'Doctor K' | Dwight Gooden Prime Highlights

[@tonemerc2]

If the drugs hadn't gotten to him, Gooden would have been one of the greatest of all time. You had to see him live to understand how good his stuff was.

[@TheBenedictchan1]

Gooden and Strawberry. Unfortunately, both got caught up in their own stardom.

[@logicsfinest3471]

T F Gooden had the best curveball ever. Absolutely ever. That late huge drop got every hitter in MLB. Gooden was on pace to break every pitching record. It was a joy growing up and watching him pitch.

[@browneyerosebud]

@@logicsfinest3471 best curveball ever? Does Sandy Koufax ring a bell?!? Bert Blyleven?!?

[@christianarrizon9796]

Your able to see it in video

[@dodgervision1]

I still don't know how Scioscia hit that homer off Gooden in the 88 NLCS.

[@johnniewadd5224]

2 years out of high school and strikes out the side in the all star game, that says it all. Dr. K was keeping it real in the battlefield

[@LIONTAMER3D]

He was a monster rookie pitcher.

[@macdisciple]

I started watching the Mets and Seaver n 1972, I’ve never seen a better season by a Mets pitcher than Dwight in 1985.

[@richsleyster2656]

That curveball was EVIL!! I was 13 yrs old and a die hard Cardinals fan. But in my humble opinion Gooden’s ‘85 season was the most dominant I have witnessed.

[@Rythxtguy]

I got a odigraf today and a picture today with dr K it was so cool the odigraf was on a baseball I brung with me

[@haroldsteinblatt2567]

You’re hardly alone in that. It was ridiculous. By 1986 he’d already screwed himself with drugs, and even in the videos you can see he was terrific but no longer in the stratosphere. He is a tragic figure, even more than Strawberry, because he was never the greatest in the world as Gooden was before he descended.

[@RobertMJohnson]

no doubt, Rich. absolutely no doubt one of the most dominant if not thee most dominant season we have ever seen in our lifetime. dude was a monster that year

[@craigm7828]

@Bread And Circuses NL leader in Wins (24), ERA (1.53), CG (16), IP (276.2), K (268), ERA+ (229), FIP (2.13), .524 OPS against. His last 9 starts - when the Mets were in a pennant race with the Cardinals - he went 7-2, 0.73 ERA, 76/18 K/BB in 74 IP, 4 CG (3 ShO), .467 OPS against. He started that stretch with an ERA of 1.82 and it *dropped* 0.29. At a time when there were no DVRs and not everyone had VCRs, Gooden's starts were appointment television.

[@jimwerther]

He was never more dominant than in Sep '84

[@txmoney]

The best pitcher I’ve ever seen in my life. I remember sold out away games just to see one player. To hear the roar of the crowd after every strikeout was an experience most modern fans cannot understand. It was deafening.

[@Ronald-ms9bo]

he was the best I have ever seen

[@Ronald-ms9bo]

Doc is the best pitcher I have see.n

[@Ronald-ms9bo]

the gteatest

[@JuanSuero-ln9vr]

deafening ? go watch his no hitter after his comeback in 96. crazy

[@jonesyokc]

I was never a Gooden fan, but as a fan of baseball at the time, I respect him as a player. That 1985 season was sick. Look at the numbers... 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA (are you freggin kidding me?), 16 complete games, and 268 K's. That has to rank as one of the best seasons for a pitcher -- ever.

[@chrisweidner4768]

Looks at Gibson’s 1.12 year. 13 shutouts. 28 complete games.

[@RobertMJohnson]

@@chrisweidner4768 gibson was on meth that entire season. Greatest season ever. hands down. and he should have won more games. his losses and no decisions were mostly 1-2 run games.

[@MB-gd6be]

Not just one of the best, but, is 2ND Season in the MLB !!

[@mysocalledknife07]

It's recorded as the second best season via WAR (13.3), only to Babe Ruth's 14.1 season in 1923. Gooden was literally a one-man show that year.

