Dr. K Is King of the Hill In a bOUlltZ/U/ pitching crop, there is good, very good and Gooden A baseball pitcher whom not there is a wonderful ride ahead. "Dwight baseball city that, like the spring-training even New York City can en Gooden." teams that invigorate the region every large or exaggerate stands atop Being Bret Saberhagen, 21, would not March, seems to specialize in the unlike the hill and the heap at 21. be too terrible either. Saberhagen and his liest dreams. "Kids are always chasing counting the mound, which is wife both delivered dramatically last Oc rainbows," says Johnny Vander Meer, 71 , also situated about ten inches above the tober, a bracing baby boy and a bouncing a local resident, " but baseball is a world rest of the field. Dwight Gooden in just Kansas City championship. (And she's where you can catch them." While he had two major league seasons has risen like an pregnant again.) Or how about Cincin a losing record overall with the Reds, illusion of a fastball to a height somewhat nati's Tom Browning, 25, the first rookie Cubs and Indians, Vander Meer pitched loftier than 6 ft. 3 in., and a level nearly 20-game winner in more than 30 years? two consecutive no-hitters in 1938. As a beyond imagination. When Sandy Kou Or Orel Hershiser, 27, of the Los Angeles craftsman, Gooden puts him in mind of fax says, ''I'd trade anyone's past for Dodgers, in his third season already a mil Ewell Blackwell; as a hard thrower, he re Gooden's future," that includes Walter lionaire? All of them have realized in a calls Van Lingle Mungo. ;' But no one I Johnson's, Grover Cleveland Alexan short time things that have eluded good ever saw was the thinking pitcher at a der's, Bob Feller's and his own. "Who pitchers over long careers, and one of young age that this kid is now." Owing to wouldn't?" growls Don Drysdale, winding them is more than special. Gooden is not up for his famous knockdown pitch. alone among men, or even among Mets, "Gooden makes $1.32 million a year." just among pitchers. On their own hooks, Since arguing with pitchers is no more All-Stars Darryl Strawberry and Keith sensible than arguing about them, let a Hernandez are entitled to dream of the hitter take his swing, a slugger with an pennant, as long as Dwight dreams too. eternally simple view of life (especially He is from Tampa, a small but fertile New York living), but a profound knowledge of athletic gifts (and the pleasures they afford). "If I could pick somebody to be," says Mickey Man tle, "that's who I'd be." He knows
The rich young class of fast starters: Browning, a 20-9 1985 rookie season Hershiser, 30-11 after two years of toil Saberhagen, the World Series MVP with a 30-17 two-year record And, above all, the towering Met
54 Ph otographs for TIME by Mickey Pfleger
batter's box, I'd think, 'I'm Pete Rose, I'm AI Kaline.' " For hitting two home runs in a forgotten spring-training game I 5 years ago at Lakeland. Detroit's HaLl of Fame rightfielder is Gooden's ideal still. "I just fell in love with him for the way he played that one game when I was six." Why? "He dominated." From the age ofeight. Gooden and his closest neighborhood friend. Floyd You mans, filled Tampa's afternoons with pepper. Using a battered aluminum can for a ball. they waged endless rounds of home-run derby or argued themselves an gry over a game called Strikeout that fea tured a hard rubber ball, a red brick wall and a chalk-drawn strike zone. "Just me and him," Youmans whispers conspirato rially. "We weren't supposed to- the coaches all the way down the line told us not to- but we'd sneak out and practice throwing curve balls. When he was twelve, I knew. By twelve he had com In St. Petersburg, fielding grounders with other Mets hurlers mand. Almost nobody couId catch his "1 never wanted to pitch. 1 wallted to be involved. Even now, I'd rather play every day. .. fastball either: he broke one guy's hand, another guy's wrist." Without irony, a wisdom that has comforted him for al "all the adults were your parents." though Gooden's playmates took to calling him most 50 years, Vander Meer has no fear he was not shortchanged in any respect. Doctor. Dan Gooden believes his son's for his memories. "Gooden's the guy who Ella Mae and Dan Gooden were as solid nickname came from an infielder's chat could tie my record," he says with a twin as the rocks that-their son acknowledges ter: "C'mon. Dr. Dwight, operate on kle. " but to break it. don't forget, he'll both uneasily and proudly- he llsed to him'" Youmans says, "It was just always have to pitch three no-hitters in a row." hurl at passing cars with resounding accu Dr. D, or Doc." It evolved naturally into Until recently, Tampa's most promi racy. "I knocked out a lot of windows, got Dr. K the initial taken from the score nent baseball