Dwight Gooden #16

Graduated in 1982 from Tampa's Hillsbourough High School where he went 14-4 there in his lst seasons and in his senior year recorded 130 strikeouts in 74 innings. was honored by the Leukemia Society of America with its 1997 "Athlete of the Year" award. in 1994 received the New York Press Photographers Association Good Guy Award and the Baseball Writers Association of America Toast of the Town Award. His nephew is Dodgers outfielders Gary Sheffield .

2000

As a reliever, prevented 4 of 8 inherited runners fromscoring...Converted 2 of 2 save opportunities...With 194 wins, ranks fourth on the all-time list among active pitchers (behind only Roger Clemens, 260, Greg Maddux, 240, and Tom Glavine, 207)...Signed a minor league contract with the Yankees on 6/11 after he was released by Tampa Bay (5/25)...Became the 18th pitcher for the Yankees in 2000 and the 10th to start a game...On 7/8 at NY--in first ever appearance vs. the Mets--recorded the win in 4-2 Yankees victory...Made his first relief appearance since 7/17/99 (with Cleveland at Pittsburgh) in a 7/16 come-from-behind victory vs. Philadelphia, was the longest releif outing of his career...On 7/26 at Baltimore earned the Yankees a 4-1 win, won three straight starts...Recorded the first relief loss of his career on 8/5 vs. Seattle...Earned his second career save on 8/15 at Texas as he tossed 4.0 scoreless innings...Matched the longest relief outing of his career on 9/5 at KC--in relief of injured David Cone--going 5.1 innings and recorded his fourth win as a Yankee...Recorded 2nd save of the season and third of his career on 9/10 at Boston in relief of Randy Keisler...On 9/20 at Toronto, tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in relief of David Cone

1999

Was plagued by inconsistency and injury, spending three weeks in the bullpen in July and four weeks in August on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder left his start on August 2 at Boston after 2.2 IP with shoulder soreness and was on the 15-day DL for the eighth time in his career from August 3 until his activation on August 31. After his activation, he made five starts, going 0-1 with a 7.99 ERA (23.2 IP, 30 H, 21 ER) to raise his ERA from 5.81 to 6.26. Made his first start since July 2 vs. Kansas City (6.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R/ER) on July 28 vs. Detroit (7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R/ER) and picked up his first win since May 18 at Chicago (AL), a span of eight starts and 12 appearances without a win in over two months, in Cleveland's 7-2 win over the Tigers in a game that featured a season-high eight strikeouts. Did not win after that game (six starts)...won just one game after May 18 (19 G/15 GS) and over his two seasons with the Indians he won 11 gamesE was relegated to bullpen duty over four outings from July 7-17, compiling a mark of 0-0 with a 4.32 ERA out of the bullpen (8.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 7 BB, 9 SO). Batters were 4x29 (.138) off of him in relief...his seven K's as a reliever vs. Cincinnati on July 10 were the most for an Indians reliever in '99. Was 3-4 as a starter with a 6.41 ERA in 22 starts (106.2 IP, 123 H, 76 ER, 60 BB, 79 SO), which included starts of 0.1 IP, and 0.2 IP...averaged 5.2 walks/9.0 IP and 6.9 SO/9.0 IP overall in '99. Over his last 15 starts he was 1-4 with a 7.21 ERA (73.2 IP, 89 H, 59 ER)...he had four outings less than 4.0 innings in length and five runs allowed, but received no-decisions in the four Cleveland wins. Endured the shortest start of his 395 major league career starts in his outing at Kansas City on June 27, lasting just 0.1 innings pitched in retiring just one of the eight batters he faced...at the time he equaled the shortest start of his Major League career in his first regular season start of '99 at Minnesota on April 10, lasting just two-thirds of an inning...was his shortest start since August 8, 1997 as a Yankee (also at Minnesota). Had his seven-game winning streak from August 7, 1998 to May 18, 1999 snapped in a loss vs. Chicago (AL) on May 24 Was his longest winning streak since winning eight straight with the New York Mets in August and September of 1990. He went 2-2 with at 3.58 ERA in six May starts (32.2 IP, 33 H, 20 R/13 ER, 14 BB, 27 SO)E ERA in May (3.58) was the lowest among the starting rotation. In June he went 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA (23.1 IP, 27 H, 20 ER, 17 BB, 14 SO) in five starts, in which the Indians were 4-1 In July he went 1-0 with a 4.57 ERA in six games (2 GS, 21.2 IP, 17 H, 11 R/ER, 14 BB, 19 SO) and was limited to just two starts in August (ND, 8.22 ERA, 7.2 IP, 11 H, 7 R/ER). hit his eighth career home run on June 11 at Cincinnati off Steve Parris, the most by any active major league pitcher was the third AL pitcher to hit a home run (Dave Burba & Bobby Witt) since interleague play began in 1997 his 27 steals were third among AL pitchers.