[@8beazy]

Ron Guidry’s 78 season is up there as well. 25-3 1.74 ERA, 16 complete games, 9 Shutouts, 248 Strikeouts and a World Series ring.

[@ostreds]

There was nothing better than going to Shea to watch him pitch.

[@KayserMatthew]

Thanks so much for putting this together. I grew up a huge Gooden fan, so seeing all this footage really takes me back to when I was 9 and 10. There will never be another pitcher like Gooden who dominated so thoroughly at such a young age. This is gold.

[@samuel9skinner]

what do u think about degrom?

[@144Donn]

I will always remember the huge mural you saw when you came out of the Lincoln Tunnel. Dwight owned the city!!!

[@chrisyasus8912]

That's great memories right there... West 4 had murals on the brick building I'm trying2 remember who was up there. I wanna say Jeter was for a while (but I'm a Mets fan)

[@chrisyasus8912]

That ump strikeout punch out at 2:57 is gold. It's like he knows Dwight is HOF material all the way

[@mrtrek64]

With Goodens perfect windup/delivery and Strawberry's picture-perfect swing it truly was a great time to be a Met fan.

[@username-zj9id]

Shame that they only won 1 championship with the Mets. That team was so good

[@mrtrek64]

@@username-zj9id Yep..that team should have been in the World Series no less than 4 times.

[@joeski734]

Thing of beauty watching him pitch.

[@michaellauletti6552]

The doctor was amazing.cant believe anyone scored a run against him,let alone a win

[@byronmatthews868]

I thoroughly enjoyed watching him do his thing! His curveball and fastball was awesome! He didn’t allow tough situations to consume him! He was so smooth with his delivery!

[@stevenkopko5943]

Dwight Gooden throwing to Gary Carter was a thing of beauty. Doctor K was simply amazing!

[@BluBlu111]

What a most incredible windup!

[@henrytucker3507]

Dwight Gooden is my favorite mets player ever.

[@matthewmead2374]

His delivery was so smooth, so graceful and athletic, with the high leg kick and long stride. And those pitches! You hear pitches described as filthy or nasty. Docs werent filthy or nasty. They were works of art you wanted to frame and take home to appreciate their beauty. I could watch dude pitch for hours. It was a thing of beauty.

[@rickiefn1]

Man, the Mets had so much talent in the mid-eighties, but only manage to win one World Series(86). The Mets should have had a dynasty in the mid to late eighties.

[@pmpsnipes9337]

I have a signed card of him. Right now he is my pitching coach I can make a video for proof if needed

[@christianarrizon9796]

@@pmpsnipes9337 dam for real??? Lucky man dont throw that oppurtunity

[@shhh9234]

He’s my dad

[@ButOneThingIsNeedful]

2:00 -- Gooden had a beautiful and powerful throwing motion. Such a natural.

[@rjperfetto584]

He was mesmerizing his 1st two seasons, oh what could've been

[@rustykuntz94]

Listen to that Shea Stadium crowd in those early years, just fantastic. It was an event everytime Gooden pitched back then and the hot home crowd always helped.

[@JasonMarquisHater]

Pretty cool seeing him strike out the side in the ASG w/ Carter catching him as an expo and then eventually as his teammate later on

[@michaellauletti6552]

I seen Dwight pitch a night game at Shea 10 rows back.his pitches looked like peas.Unbelievable

[@dennisscalzitti4761]

That was ME and my friend Bob up there in the left field upper deck keeping track of Dwight's strikeouts in The K Korner........and all these years later I'm still very grateful that we had the opportunity to entertain the fans and make them SMILE.........I can tell you that it was so much FUN counting down the K's after he got each one and we'd hang another one from the railing in front of us. I want to thank the Mets fans who were so nice to us and for all their enthusiasm..........Believe it or not, after the 1986 World Series had ended, the Baseball Hall of Fame contacted me and asked me to donate one of my K's, and it's still on display today !!!