dreamer has been the San a lot of whipPu1gs." Dwight says. "And at book shorthand for a strikeout. Diego first baseman Steve Garvey, for night I'd lie in bed throwing a tennis ball There were other good athletes merly of the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose up in the air and catching it. throwing it father served as the Brooklyn Dodgers' up in the air and catching it. throwing it springtime bus driver in the '50s. Rising up in the air and catching it. until I fell The Pitcher's from Dodger batboy to star of the team, asleep." Garvey prepared Tampa well for its im His baseball heritage is easy to trace. Triple Crown probable position now as producer of both Etha Talbert. Gooden's paternal grand in 1985 led both the most effective pitcher and the most ef mother, swore it was spiritual. She died ficient hitter in baseball: the Mets right this year, convinced that Dwight was " his leagues in wins, hander Gooden and the Boston Red Sox granddaddy come back alive." The boy strikeouts and third baseman Wade Boggs. One, the Na never knew Uclesee Gooden but loved to earned run average, tional League Cy Young Award winner hear his father's energetic accounts of the by acclamation last year (24-4 record, 268 angular. strong-legged. long-armed Geor the youngest ofonly strikeouts, 1.53 earned-run average); the gia pitcher whose fastball had been con seven to do it other. the American League batting signed by the times to a black sandlot in champion by 33 points (,368). Albany. " 'Could he bring it. Dad?' Like bookends in a trophy case, they Dwight would say to me, and I'd laugh. around the neighborhood. Without Good are apt to appear opposite each other in 'Yeah. he could bring it.' " en, whose birthday came just a little too their old schools' respective bleachers at A round man on a cane. Dan has lost late for the 1975 Williamsport World Se a hip to arthritis. actually to a childhood ries. the Belmont Little Leaguers made it of peanut and cotton farming. compound all the way to the finals before losing to ed by adult years operating a belt in a Taiwan. But Gooden could be so critical phosphate factory. Still. something visible of his teammates' mistakes that a visitor The Statistics remains of the athlete, the first baseman to the practice field might have taken who followed Uclesee to the Albany Red him for the only competent player. Oue Sox and later coached semi-pro teams in day nobody remembered to bring a ball. Tampa. "My daddy carried me around The team was awkwardly waiting when after two seasons like I carried Dwight around," says Dan. Gooden suddenly said, ''I'm sorry for the noting that none of the three sons from his way I act sometimes." After that he first marriage ever embraced the game. seemed not to notice any errors but his "Oh, but it pleased me when Dwight took own. The scouts' word for this tolerance. the Hillsborough High and H .B. Plant it up. 'Baseball, baseball,' his mother liked consideration and grace is poise. games. At least Boggs, 27. offers a theory to tease, 'that's all you two talk about.' But "1 never wanted to pitch," Gooden as to the source of his powers: he eats little that was my whole dream." says. "I wanted to be involved. Even now, else but chicken and eggs (leaving it to At home alone, Dwight devised a va if I had my choice, I'd rather play every others to ponder which came first). As for riety of phantom baseball games, some day. Given the chance, I honestly think I Gooden, nobody knows exactly where he times flipping ordinary playing cards. could put up some hitting statistics." His got what he has or, for that matter, pre Nobody else was ever able to make much preference would be to swing lefthanded, cisely what it is. sense of it, but he could always see a dia but to safeguard his priceless arm from in In the black working-class communi mond. "I was a daydreamer," he confess side pitches. the Mets require him to bat ty of Belmont Heights, Gooden explains, es. "When I'd step into the Little League from the right. Nonetheless, he has
56 TIME. APRIL 7. 1986 cracked three hits in the same game offno ing to have that telephone taken out.' less than Los Angeles Rival Fernando Well, he was only 17." Valenwela. ''I'm lucky to have one hit in After striking out 66 hitters in 66 in two years off him," grins Fernando, a nings, attracting thoughtful attention grizzled veteran of 25. With quite a differ from a "roving instructor" named Davey ent pitch but a similar acclaim, Valen Johnson. Gooden was summoned to Little zuela arrived from Mexico on a screwball Falls. N.Y.. for a taste of lower A ball. six years ago. The following season he was assigned to Other pitchers have been capable hit the higher A team at Lynchburg, Va. , ters, but none ever twirled a bat more ea managed by Sam