Dwight Gooden
Houston Astros (2000)
Doc is best known for his eleven years pitching for the New York Mets, and for his career resurgence in the late 90's with the New York Yankees that included a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners. He finished the last two years of the decade with the Cleveland Indians, but his final season in the big leagues began ten years ago with his one and only appearance as a member of the Houston Astros.
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| Asbury Park Press - Asbury Park, NJ (April 9, 2000) |
Dwight Gooden was the starting pitcher for the Astros against the Philadelphia Phillies on the afternoon of April 8th, 2000. It was the second game ever played at Minute Maid Park, which at the time had the unfortunate name of Enron Field.
Philadelphia wasted no time getting on the board when center fielder Doug Glanville smacked Gooden's second pitch of the game for a home run. He also gave up an RBI single to Bobby Abreu in the third and back-to-back RBI doubles in the fourth by Tomas Perez and Phillies starter Chris Brock. Doc was relieved in the fifth inning with the game tied 4-4 and did not get the decision in the Astros 8-5 victory.
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| The Tampa Tribune - Tampa, FL (April 14, 2000) |
Just five days later, the Astros traded the youngest Cy Young Award winner of all time to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but that's a piece of strange laundry for another time.
