Doctor K: Awesome And Then Some

If Gooden was extraordinary at age 19 as the NL Rookie of the Year, he has been, in Backman's words, "beyond awesome" as a 20-year-old. Despite having to wear an elastic brace on his right ankle all season because of strained ligaments, Gooden has allowed more than three earned runs only once in 28 starts. He has thrown 13 complete games and six shutouts, tying for the league lead in both categories. He hasn't lost since May 25.

"There's only one MVP in the National League, and that's Dwight Gooden," says St. Louis manager Whitey Herzog.

"His pitch does everything," Cubs first baseman Leon Durham says. "It moves, it sinks, it rises."

"Someone should check his age," says Giants coach Rocky Bridges.

In fact, Johnson suggested that that be done the first time he saw Gooden in the minors, in 1982. Gooden was then fresh out of a Tampa, Fla. high school, but he has since moved on to his pitching doctorate. Last winter he spent six weeks in the Florida Instructional League working on changeup grips (the resulting pitch "has thrown a few people's backs out of place" this season, according to Padres shortstop Garry Templeton) and improving his one glaring weakness: holding on base the few runners who reach base. Runners stole 47 times in 50 attempts against Gooden in 1984 and were picked off only twice. This year, with former Expo Gary Carter catching Dwight, they're 16 of 25, and Gooden has already picked off five.

"Any superlative that you could come up with would apply," says Johnson.

"He has great poise, control and natural gifts; he's eager to learn and eager to win," says Carter.

"His curve is as good as [Bert] Blyleven's," says San Diego catcher Terry Kennedy.

"What's he going to be like when he's 30?" asks former political hardballer Richard Nixon, now a Mets fan.

Hail to the Doctor, say Johnson, Carter, Kennedy, Nixon and RA-GUN.