hitter in his fifth major league start. But a bad elbow sidelined him the next year and, while still a standout for the Chicago Cubs, he has not won more than 12 games in a season since the injury.

Then there was Rick Ankiel. A rookie phenom in 2000, he was overcome by control trouble and has won only one game for the St. Louis Cardinals since then.