From time to time the Mets Police visit the Guardian of Forever and play out some alternate timelines.
Behold! A gateway to your own past if you wish. All that you knew has been altered.
June 18, 1986: Following a 7-4 loss to the Expos, Keith Hernandez asks for a closed door team meeting. It is later revealed that he reminded the team to keep focus, and suggested some members of the team were letting their off-field habits interfere with their performance.
June 19, 1986: Davey Johnson mentions Dwight Gooden’s ankle is bothering him and that he might miss his next start, and the ankle is why he gave up 7 runs (6 earned) the night before. Behind the scenes, Gary Carter is encouraging Dwight Gooden to take control of his life.
June 21, 1986: The Mets announce that Dwight Gooden has voluntarily entered the Smithers clinic for drug and alcohol abuse. One of his attorneys says, “His only involvement was this year at a party. He said people were using at a party and he was offered some and he went along with it. He may have done it more than one time in other situations but it was recreational. Like most people would take beer after a workday.”
July 31, 1986: The Mets trade Kevin Mitchell to the San Diego Padres for OF Kevin McReynolds.
September 17, 1986: Gooden returns to a packed house at Shea and pitches a complete game victory over the Cubs.
September 22, 1986: Gooden clinches the NL East for the Mets with another victory over the Cardinals. The Mets win 102 games and run away with the NL East.
October 25, 1986: In the bottom of the 10th and Gary Carter on first base, Kevin McReynolds bats in the pitcher’s spot. He flies out to center field and the Boston Red Sox win the World Series.
1987: Gooden, clear of drugs, wins 21 games and the Cy Young as the Mets edge the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL East. The Mets defeat the Giants 4-3 in the NLCS and easily dispatch of the Minnesota Twins to win their first World Series since 1969.
1988: Gooden goes 18-9 but in a shocker gives up a late game home run to Mike Scioscia in the NLCS. The Mets never recover and the Dodgers win the World Series.
1989: a shoulder injury limits Doc to a 9-4 season as the Mets cannot keep up with the Cubs
1990: Gooden goes 19-7 but the Mets still cannot keep up, and the Pirates win the East
1991-1993: mid-career Gooden wins 13, 10 and 12 games.
1994: Gooden having a renaissance year is 13-5 when the season ends due to a strike. The Mets finish in third place with 67 wins.
1995: Gooden provides veteran leadership to Generation K. At 16-10 Gooden leads the Mets to 75 wins in a shortened season but it is not nearly enough to catch the Braves.
May 14, 1996: Gooden throws the first no-hitter in franchise history as he no-hits the San Diego Padres.
1997-1999: The inning count is catching up to Gooden. While no longer the ace he is a solid starter and contributes to some playoff runs.
March 15, 2000: Gooden, 35, announces the 2000 season will be his final season.
October 24, 2000: Gooden outduels the Yankees’ Orlando Hernandez to cut the World Series to 2 games to one. It is his final game in the major leagues.
May 14, 2005: Shea is filled on Dwight Gooden Day vs the Cardinals. Number 16 is retired in a touching ceremony. Gooden retires as the career team-leader with 231 wins.
Time has resumed its shape. All is as it was before. Many such journeys are possible….let me be your guide.
After being bumped for a over a year, this episode has seen the light of day.
After Doc’s 1987 rehab, I made sure to be at his return game at Shea on June 5. #wasdevoted
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=198706050NYN