[@baseballinc.9888]

You guys are legends man. Across baseball every time a starting pitcher tallies strikeouts fans have those signs nowadays, and its crazy to think you guys started it all. I wasn't even alive when this happened and it makes me smile seeing you guys and wish I was there. Thanks for creating a part of Mets and baseball history! Hope all is well with you and LGM, we'll need it for tomorrow!

[@dennisscalzitti4761]

@@baseballinc.9888 That's very kind of you to say ! THANK YOU !

[@dme1016]

Thank you for putting this together. I'm both smiling, and teary-eyed, bcuz of Doc's beautiful pitching, and the monster that got him. Good luck, Doc.

[@FormerlyNYVulgarian]

Thanks for uploading this. I’m a huge Doc fan, childhood hero. Despite his personal downfalls, I’ll always appreciate what he’s accomplished on the mound with the Mets!

[@manuelsoto9134]

I remember he liked the heat and humidity because it reminded him of Florida. Prime Gooden on a hot day was a guaranteed show.

[@frankguidera6828]

That breaking ball is the sickest thing I ever saw.

[@frankguidera6828]

@breadandcircuses8127 Because it brakes four feet

[@AG-ci7rl]

All baseball fans have their favorite teams, and memories of great moments. Following in my fathers footsteps, and being a huge Mets fan, that team of the mid eighties was nothing short of 'magical'.

[@javtimestwo]

Happy B-Day to Doc Gooden. Not everybody can handle success and we know Doc did not handle his very well. His career record seems incomplete because his stuff was outstanding and fans can only wonder how quickly he might have reached 300 wins.

[@shhh9234]

He’s my dad

[@craigjohnson5590]

In a word? NASTY!!! I saw him pitch while living in San Diego, and I'm telling you the "pop" of his catcher's glove was louder in the late innings than the first couple! Belie dat!!!

[@mrrilz11]

The top comment should be that this man was a phenomenal pitcher. He was my idol, as a kid growing up in Brooklyn. As an 11 year old baseball player? Shout out to St. John's Panamanian baseball league and the Cardinals from 1985. This man inspired a generation. Thank you for the memories, Mr. Gooden and the team who posted this montage.

[@frankguidera6828]

Gary Carter and Dwight Gooden was the greatest thing ever when I was a kid. The love and admiration they had for one another was obvious to the entire world. I see that now more today as a believer in Jesus Christ like Gary Carter was. Thank you guys.

[@havingagr8time]

Most dominant pitcher (in his prime) EVER. Simply brilliant.

[@havingagr8time]

@Bread And Circuses Don't have to!

[@BI-km6dl]

Athletic greatness comes in a lot of visual packages. Seldom does it have a beautiful aesthetic too. Like watching Kareem or Ali, they were just beautiful to watch. Dwight is right there with them.

[@sannechristinadezeeu]

Iam from Holland and my uncle once visited a match between the Yankees and the Mets during his vacation.After the match Dwight Gooden gave his cap to my uncle and my uncle gave it to me.From that day the Mets are my favourite team of all time

[@dme1016]

Match? You're definitely not from the US...LOL

[@LIONTAMER3D]

That's a very special hat =)

[@MVgaming627]

Gooden and Nomo loved seeing them pitch. It was Gooden and WOR in the afternoons in 1984, loved those Mets.

[@chadnoswal9243]

A long time ago, when we were both young men; I caught “Dr. K” in practice, and during his pre-game warmup. His first few pitches of the day were manageable and not difficult to catch. 25 pitches in to his warmup, exactly 25 pitches, he would wave his right hand at me to let me know; I’m warmed up…..and it’s coming. The next 50 pitches hit my Franklin Softball catchers mitt (yes, a softball mitt) so hard; the ball felt like a sledgehammer hitting my hand if it missed the webbing. There were several days, when I was “off” as a catcher; I iced my left hand after those 50 pitches. Gooden was an absolute flamethrower and he did it with ease. Miss those days, but I always wondered what would have happened if Dr. K would have taken a better path.

[@alcarusojr3040]

He Definitely had the Tools to be the Best EVER

[@teetoo3790]

Gooden Plenty. What a time to be a New York baseball fan back then. DOC and Strawberry for the Mets, while the Yankees had Donnie Ballgame Mattingly.