Perlozzo. gerly than Gooden. Once, in a six-inning Gooden's fastball, "Some guys throw hard." Perlozzo which hasbeen says, "but they look it. Dwight was so clocked at 96 smooth, effortless. Almost the only time The m.p.h., takes you could sense the energy was when, say, there was a man on third with one out and Strikeouts just 0.42 sec. to he didn't want a ground ball to score a 276 in 1984, a reach the plate. run. That's when he started pumping up rookie record At the release of his velocity, pulling out something extra. You could see it." A base runner juked 268 in 1985, the ball (1), the batter cocks Gooden into balking once. ''That rattled most ever in him," Perlozzo remembers with a smile: a first two years valuable lesson learned. But when he ::-:=~it @ cooled out, Gooden strung together 15 to a swing '\J victories that included a 46-inning stretch Li t tIe League game, he struck out 16 of 18 (2) within without an earned run. batlers and hit two home runs. But the 0.17 sec. Come the season's final day, after homers were what kept him awake all only 184 innings, he stood just 14 strike night. (He is prone to delight and in outs from 300. During doubleheaders, mi- somnia.) "Sometimes in school I'd come in from right field or third base to re lieve, and maybe even go back again. The That was the best." Before Floyd and Dwight could be seniors together at Hills Youngest borough, Youmans moved with his family Winner to California. For Gooden, the mound felt lonelier than ever. of20 games On draft day of 1982, he congregated in a season, with a few other hopefuls in the wire room of the Tampa Tribulle, where the news ofCy Young was handy. Shawon Dunston, a Brooklyn Award shortstop with an interstate reputation , In the next was selected first of all by the Cubs. (A rating, incidentally, with which the Mets 0.20 sec. he nor league games are shortened to seven concurred.) "After four picks, I wasn't brings the bat innings. "No way possible," Gooden even letting myself hope yet." Gooden around (3), and in thought, "can I get 14 strikeouts in seven says, "and when my name came up fifth , I the last 0.05 sec. innings." But the fervor of his teammates couldn't believe it-the No.1 draft choice he rolls his wrists stirred him. "Each time I came back into of the New York Mets!" He would sign to apply full power the dugout, our players would count them for $85,000. "First I had to call New York up. It was the only game J ever played to make sure that I was the right Dwight before hitting the ball where I tried to strike out every man Gooden. Then I couldn't even drive (4) or, understandably I faced." The Hagerstown home, J was so excited." Remember. often, missing it. Suns were the opponents, but baseball is a world where you can catch Gooden remembers none of rainbows. In the second round. the Mets So
TIME. APRIL 7.1986 57 Triple A, let alone the National League. including the side he struck out in his first "J could see the hitters were much more All-Star inning). Philadelphia's Grover patient, stronger too. Not only didn't they Cleveland Alexander (227) and Cleve go for some of the outside hooks, they land's Herb Score (245) had lost their fought off a lot of the inside stuff. 'Go longstanding places as the breeziest rook league by league,' Dad had said. 'By 1986 ies in the history of the National and ma you'll get a trial.' J started to realize I was jor leagues. one step from the big leagues and from Including that first one, Gooden won having to pitch to Mike Schmidt." 17 games and the Rookie of the Year A calculator, a math major, Johnson award. He also lost Youmans again, had played a tidy second base for Earl shipped with a small gang of minor and Weaver's best teams in Baltimore. During major leaguers to Montreal, but at least he the '60s. before computers were cool, was compensated this time with the emi Johnson wrote a program designed, as he nent backstop Gary Carter. "We're all put it, to "optimize" the Oriole lineup. just fortunate to be part of Dwight's Weaver never got around to installing it, world," Carter likes to say. Last year this but he loved to hear his second baseman pleasure included eight shutouts and talk. To Johnson there are no " hitting strings of 14 victories, 31 scoreless innings streaks" or "hot hands." There are "favor and 49 innings without a run earned. able chance deviations." The Mets' gener Gooden and the St. Louis Cardinals' ace al manager, Frank Cashen. also came John Tudor stared each other into stu from Baltimore. He is considered conser pors, but even Tudor picked himself sec vative, though a better word would be ond for the Cy Young. "Just one time," careful. While Cashen tilts especially to Tudor said, 'Td like to throw a ball like ward caution in the development of 19 that." Leaving only the archaic