Doc Gooden’s No. 16 will be retired at Citi Field on Sunday, and it’s a day Dwight never imagined.
“Not at all; as a player in the backyard you're always dreaming about playing in the major leagues one day, possibly playing in the World Series one day, but you never think about getting your number retired,” Doc told Evan & Tiki Friday. “You think about all the different things like playing with some of your heroes or whatever, but getting your number retired, that’s something that never crossed my mind. Even to my playing days, when I was at the highest high of my career, that's just something you never think about. You just think about winning the World Series, maybe winning an award, but I never actually thought about getting my number retired until once I retired – you see a lot of guys getting numbers and fans started questioning about it or asking about it, and it crosses your mind sometimes and you wonder about it.”
Once the Mets retired Jerry Koosman’s number, Doc figured he might have a chance if his off-field demons weren’t too much to overcome – but he got the call last year from Steve Cohen, which he called ‘a blessing come true,’ and he has no idea how he’ll feel come Sunday.
“I have no idea how I'm gonna accept that, I’m just gonna be overjoyed. I'm gonna have my grandkids there as well as my kids, and my grandkids never saw me play, so it’s going to be very emotional,” Doc said, revealing that his 11-year-old Grandson will catch his ceremonial first pitch. “I'll just go and just soak it all in, because when you're a player and you get all these accolades, you really can't enjoy it as much as you’d like to because it's on to the next – but with this, I can enjoy this. And like even now, with the momentum leading up to Sunday, I’ll just take it all in and enjoy it as much as I can with my family.”
What he does know, however, is it’s a chance he’s wanted for 30 years now.
“I’ll get the chance to talk, and I’ve always wanted this opportunity since 1994, to be honest; when the Mets wanted to cut ties, I got suspended, and from a business standpoint they wanted to cut ties, but I didn't want to go out on that note,” Gooden said. “I always wanted to address the fans to let them know how much I thanked them and how much they meant to me and how much they always stuck by me through my ups and downs, and show them my appreciation, but I never got the opportunity to do that. Even when I retired with the Yankees in 2000, I tried to sign a one day contract with the Mets, but they told me I couldn't do it. And so now, I get the opportunity to address the fans and let them know how much they meant to me, and share that moment with my kids and grandkids.”
As a fan, it always hurt Evan when Doc pitched at Shea as a Yankee (‘sup, no-hitter?), and that Gooden never came back to Queens – but it’s not like he didn’t try, even outside that one-day contract.
“After the ‘97 season, I called and talked to Steve Phillips, who is a good friend of mine, and I asked him, is there any chance I can come back to the Mets? He said unfortunately, we don't have any room, we wish you all the best,” Doc said. “I signed with Cleveland for 1998 and ’99, and after ’99 I called the Mets again and they said no. So 2000, I was with Houston, I pitched one game, got traded to Tampa, I pitched eight games and got released. I called the Mets again and said I’ll go to Triple-A, I'll do whatever it takes, I just want to finish as a Met, and I was told no.”
But, fortuitously, he got his one last moment in Shea Stadium, just in the other dugout.
“I was living in Tampa at that time, where the Yankees train, and George Steinbrenner called me himself and asked me if I still want to pitch. I said yes, and he said to go to the complex and work with Billy Connors, and if it doesn't work out, you come work for me,” Doc said. “So I went over there, I worked out a little bit and threw like two minor-league games, nothing special, and one morning, Billy called me in the office. I'm thinking they're gonna release me, but he said they need a pitcher in New York, they have a doubleheader and want you to pitch the day game at Shea Stadium. That's all I really wanted was a chance to go back to Shea Stadium, and I remember I was thinking to myself I wasn’t really ready, but I can't say that because I'm trying to make the team. I pitched good, I beat the Mets, and we went on to beat the Mets in the World Series. So even though I'm always gonna be a Met, that was kind of special.”
One other thing that’s special, that Evan found in 2020: Tony Gwynn, one of the best hitters ever, was a .240 hitter against Gooden – something Doc only found out when Gwynn passed.
“Tony was a great hitter, and he's one of the guys that never tried to strike out. I always tried to make him make contact, but make him hit a good pitch, because I knew I wasn't gonna strike him out unless I got two strikes,” Doc said. “If I did, I might take a shot at it, but he was a tough hitter and a tough guy to strike out. He didn't really have that many weaknesses, but a lot of times as a pitcher, you try to keep hitters off balance and uncomfortable – making them move their feet and changing eye levels and keep them guessing. I just mixed my pitches up, tried to keep him uncomfortable, and I think that played a major part of it.”