[@proventruths5413]

This man agrees me to watching baseball as a kid. D. Strawberry was also on drugs but today is a pastor he says he is going to bring Doc to Christ

[@bwink23]

Electric stuff when he was young.

[@blownapart100]

But got his No hitter later at the end. :)

[@martinchenswonderland9410]

Gooden's fastball and curveball are extremely dominant.

[@dme1016]

Beautiful pitcher. His fastball rose up (I don't wanna hear that that's impossible), and his curve was a thing of beauty. His windup & delivery were poetry in motion. He also looked superb in his uniform, with those long stripes. And he was a really sweet guy. If not for that damn drug.....what might have been. But, he gave us memories.

[@dme1016]

@Bread And Circuses Bo didn't ruin his career with coke though.

[@bobabooey4537]

But it is impossible LOL. Get a grip.

[@bobabooey4537]

Not even sure what that means lol. Bo Jackson... was the Bo Jackson of MLB. @breadandcircuses8127

[@dme1016]

@@bobabooey4537 Go play with your baseballs, muthafuka!

[@forwardobserver6441]

I modeled my delivery in little league after Doc. On the mound I would be doc- at the plate I would return to being white and I was will Clark. The joys of youth! He had the best high arm slot delivery.

[@michaelgarcia2399]

Great video brings back memories of a simpler time but you 4got Doctor K's no hitter wit da Yanks

[@ayagold7307]

That should have been added

[@MikerodRod]

Yeah but these highlights are when he was in his prime. Gooden wasn't in his prime when he got his no no.

[@TheLaughingMan712]

Watching Doc pitch was a work of art.

[@owlontheprowl1657]

Guidry,Goose,Gooden,Mariano we have been blessed in nyc. The thing that sticks in my mind...Koufax was better than them all. Before my time

[@Brooklyn3955]

11:37 The Real Lord Charles. Probably the most vintage Doc curve ever caught on tape with one of the most beautiful windups, and to boot, Kid and Dutch behind the plate and some summer dirt in the wind in Queens, New York while Scully portrays the beauty of it all. Matthews never had a chance. You're Welcome.

[@owlontheprowl1657]

Amen,amen McCarver with the "Lord Charles ' call.

[@mrtrek64]

At 4:40 I love how he high-fives Gary Carter while he was still an Expo. If he only knew what was to come.

[@user-fp5do5ie3p]

Great memories. I remember when Joba C from the Yankees made his starting debut and Michael Kay said on the radio that he couldn't remember a night in NYC where people were so excited to see a New York Player (not a Yankee player but a New York player) pitch, and all I could do was laugh at his absolute lack of knowledge of NYC baseball. Gooden was fantastic and owned this town back in the mid 80s.

[@Dac54]

To this day, he was the best young pitcher I've ever seen. At the time, my buddies and I were wondering why such a big deal was being made about his supposed inability to hold base runners. Our thought was, "What base runners? There's hardly any!" As for developing a third pitch such as a change-up, we also wondered what the rush was to do so. His fastball and curve ball were so dominant, and his control and understanding of the strike zone was so spot-on, especially for his age, why try to fix what wasn't broken? As time would have gone on, he would have eventually had to make the necessary adjustments and come up with a change-up or something along that line. What a shame that bad choices in life and injuries ruined what should have been a Hall of Fame career. In retrospect, as dominant as he was at such a young age on the baseball field, it was too much for him to process off the field.

[@frankguidera6828]

The leg kick with all that recoil he gets is spectacular.

[@bb-gc2tx]

i cant believe doc didnt have multiple no hitters between 1984-86. he was special to watch

[@Rythxtguy]

I got his odigraf today in the Mets vs the D Backs he signed it on my baseball i brung and took a picture today with him yayyyyy

[@RowdyYates007YNWA]

Being from Cleveland, I would watch Mets games on WOR CABLE TV …he was unhittable and Lord Charles was sick…if he could have stayed away from the drugs…remembering the good times Doc thanks

[@rustykuntz94]

Gooden was UN hittable in 84 & 85, just so dominant and at 19-20 years old. The world was his but he never came close to that top level again. Drugs & alcohol, the ruin of many men.

