Mets Formally Retire Doc Gooden's No. 16

It was not a easy road to immortality, but Doc Gooden is finally there in the pantheon of Mets legends. His number 16 was officially retired Sunday prior to New York's 1:40 first pitch against the Kansas City Royals. 

 The Doctor joins the likes of Keith Hernandez, Mike Piazza and Tom Seaver to have his number retired by the organization. Darryl Strawberry will join Gooden in having his number 18 retired later this summer. 

Gooden's up and down career with the Mets and Major League Baseball is well documented. 

When he came up in 1984, Gooden was must see TV. In his first two years, Gooden was easily the best, and most dynamic pitcher in baseball. 

Gooden racked up strikeouts with alacrity. In 1985, the best year of his career, Gooden struck out 276 batters and won 24 games with the Mets. His ERA in '85, a microscopic 1.85. He was by all definitions: electric. 

Still, as we all know, drugs, alcohol and legal trouble consumed Gooden's life. It was well documented now via Gooden himself that he didn't attend the team's 1986 World Series parade due to drugs. 

Gooden tried at several points to rehabilitate his life and career. The Yankees gave him a shot in the mid-90s, and he rewarded their belief in him by tossing a no-hitter in 1996. In 2000, after various stops, he returned to the Yankees, and was a member of a World Series winning team. He even pitched against, and beat the Mets on a Saturday afternoon at Shea with the Yankees in the first game of a now infamous double-header that is best remembered for Roger Clemens beaning Mike Piazza in the head. 

The legal troubles for Gooden persisted until most recently in 2019, when was arrested for cocaine possession in July of 2019. 

To his credit Gooden has tried to battle his demons, and has remained clean from what we understand now. 

He's giving life another shot, and that's great to see. 

His speech on Sunday was awkward. It bubbled up some bad feelings, when he reflected on how the Mets didn't have room for him on their rosters in the last 90s/early 00s. There were even boos when he mentioned the Yankees. It was in a word: weird. 

 Well. Now's he enshrined in Mets history forever. Hopefully he can continue to educate those in need about leading and living their best lives.