Mets call for a Doc

This was the powerhouse pitcher that pitched and won the first and last games of the Mets 1986 season. Commonly called “Doc” Gooden was the best regular season pitcher that the Mets had. Why call him “Doc?”

When Gooden first started in baseball, he was called "Doctor K." K is the symbol for strikeout in baseball stat keeping. Doctor K was part homage to "Dr. J" Julius Erving from basketball. Gooden struck out a lot of batters so they called him Dr. K. This was later shortened to Doc.

Born on November 16, 1964. (same exact day as Diana Krall. My birthday also, but different year.)

Gooden debuted April 7, 1984 and was the 1984 Rookie of the Year. His 1986 record was 17-6 with 200 strikeouts. This put him in the All Star game where he was the youngest pitcher in history at an All-Star game. He finished the year with a 2.84 ERA earning the Cy Young Award.

During the course of his career, he would play for The Mets, The Yankees, The Indians, Devil Rays and Astros. He would start 430 games and pitch 2800 and two-thirds innings. His lifetime record was 194 wins and 112 losses.

It was a total shock to baseball fans that in the post-season against the Red Sox, Gooden didn’t complete a game. He would give up a lot of runs and had to be taken out. What happened to the best pitcher in baseball? All that sudden fame and pressure took a toll on the young player. Unfortunately, that’s when cocaine came into the dugout.

Much last Darryl Strawberry last week, there are just as many posts on the web about how good Gooden could’ve been had he not done drugs. His record was still impressive, perhaps spectacular but what if?

Outside of baseball, Gooden cleaned up from the drugs and is healthy.

Gooden was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.

Here is where the story begins: