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Calling the Doctor Yankees sign Gooden to minor league deal
Posted: Sunday June 11, 2000 01:41 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Yankees are giving Dwight Gooden yet another chance. The 35-year-old right-hander, 10 victories shy of 200 in the major leagues, signed a minor league contract with the Yankees, according to reports in area newspapers Sunday. The Sunday Record of Hackensack, the Sunday New York Post and the Daily News all said Gooden had been brought back. Gooden, released by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays two weeks ago, told the Record he was "totally blown away" at the opportunity to pitch for the Yankees again. "George Steinbrenner is giving me a chance, and I'm going to make the most of it," he said. Steinbrenner gave Gooden a chance before. The right-hander joined the Yankees in 1996 after missing the 1995 season because of a drug suspension. He threw the ninth no-hitter in club history May 14, 1996, against the Mariners. He went 20-12 with a 4.58 ERA in two seasons with the Yankees, but left following injuries and personal differences with manager Joe Torre. Gooden was 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA for Houston and Tampa Bay this season. But the Yankees, who might have to put Ramiro Mendoza on the disabled list, have little risk in signing Gooden because the Devil Rays will pay the bulk of his $500,000 salary. Gooden will spend at least a week working at the club's minor league complex in Tampa, Fla., and will go to Triple-A Columbus when his arm strength is back. "With everything that's happened to me this year, I'm sure they're going to watch me pretty closely," Gooden told the Record. "I want to make sure I'm ready. If anything, I'd rather be too ready."
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