1998

Finished the season ranked fourth among active pitchers with 185 wins and fifth among active pitchers with 2,150 strikeouts battled injury in spring training and over the first seven weeks of the season, but turned into Cleveland's most consistent pitcher in the second half, winning his last five decisions on the season. did not lose after July 26 went 6-3 in 15 second half starts with 3.84 ERA (89.0 IP, 89 H, 38 ER) after spending the first eight weeks of the season on the disabled list. the ERA was the best second half mark among the starting rotation staff was placed on the disabled list on March 30 (retroactive to March 22) with biceps tendinitis in his right shoulder when he was shut down after 35 pitches in a Triple A start in Lakeland, FL vs. the Triple A Tigers. .made his last official spring start at Clearwater on March 25 vs. Philadelphia rehabbed with the big league club before beginning a 30-day rehabilitation assignment with Triple A Buffalo, compiling a record of 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA in four starts (16.0 IP, 23 H, 16 R/ER, 7 BB, 18 SO). activated from the DL on May 22 and made his first start of the year two days later vs. Toronto picked up his first win as an Indian in his start at Minnesota on June 4 in the 3-2 win over the Twins (6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R/ER). from June through the end of the season he went 8-4 with a 3.59 ERA in 21 starts (125.1 IP, 126H, 50 ER, 78 SO). from August 1 through the end of the season he went 5-0 with a 3.19 ERA (67.2 IP, 66 H, 24 ER, 50 SO) in 11 starts...it was the longest winning streak since winning six in a row with the Yankees in June and July of 1996. .was 0-1 with 9.00 ERA in two post season starts (5.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R/ER, 5 BB, 4 SO)...lasted just one-third of an inning in his first post-season start in Game Two of Division Series vs. Boston...was ejected by home plate Umpire Joe Brinkman after arguing a call at home plate. his nine career post-season starts is the most ever made without recording a victory had surgery on October 27 in St. Petersburg, FL to repair a right inquenal hernia.

1997

Was 9-5 with a 4.91 ERA in 19 starts and relief appearance in 1997. the Yankees were 11-8 in his 19 starts, scoring 92 runs (4.8 runs/start) opponents hit .283 (116-410) off him on the year with 14 homers in 106.1 innings. made one start before being placed on the 15-day disabled list with a hernia...on April 5 at Oakland, recorded the win in a 10-5 Yankee victory...allowed three homers to tie career high (fifth time in his career)...was placed on the 15-day DL on April 11 (retroactive to April 6) with a small left inquenal hernia and underwent successful surgery to repair the hernia on April 14. made five rehab-assignment starts before being reinstated on June 14. made his only relief appearance on September 28 at Detroit (1.0IP, 2H, 1R, 0ER)...it was the third relief appearance of his career and first since September 19, 1989 at Chicago for the Mets .started Game Four of the Division Series in Cleveland ...did not get a decision in the Indians' 3-2, comeback win (5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 SO).

1996

Went 11-7 with 5.01 ERA in his first season with the Yankees in 1996...recorded his first season in double digit wins since he went 12-15 for the Mets in 1993. the Yankees were 14-15 in his 29 starts, scoring 146 runs (5.0 runs/start). pitched his first career no-hitter on May 14 vs. Seattle in a 2-0 victory (9 IP, 6 BB, 5 K, 135 pitches). was named A.L. Player of the Week for May 13-19...had a streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. recorded his 2,000th strikeout on September 27 at Boston (Vaughn swinging). did not pitch in the post season due to a tired arm...went 0-1 with a 9.77 ERA in four September starts for the Yankees (15.2 IP, 26 H, 17 ER).