[@cybrhunk333]

The physical wear 'n tear from Doc's insanely dominant first 2 seasons shortened his career -- wasn't only the substance abuse. Nowadays baseball teams know better than to put that kind of workload on a young pitcher's arm. Championships don't come without sacrifices however, as the Dodgers and Orel Hersheiser found out in 1988 (and many others before).

[@rustykuntz94]

@@cybrhunk333 I hear you but drugs was the main issue, also Mel Stottlemeyer obsessively making him learn a change up which he was uncomfortable doing. I get wanting to add a 3rd pitch to his repitoire but when you have the best fastball & curve in the world it seemed to be working

[@cybrhunk333]

@@rustykuntz94 If his fastball and curve weren't so devastating, Gooden may have stayed in the minors long eniugh to work on that changeup; which might've extended his career since it puts less stress on a pitcher's arm. Stottlemeyer had a good idea, but the Mets and Doc had no time for it.

[@matthewmead2374]

It wasnt the drugs that ended Doc's reign of dominance. It also wasnt overuse- another suspect often cited as the culprit of his downfall. Obviously drugs arent conducive to athletic success so im sure they were a contributing factor but he would struggled regardless with or without the ye-yo. Dwight came up with two dominating pitches- a mid nineties four seem fastball and a big 12-6 curve. It was a high spin rotation rate on these pitches that made them hard to hit. It made the fastball appear to rise at it approached the plate (really it just dropped less than the average fb, the rotation giving it more stability and less drop) and it gave the curve dramatic late break. With this limited, albeit elite repetoire he lacked the secondary weapons to fall back on and its not atypical for pitchers without a deep arsinal to start of unhittable but lose dominance as batters began to figure them out. In Doc's case hitters learned to lay off the high heat and thats why his stikeouts decreased every year from his rookie year on. Simply put batters figured him out. I think if the Mets were more patient with his development and left him in the minors to learn to throw a good (or even average) changeup and also a sinker or a cutter, or even a slider it could have extended his peak of dominance. He wouldnt have to rely solely on the heater and curve and having more options woulf of made those two pitches even more dangerous. Batters wouldnt be able to guess so easily what pitch was coming next. He would of had deception as a tool. As it stood his heater and curve were so good that he was whiffing batters even though they knew what was coming- at first anyway, but hitters will always find a way if they know what to expect. If he had good offspeed offerings coupled with near identical release points he would be able to fool hitters. I suppose he was so dominant off the jump that Mel Stottlymire, Davey Johnson and the other Mets coaches felt that he didnt need to have more than two pitches but they were wrong. Doc was only 19 when he came up and most 19 year olds only have a couple good pitches at that point in their devolopment so its not his fault. In todays game he would of been left to cook a little longer in the minors before leaving the oven with a couple more pitches in his holster, or he would of been transitioned to the pen. Loom at Kerry Wood- brought up super young, dominant early on before stuggling before being made a closer. I know in his case injuries played a part and im not super familiar with his pitch arsenal but i know a heater and curve were the bulk of it and i wouldnt be surprised to lesrn that it was all he threw when he came up. Nowadays starters almost always have three pitches at a minimum and almost always include a changeup or splitter of some sort to go with the heat and breaking stuff. Give doc an elite change and he is Nolan fricking ryan, or better! Also one last point needs to be made. Lets not pretend doc had two good years before falling of the cliff into complete suckiness. He had almost a decade of pretty good pitching after his cy young year. Sure. he wasnt rhe one and half e.r.a. ace of aces anymore, but was a guy who when healthy (and not suspended) gave you 200 quality innings averaging less than four runs over 9 innings, so cheers to doc for an impressive career anyway you slice it. Now who wants to pack the crack jenny and watch the world series parade on TV?

