Dwight Gooden has responded to recent comments made by former teammate Darryl Strawberry
Speaking publicly for the first time since former teammate Darryl Strawberry made a public plea in The New York Daily News, Dwight Gooden has refuted the claims that he is on his death bed and in need of serious medical intervention as he battles his decades-long cocaine addiction.
“The condition Doc is in, it’s bad, it’s horrible. It’s like cocaine poison. I feel like I’ve got to get it out there because nobody else is doing anything to help him, and it might be the only way to stop him,” Strawberry said after Gooden missed a scheduled appearance last week.
Strawberry and Gooden, who both battled demons and drug addictions in the ’80s and ’90s, have been in the news of late after their 30-for-30 documentary aired on ESPN. Strawberry and Gooden were also featured prominently when the Mets honored the 1986 World Series championship team earlier this season.
Gooden, who was a four-time All-Star and a Cy Young winner, spoke on The Joe Piscopo Show on WNYM-AM, and said, “I do have a drug problem. I’ve been an addict most of my life. I am an addict.”
Gooden’s son, Dwight Gooden, Jr, issued a family statement late Sunday following Strawberry’s comments.
“His problems have been well documented and publicized through the years,” Dwight Gooden Jr. said. “At this time, our only concern is his health and that he takes care of himself.
The full text of the statement is included below.
Statement from Dwight Gooden family #mets pic.twitter.com/22eJl5k8VU
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) August 22, 2016
Gooden has been battling drug addiction almost his entire professional career. He first tested positive for cocaine in 1987 and entered rehab to avoid a suspension. He tested positive a second time in 1994, and was suspended for 60 games. While serving that suspension, Gooden tested positive a third time, and was suspended for the entire 1995 season. After that suspension was handed down, he was discovered with a gun to his head. Additional legal troubles have followed him during his post-career days, including a positive test for cocaine while on probation.
Next: Derek Jeter and MLB's 20 Richest Players
The former Mets star pitcher expressed displeasure with Strawberry for making public statements about his health, but has not denied that cocaine continues to affect his everyday life.
“The Darryl thing hurt me a lot,” Gooden said. “I reestablished a relationship with him. I gave him a lot of stuff. I never went to the press. I never said anything (negative) about him. I need to make better choices in picking friends.”