record year-old arms, Johnson persuaded him to holders in peace, Gooden forced Herb keep an open mind on Gooden. Score to share another modern mark: two The precise opening was created by 200-strikeout seasons right off the bat. an unfavorable chance deviation. Ne "What makes somebody throw hard? glecting to protect Tom Seaver, or to I don't know," Score says. "How many big imagine anyone would be gauche enough guys who look like they should be able to to claim their venerable pitcher. the Mets throw a baseball through a wall actually lost him to the Chicago White Sox in the can't break an egg? How many little guys 1984 player-compensation pool. "Until Giving autographs to Little League fans like the Yankees' Ron Guidry can really then I wasn 't even going to the big camp," Tolerance, consideration and grace. fire it?" Most baseball people are of the Gooden says. "J came in as a non-roster opinion that if you cannot throw or hit a player, and right up to the fourth inning of Astrodome-" before they brought the fastball on the day you are born, there is the last spring game, J was sure that I was fences in," Dwight points out gratefully. nobody who can teach you. "But just like headed to Tidewater. All ofa sudden Da "I couldn't sleep the night before, and I with Koufax and all the great fastball vey walked over to where 1 was sitting in couldn't stand to wait for 5 o'clock to take pitchers. it's Gooden's curve ball that the dugout and just put out his hand. the team bus. About 2:30 I left the hotel really leaves the hitters standing." After 'Congratulations,' he said. 'You made the and walked by myself to the stadium, his two glorious years, Score lost the 1957 team.' '{ did?, " Then Johnson sent him about a mile and a half. Everything was season to a line drive in the eye. His arm into the game. "Oh, man. Every pitch I moving in slow motion; I was sweating shortly withered. "Whatever it is that threw felt five miles an hour faster than pretty good." Despite forgetting all he makes you have a little extra, Ijust didn't the last." When Dwight hurried to his fa knew about pitching the instant the game have that anymore. It can be taken away, ther afterward with the news, Dan just began ("It was like I'd never been on a you know." said, "Do your best." mound before")' Gooden struck out Dick Gooden does know. His mildly Johnson and Cashen handpicked the ie Thon to end the first inning, and 275 sprained ankle this winter almost pan stage for Gooden's first start, the Houston others before the season was through (not icked Wall Street. "All pitchers hold their
The future big leaguer as a Tampa Little Leaguer 58 Sport
breath about arm injuries," he says. General Mills [Wheaties] in the form ofa be part of what Manager Johnson terms " Mostly, people hold their breath around $5 ,000 bonus. I got it too. " He has been Gooden's "instinctive sophistication." But pitchers, especially young fastball pitch wondering if the strikeout hasn't been de poise is unteachable and Gooden's kind of ers." And yet, says Mets Trainer Steve valued since then. "Not striking out used confidence inexplicable. By Johnson's Garland, "of all the pitchers we have, to be a moral victory. There just isn't calculations, "Dwight's already got more Dwight's the one I least expect to get as much stigma to swinging and missing command than any pitcher I ever saw." hurt." His motion is flexible and his fun anymore." Off the field , absently tapping his drums damentals flowing: the really heavy work One of Gooden's most eloquent ad or vaguely thinking of marriage, Gooden falls to his legs, which are as thick as the mirers consecutively struck out Ruth, is also the picture of control. Strawberry, rest of him is lithe. ''Some pitchers who Gehrig, Foxx, Simmons and Cronin in the Met outfielder Gooden is no longer are overpowering," Tom Seaver says, mistaken for, took a square look at his " you can see the clock is ticking down on friend in his wet new hairdo this spring to them. They just have terrible fundamen see if $1.32 million wears any differently tals. Gary Nolan, Don Gullett, Mark Fi than $450,000 wore last season or $40,000 drych. there's a whole list. Gooden's me did the year before. It has bought a few chanics look outstanding: I figure him for more chains (to complement his golden a long run. Knowing his trade and his smile), but also a new house for his par own heart, being able to adjust mentally ents. "I think it's just another natural gift when it comes time to adjust physically, of Dwight's," Strawberry says, "handling those are always the tests of longevity, New York, handling the media, handling and they'll be his challenge someday."' the money." Unable to apply words to the serenity Orel Hershiser, a late bloomer mislaid he feels now even in the face of