If you are a younger Mets fan, say 25 or younger, you probably do have a handle on how good Tom Seaver was. You don’t understand Gooden. I know you think he was this really good pitcher who flamed out over drugs. I’m sure you can fathom the numbers from 1985 and understand that he was good.
What you don’t understand is how electric Shea Stadium was on a late 80’s Friday night with Doc on the mound. The Piazza years never touched it. The Subway Series never touched it. Santana can throw a no-hitter in Game 4 of the World Series to win it all (sucks that the NL lost the All-Star Game in my made up scenario) and it won’t touch it.
Gooden on Friday night was an event. He was dominant in a way few pitchers ever are.
When you have 60 wins at 21 years old you’re a no-brainer firest ballot Hall of Famer/ He was young, he was ours, and he was going to be around a long long time.
The Daily News has a long piece about Doc (he was better when he was still “Dwight”) today.
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Shannon, you are so right. In the 80's, especially when Doc would pitch Shea felt ALIVE. You could literally feel Shea moving under your feet. Magical times.