Dwight ‘Doc’ Gooden Number 16 Retired by Mets
Dwight “Doc” Gooden is now enshrined in Mets immortality.
Dwight “Doc” Gooden’s Number
Gooden received the highest honor any team can bestow on a player when the New York Mets officially retired his number 16, sending it to the rafters to join the likes of Keith Hernandez, Mike Piazza and Tom Seaver.
Flanked by family, his children and nephew Gary Shefield, as well as members of the ’86 Mets, it was a moment for Gooden to come full circle after a up and down career and life.
Gooden broke into Major League Baseball in 1984 as a phenom with a golden right arm. He struck out 276 batters his first year. He followed that up by striking out 268, winning 24 games and pitching to a 1.53 ERA in 1985. Those feats helped Gooden earn the moniker Dr. K or Doc Gooden.
Unfortunately, as we all know, Gooden’s life soon came crashing down as drugs consumed his life. For the rest of his career he would bounce around baseball, and battle his demons with illegal drugs and alcohol, including subsequent arrests.
To the credit of the New York Yankees, Gooden got another shot at playing in New York. He tossed a no-hitter in 1996, and owns World Series rings with the 96 and 2000 Bronx Bombers.
Oddly enough, Gooden’s speech on Sunday was as topsy turvy as he relationship with the Mets had been over the years. When he mentioned the Yankees, he got booed, to which he quickly retorted, “I’m always a Met.” Still his message was about redemption, forgiveness and second chances.
Gooden isn’t the only troubled star who will see his number retired by the Mets. Darryl Strawberry, who battled his own demons and found redemption, will have his number 18 retired by the Amazins on June 1.
METS TOP ROYALS
Oh, and there was a game too. The Mets defeated the Kansas City Royals 2-1 to take their third consecutive series. Harrison Bader’s infield single proved to be the difference as the Mets chalked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth. Edwin Diaz worked around a two-out homer for the save.
The Mets (7-8) host the Pittsburgh Pirates this week.
Yankees Fall in Extras
As for Doc and Darryl’s other former team, the Yankees, they fell in Cleveland 8-7 in extras on Sunday. It was rough afternoon for reliever Caleb Ferguson, who gave up three runs, two earned in 2/3 of inning of work and took the ‘L’.
The positives: Anthony Volpe had another huge day. The shortstop went 3-for-4 with an RBI and runs cored. Volpe is battling .382 this early season. Aaron Judge showed signs of breaking out with a three hit day that included his third homer of the year. Anthony Rizzo had two RBI on a single.