[@dareal05]

Great analysis. I recall in 86 various theories regarding the drop off, one being hitters learning to lay off the high heat and him losing movement on the fastball for whatever reason. I agree with you, but also think there were other elements involved: he started "hiding" the ball more in his glove to prevent tipping his pitches and started messing more with the cut fastball which I believe resulted in some hitches in his mechanics and release point, further resulting in a less "over the top" release point and hitters being able to pick up his fastball better. I do think overuse (over 300 lps in the minors in 83, over 200 in his rookie year the next year, with a number approaching 300 in 85) and the substance abuse -- even if alcohol -- possibly playing a part as well. He honestly looked somewhat out of shape at times in 86. Towards the late 80s you could see his mechanics being strikingly different where he looked like he was a bit unbalanced, almost throwing across his body in a slower windeup -- can see it a few times even in this video looking at some of the batters in the 88 playoffs vs mid 80s. His strikeouts did decrease drastically from 84 to even his great 85 season where he shortened his stride to the plate, but he actually started off the 86 season as strong as ever, just less strikeouts. But by May '86 he became mortal and never really regained that superhuman form, although he still had excellent years until about 91-92.

[@matthewmead2374]

@@dareal05 thanks. I had heard that various coaches had tinkered with his mechanics over the years and that this had contributed to his decline. Also, in the pre-sabermetrics 80s and 90s the concept of pitching to contact versus focusing on strikeouts was gaining steam and I had assumed that Doc was steered towards this idea. I dont remember him being a big groundball guy so he wouldnt be the ideal pitcher to move away from stikeouts, and his struggles correlates strongly with his declining strikeout rates. I remember early Doc with the super high knee coming up and over the top delivery and over the years his delivery became more compact and he threw across his body more. My guess would be a combination of deliberate tweaks from Mel Stottylmire and other coaches combined with burnout and fatigue from overuse and drug/alcohol abuse contributed to this change in his delivery. He would naturally see a decline in velocity and spin rate. Add to that him tipping his pitches from a limited repetoire and its no huge surprise he wasnt able to maintain those ridiculous strikeout numbers from his first few seasons, which meant more hits and ultimately runs. The suspensions and injuries he endured wouldnt of helped either. Given all that I actually give him credit for being able to put together almost a decade of fairly competative seasons. If he had come up thirty years later with thr same raw talent but knowing what we know now about both pitching and treating substance abuse his career could of charted a very different course.

[@dareal05]

@@matthewmead2374 Spot on, and in fact, they started to try and lessen the significance of the K in the 85 season, which was his best (and I believe he avereged almost 3 ks or so less than he did in 84). Interestingly, it almost seemed like he was coming back to form to some degree in the 89 season -- started out 9-2, an ERA in the low-mid 2s and his strikeout average was right around where he was in 85. He ended up injuring his shoulder and missed a large part of the season, and these injuries started becoming more prominent as his career progressed. His 90 season was one where he wasn't unhittable (with a very long, slow motion to the plate), but his K total went back up to an 85 level and he won 19 games. Then, I can recall a game in early '91 -- a very cold, rainy day at Shea against the Expos. Bud Harrelson did not take him out the game despite him throwing close to 150 pitches (he had about 14ks). He complained of a "sore shoulder" after that game and I firmly believe his arm was never quite the same after that -- believe Doc may be on record somewhere even mentioning that. By 92, after suffering injuries, his FB was clocked on average maybe 2 or 3 mphs slower and it was clear "Doctor K" would never return (had always had hope he would regain that 84-85 form).

[@dme1016]

You yap a lot....damn!!! but I agree with your concept. Players figured him out, & he had no other weapons. Had he learned a changeup & a slider, it would've added to his gun-belt. I'm just glad I was alive when he pitched....before the drugs really took hold. Even with that, he threw a no-hitter with the Yanks....and although he walked 6, it was against the Mariners, who had a hella offense.

[@jimwerther]

Mel Stottlemyre, and drugs.

[@bobabooey4537]

I have Gooden's rookie card, Strawberry too.... and was hoping they would both become something but they both sort of blew it, or snorted it. Some real good years but both had their issues that affected their game.

