Dwight Doc Gooden may have had issues in America however in Japan he has always been adored.
I worked parts of 8 years in Tokyo for Richard Seko and the Tokyo Giants as a special advisor in signing American players.
During those years fans and players alike in all parts of Japan always wanted to know about the American phenomenon known as Dr. K. Doc Gooden.
Like the Japanese, I too was a fan. I had not met him yet. I too couldn’t believe the greatness of this young man. I remember my Boss in America, George Steinbrenner always wishing that he would of had Gooden. I must admit that he had a great fascination for Darryl Strawberry also.
When Gooden had his issues and got suspended he heard about me from a writer named Bob Klapisch. He found out that I lived around the corner from him in Florida.
He knocked on my door one day and asked me if I could possibly get him a contract in Japan. Naturally, That would have been a big score for me by getting him there but my true Boss (Steinbrenner) had already told me that he had a fascination for Gooden and Strawberry and in my heart I knew that the Boss was going to treat Doc like family. He truly did until his dying day.
Doc did however maintain a wonderful relationship with Japanese baseball. There was always a very mutual friendship and respect.
Hideo Nomo who was Japan’s first true superstar pitcher idolized Doc Gooden and wore Docs number sixteen throughout his eleven-year career in America. As a matter of fact, many pitchers in Japan have worn number sixteen because of Dr. K.
One year Japanese Baseball sent a minor league team to Florida so that Doc could train their pitchers. All the players were so thrilled that when the camp ended players and coaches literally cried when saying goodbye.
This year Shohei Ohtani was so thrilled to of met Doc who was one of his childhood heroes that he spoke to Gooden without his translator. Ohtani had such a big smile on his face, you would have thought that he had just hit a home run. I guess in a way he did.
I must add that if Gooden would have been given the true opportunity like Ohtani Gooden could have been a two-way player also.
People in baseball forget that Gooden actually hit eight homers during his career and took great pride in his hitting. When Doc was with the Cleveland Indians they played the Cincinnati Reds. Since it was a national league team Doc got to hit. Before the game, he told rookie CC Sabathia that he was going to hit a homer and he did.
I guess we will never know if Doc could have been another Ohtani or vice versa.
Let me close by saying that maybe when Ohtani becomes a free agent Gooden might possibly sway him into coming to a New York team.
Oh well, you know that I like dreaming!