Philadel for five years in the Dodger farm system, phia's fierce Mike Schmidt. Gooden can considers Gooden's primary talent "just say nothing more than "It's God-given." the fact of how natural he can make him Seaver has no difficulty seeing the order self feel in a stadium full of people. I've in Gooden's pitching. "It's a lot more than watched him, and I don't know whether natural, believe me," he says. "Let him he's any more natural when he's alone. have some time to find the words for it. The days I make it look easy when it It's enough for him to do these things at wasn't easy are my proudest. But for him, 21 , he can explain them later." It has oc I think it is easy. I just think he knows curred to Gooden to ask himself. "Are you what he wants to be. If you don't know really this good?" But the answer is classi what you want to be, people are going to fied. "You shouldn't dwell on that," he make you what they want." says. ,·It can scare you." With no declared Bret Saberhagen's teammate, icono goals except to "stay hungry." Gooden clastic Relief Pitcher Dan Quisenberry, pledges, ''I'll never say I'm satisfied. I can cannot ordinarily resist such deep discus still get quicker to the plate with men on sion, but he has a simple view ofGooden's base." Stealing was an early problem of class. "Joseph Heller used the phrase in a his: base runners were a novelty. book title: Something Happened. That's it. About every decade or so in pitching, a lit ged pitchers, like old fans. might tle group shows up with something spe be expected to minimize Gooden's cial, a secret recipe. They have something Abrief achievements. But not Hall a lot of guys with great arms never get. of Farner Robin Roberts. "I think maybe And this time, whatever it is, Gooden got we' re the most impressed of all," he says. most of it. It's not fair." "We know what he's doing. what a gift he Mysteriously, and maybe a little more has. It's obvious that his start is better irregularly than by the decade, pitchers than anyone else's, even Feller's. His con do seem to travel in clusters. Hubbell ma trol is better than Feller's," A big leaguer terialized in the swift company of Dizzy at 17, Feller was Gooden's age before he Dean and Lefty Gomez. Seaver enjoyed found the plate. "Go up and hit what you Relaxing near home in Tampa the prolonged fellowship ofSteve Carlton, see," Bucky Harris used to advise his He asks himself, "Are you really this good?" Jim Palmer and Nolan Ryan. Bob Gib Washington Senators, "and if you don't son, Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry see it. come on back."' Ralph Kiner. the the 1934 All-Star game: Carl Hubbell, 82. formed their club. Even Walter Johnson Mets' announcer, nee '405 slugger, testi "The most amazing part of the whole had Rube Marquard. "There's some safe fies, "No question about it. Feller was damn thing is he's so cool and calm," ty in numbers," Tom Browning agrees. faster." But Gooden, he says, has the more Hubbell says. "You used to have to get "Last year, when Pete [Rose] was draw advanced "control" and "command." broken into it. A lot of pitchers seem older ing the crowds, I was left alone to get a Not surprisingly, Feller's view is that than their years today, but Gooden most nice quiet 20." two seasons are insufficient for compari of all. Also. he's got one of the best curves This spring the noise level has been son. "People are always wanting to know I ever saw- he throws it so hard! The up. Even Gooden has heard the unfamil too soon what 1 think about a Willie Mays damn thing breaks nearly from the guy's iar sound of cowhide meeting ash. But or a Joe Charb( '!au or a Mark Fidrych shoulder to the ground." Evidently, Hub then, hitters forget every winter and have or a Dwight Gooden. Gooden seems like a bell has been studying him on television. to be reminded every summer who the hard worker, and he's off to a fine start. "That's the kids' advantage. don't you pitchers are. A young fellow named Floyd As far as I can telL he's keeping his ducks see? I was raised on a cotton farm Youmans had a bright spring for Montre in a row." By that, maybe he means in Meeker, Okla. Didn't even get a al and has pitched his way into the start Gooden doesn't brag much. "Only in the newspaper. Never saw so much as a pic ing rotation. Maybe the best pitcher in middle of 1946 ," Feller thinks back, "did I ture of a real major league pitcher in his baseball should dig up a hard rubber ball. ever try to strike everYbody out. I had a windup." a red brick wall and a chalk-drawn strike chance for the single-season strikeout rec Advancements in technology and im zone. There could be Strikeout games this ord, a situation brought to my attention by provements in early-level coaching may summer. - By Tom Callahan
TIME. APRIL 7.1986 61