[@Manatti06]

One of my favorite players behind Darryl Strawberry #18

[@kenunderwood5881]

Doc Gooden did so many positive things for the game of baseball. Why bring up the negative . So much to be proud of. A RARE talent

[@germslev5541]

I'm from Ireland and lived in NYC in mid 80s til 92..Shea was electric then,Gooden n Strawberry being main draw altho whole side was brilliant.Great days,hope they come back soon.Lers Go Mets.

[@charlesking6584]

Holy shit his ball is alive

[@chiniechinchen]

he tips off his pitches on fastballs his hands go up higher and towards the back on curves he hands are more still and go up and down

[@christopherphillips8162]

Love his windup. And omg...... That curve to strikeout Guerrero. Fuck me sideways!!!

[@olimazi9911]

that 'hook' was the best ever

[@666finnegan]

ROY. Cy Young. No-hitter. WS x2. Triple crown. 4x All-Star. Even a Silver Slugger. Who knows what else he would've accomplished if not for....

[@raygordon3728]

@16:38 hahahahahaha, wtf? A fan is already on the field hahahahahaha

[@benjaminyosfan7756]

There will never be another "Doc" just like there will never be another: Ryan Gibson Koufax... 19 years old!? What were you doing at 19? It probably wasn't starting an All-Star Game! His perfect game was such an emotional moment for a man who did a lot for the game as much as it did TO him. Thanks, Doc we miss ya!

[@frankguidera6828]

Greatest stuff I ever saw next to Jake deGrom. When it comes to command best I ever saw.

[@jimwerther]

But Doc would do it for 9 frames

[@ButOneThingIsNeedful]

2:52 -- As perfect a fastball as you could ask to see.

[@jeremiahwoodard532]

Best part is the umpire.. what a hammer strike three call. Classic

[@ButOneThingIsNeedful]

@@jeremiahwoodard532 Well, the 'hammer' was kind of slo-mo, but the best part was that beautiful power pitch.

[@davidrubel6295]

He could hit too

[@tcnology]

Doc is my all time favorite pitcher

[@tcnology]

@Bread And Circuses because he came in at 19yrs old.. went 17-9 that year with 276 strikeouts.. as a rookie he struck out the side in the all-star game.. i was living in NY when he won world series in 86.. he then won a world series in 96 with cross town Yanks... his high leg kick and body was made for pitching.. plus much more :)

[@baseballinc.9888]

4:25 Doc finishes Alvin Davis, who would go on to win ROY for the AL that year. Doc would do the same for the NL, before going on to bulldoze the league next year for a 1.53 ERA and a Cy Young. A little bit of trivia: There is another Mets pitcher who K'd the side in an All-Star game, and he's also won (at least 1) Cy Young with sub-2.00 earned run average

[@havingagr8time]

Initials JdG!

[@RobertMJohnson]

Prettiest mechanics, all time.

[@RobertMJohnson]

@Bread And Circuses because i can and it's true

[@RobertMJohnson]

@breadandcircuses8127 why do i have to

[@Lawomenshoops]

Look at his motion in 84-85 as a 19-21 year old, and then later in the late 80's, when he was more upright. By then his stuff wasn't as dominate. Sure drugs had something to do with it. But, his body matured, and he put on at least 25lbs from 84 to 89.

[@larrylarry739]

I never noticed it before, maybe because of the focus on the off the field stuff as his downfall. You are correct. His build and delivery both changed after the first couple of years. He was still good to great depending on the day but he was never that dominant again.

[@brycewilson1909]

so young, so talented, so sad.

[@jimwerther]

Worst thing that ever happened to him was falling to the Mets at #5. Mets killed him - first Mel Stottlemyre monkeying with his mechanics, then Davey's Party House introducing him to coke. How sad. I say that as a Met fan. By 1986 at age 21 Doc was already no longer dominant.

[@userloco99]

Before Jordan he was the most exciting player to watch. Everytime he pitch the game was sold out.