1995

Did not play in the Major Leagues in 1995...played in the Puerto Rican Winter league for San Juan and went 0-1. on November 4, 1994 he was suspended for the '95 season for repeated violations of his aftercare program and Major League Baseball's drug policy.

1994

For the Mets in 1994, he went 3-4, 6.31 ERA in seven starts before he was suspended on June 28 for violating his aftercare program. served 45 days of the 60-day suspension before the members of the Major League Baseball Players Association went on strike on September 15, the Commissioner's Office announced that Gooden again violated his aftercare program and baseball's drug policy...on November 4, the Commissioner's Office announced that Gooden would be suspended for the 1995 season as a result of those violations won his Opening Day start, a 12-8 victory at Chicago on April 4, to improve his Opening Day record to 6-1...injured his right big toe during that start and missed his next appearance. made two more starts, a 9-1 victory vs. Houston on April 16 and a 13-3 loss at Los Angeles on April 21, before going on the DL with a hairline fracture in his right big toe. did not pitch again until June 9 Went 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three starts before he went on the DL and 1-3 with 6.29 ERA in four starts after he came off the DL. made his last appearance of 1994 on June 24 vs. Pittsburgh, started and suffered the 9-4 loss (5.1 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 2-2B, 1-3B, 2 HR)...ended his Mets career second in franchise history with 157 victories and 1,875 strikeouts behind Tom Seaver's 198 wins and 2,541 K's.

1993

Tied for second in the National League with seven complete games and tied for third with two shutouts in 1993. did not pitch after August 31 because of inflammation in his right shoulder...threw on the side the last month of the year. with a four-hit, 3-0 victory vs. Colorado became the first Mets pitcher to throw a shutout on Opening Day on April 5...on July 6 vs. San Diego he earned the 9-7 victory for his 150th career victory on May 22 vs. Atlanta off of John Smoltz hit his sixth career homer broke the club record with his seventh homer on July 1 at Florida off of Charlie Hough. on August 23 vs. Cincinnati was ejected by home plate umpire Gary Darling after hitting Brian Koelling with a pitch...it was his second career ejection (also August 9, 1990) and led to a suspension from September 2-7. from June 12-July 1 and August 7 (Game 1)-August 23 he had a pair of four-game losing streaks, tying his career high.

1992

Received the NL Silver Slugger Award for pitchers after hitting .264 with nine RBI in 1992. was on the DL from July 17-August 8 with inflammation in his right shoulder. pitched at least six innings in 25 of 31 starts...allowed three runs or less in 23 of 31 starts...on September 29 vs. Philadelphia allowed a career-high 12 hits.

1991

Had arthroscopic surgery on September 7,1991 and did not pitch the rest of the season Mets team physician Dr. James Parkes repaired tears in the labrum and rotator cuff of his right shoulder. made his last appearance in a 6-0 victory on August 22 vs. St. Louis (5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 5 K). recorded his 1,500th career strikeout on July 11 vs. San Diego (Tim Teufel). at age 26 became the second-youngest pitcher ever to record 1,500 strikeouts (Bert Blyleven was 25) struck out a season-high 14 batters on April 13 vs. Montreal, his 45th career 10-K game.

1990

Won eight of his last nine decisions, 16 of his last 18 and 18 of his last 22 1990. was named National League Pitcher of the Month in September after going 5-0 with 1.93 ERA. from June 12-July 17 he won seven consecutive starts, tying his career high (August 11-September 12, 1984 & July 9-August 10, 1985). from June 12-September 28 won 16 of 17 decisions, including a pair of eight-game winning streaks from June 12-July 29 and August 14-September 28.