[@olimazi9911]

greatest pitcher of all time

[@jimwerther]

Just stop

[@matthewreames1137]

His fastball movement is insane

[@JohnRamirez007]

Mets pitching coaches should’ve been charged with crimes in how they screwed with Gooden’s mechanics. Forced him to throw sliders, work on pick-off moves, take the “loop” out of his leg kick, shorten his delivery time. If they left him alone he was on pace to put up 1985 stats for the next 5 years before any arm “blowout”. Multiple World Series championship and first ballot HOF his stuff was that good. A rising 95mph fastball that exploded upwards in the strike zone and a 12-6 hook that Vin Scully said was the only curveball that reminded him of Koufax. Since 1985 I’ve yet to see a pitcher with such a classic delivery and outrageous filthy stuff. Gooden was that fun to watch, you had to see him live to understand.

[@baseballinc.9888]

Didn't know they made him throw sliders. First time I heard that, that's interesting, two seamers and sliders, complete opposite of what he came up as. I wonder how he would of fared today. There's an emphasis on throwing high four seamers and curves in today's game, but on the other hand there is also an emphasis on shorter, easily repeatable deliveries.

[@owlontheprowl1657]

@@baseballinc.9888 this reply is correct. They thought a starting pitcher couldn't have longevity without a third pitch ,imo it diminished the curve throwing a slider

[@owlontheprowl1657]

@@baseballinc.9888 also they messed with his motion because it was hard for him to hold runners ( the few he had)

[@jimwerther]

It was Stottlemyre who did all that

[@masonrahal6980]

Would have been a top 10 pitcher all time had he stayed clean. He couldn’t do it. So sad. He was so addicted. Could have reached 275-300 wins and 4000 Ks.

[@frankguidera6828]

Just got Ryne Sandberg looking stupid.

[@brentcline2109]

I loved Gooden 1984-1990 HOF numbers. Unfortunately he let some of the off field influences effect his decision making and his career paid the price. 194 career wins still respectable.

[@elitesuperbrand]

💯🏆

[@tonyc8752]

Fun fact: from 1984-1986, The Mets played 175 games against Houston

[@oshe1]

LORD CHARLES. (all hail)

[@btrainbraydeboisseranc7570]

I thought I was Dr. K in little league back in the day👍

[@MVgaming627]

My man, Dr.K

[@alcarusojr3040]

,It's unbelievable that He never pitched aNo Hitter until late in his career If nothing happened HE would have been in the Top 3 of all Time Nolan Ryan, Doc and whoever else!!!

[@odibaracatibaro1255]

Young version of Bob Gibson

[@imQurnot]

4:43 Gary Carter couldn't wait to get to NY to play with Gooden

[@ericrivera1391]

Standing room only when Doc pitch. Home and AWAY it didn't matter. DOC was that good. There's only a handful of pitcher that can command big audience.

[@juanrivera1624]

If it weren't for the coke this man would have been a first ballot hall of famer. In the 80s he was the next Bob Gibson and had some nasty stuff - at times unhittable.

[@ThePrayinmantiz]

LORD CHARLES.....only the real ones know what that is......lol....🤣🤣🤣

[@LIONTAMER3D]

The announcer misquoted "Sir Charles" which was Dwight's curveball. Curveballs are known as "Uncle Charlie" but Gooden's curve was known as "Sir Charles" in the Mets club house.

[@tyson6682]

15：25あたりからグッデンの腕が下がってきたのが気になった。

[@frankguidera6828]

Making Hall of famers look like children age 19.

[@christianarrizon9796]

Can u imagine dwight solber it would be a different story

[@jude999]

11:26 I wish they still showed from behind the plate.

[@johnc873]

That damn connect in Pittsburgh!!! Fuck!!! It cost us one of the best pitching talents of all times

[@frankguidera6828]

That was like a 8-ft curveball?

[@nycdweller]

What might have been. Drugs & Mel Stottlemeyer ruined him

[@GB-fv4fb]

What was the MPH on his fastball? That has to be 96-98, even 100 on some..That motion was so powerful..