1989

Was on the disabled list from July 2-September 2, 1989 with a small tear in the muscle of his right shoulder...made his first two professional relief appearances after he came off the DL on September 13 at Philadelphia and September 19 at Chicago (NL). the appearance on September 13 snapped his string of 175 consecutive Major League starts, though he pitched in relief in Game Seven of the 1988 NLCS vs. LA. picked up his only professional save in the outing on September 19 at Chicago. beat the Expos 5-3, on June 19 to become at 24 years, 7 months, 3 days-the third youngest player in the modern era to win 100 games...only Frank "Noodles" Hahn (on July 2 1903 was 24 years, 2 months, 4 days) and Bob Feller (on July 14, 1941 was 22 years, 8 months, 11 days) were younger that victory game him a career record of 100-37, the second fewest number of losses for any pitcher with at least 100 wins (Whitey Ford, 100-36).

1988

Tied for the National League lead among pitchers with 9 RBI in 1988. on May 31 vs. LA, threw more than nine innings (9.1) for the only time in his career in a regular-season game (threw 10.0 IP in Game 5 of the 1986 NLCS vs. Houston)...also set NLCS record with 20 strikeouts against the Dodgers in '88 on June 5 vs. Chicago, he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Damon Berryhill led off with a single. started for the National League in the All-Star Game at Cincinnati and allowed a solo home run to Terry Steinbach.

1987

Began the season on the DL and made rehab starts at Tidewater and Lynchburg before he was activated on June 5 pitched that night before a sellout Shea Stadium crowd and earned the 5-1 victory.

1986

Became the first pitcher in Major League history to record 200 strikeouts in each of his first seasons in 1986..recorded his 200th strikeout on the final game of the season on October 2 at Montreal. threw a complete game on Opening Day to become the first Met to accomplish that feat since Jerry Koosman in 1978. on August 1 vs. Montreal struck out six consecutive batters, tying his career high. pitched 10 innings in Game 5 of the NLCS vs. Houston, tying the NLCS record set by Houston's Joe Niekro in 1980...it was the first time he ever threw more than nine innings in a game.

1985

At age 20 in 1985, he became the youngest player ever to win the Cy Young Award (LA's Fernando Valenzuela was 21 in 1981) became the seventh pitcher to capture the award unanimously (Koufax, 1963, 1965, 1966; McLain 1968; Gibson 1968; Carlton 1977; Guidry 1978; Sutcliffe 1984). became the fifth pitcher to win both the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards...finished fourth in the MVP voting. was also named NL pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News and Male Athlete of the Year by AP. became the first pitcher to lead the Major Leagues in wins, strikeouts and ERA since Sandy Koufax, who did it in 1963, 1965 and 1966...his 1.53 ERA, a Mets record, was the lowest in the majors since Gibson's 1.12 mark in 1968. also established a Mets record with eight shutouts and led the NL with 276.2 IP. had the Major Leagues' longest winning streak (14, May 30-August 25) and longest shutout streak (career-high 31.0 IP, August 31-September 16). did not allow an earned run in 49.0 IP from August 31-October 2. became the youngest pitcher in the modern era to win 20 games had the highest winning percentage by a pitcher with at least 20 victories (.857) since Brooklyn's Preach Roe went 22-3 (.880) in 1951 Led the NL with 16 CG's Established a Mets record with 21 hits. became the youngest pitcher in the modern era to start an Opening Day game...hit his first career homer on September 21 vs. Pittsburgh, a three-run shot off Rick Rhoden.

1984

Succeeded Darryl Strawberry as BBWAA National League Rookie of the Year in 1984...received 23 of 24 first-place votes to become the youngest player ever to win the award. was also named National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News and to the Topps' Major League Rookie All-Star Team. became the first pitcher ever to lead his league in strikeouts (276) as a rookie...also established a Major League record for strikeouts by a rookie which broke Herb Score's mark of 245 in 1955. established a ML record of 11.4 SO/9.0 IP, breaking Cleveland's Sam McDowell's mark of 10.71 in 1965...established Major League record for strikeouts by a teenager. established the National League record and tied a then-Major League record for strikeouts in consecutive games (32), September 12 vs. Pittsburgh (16), September 17 at Philadelphia (16)...established Major League record for strikeouts in three consecutive nine-inning games (43), September 7 vs. Chicago (11), September 12 vs. Pittsburgh (16), September 17 at Philadelphia (16) tossed his only career one-hitter on September 7 vs. Chicago in the 10-0 Mets win.