GIVING BACK: Dwight Gooden signs autographs for special needs children at an event at Citi Field yesterday. Gooden, who pitched three perfect innings in his first All-Star Game, said he is looking forward to seeing Matt Harvey pitch. (
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Mets All-Star Matt Harvey is the top pitcher in baseball — at least according to Doc Gooden, who knows a little something about being a hard-throwing phenomenon.
Pitching praise from Gooden might as well be coming from the mountaintop as far as Mets fans are concerned; and the 48-year-old Gooden said Harvey — a strong candidate to start Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic at Citi Field — is the best in the business, rivaled only by Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw.
“I think he’s the best pitcher in baseball right now,’’ Gooden said. “Him and Kershaw are neck-and-neck. He’s nice. Those two guys, you can pick either one, they’re right there. Kershaw you might take because he’s done it a little longer, but if you go for a single year, I’ll take Harvey for sure. He’s having the best season.’’
Gooden — who was at Citi Field for a one-inning game between special needs children representing Little League’s Challenger Division and PONY Baseball/Softball Champions Division — will attend the All-Star Game in Flushing, saying he is excited at the prospect of watching Harvey.
“I’m a Met at heart, always,’’ Gooden said. “I think the Mets and the city of New York definitely deserve to have the All-Star Game here. It’s a beautiful ballpark, obviously. They did a great job with that. So I’m excited. I’ll be sitting there before the game excited, ready to go, hoping for a good performance by the pitchers, a 2-1 ballgame. That’s old school.’’
Gooden has fond memories of his own first All-Star appearance, taking the mound on July 10, 1984 as a 19-year-old, the youngest All-Star ever. Gooden retired all nine batters he faced, including striking out the side of AL stars Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon and Alvin Davis.
Gooden recalls catcher Gary Carter telling him to just relax and not overthrow, that what he had done against Carter’s Expos was more than enough. Gooden would offer Harvey the same sage advice.
“With the adrenaline going, I was tempted to throw 100 mph, if not more. But after the first couple pitches I was fine,’’ said Gooden, who expects Harvey to feel the same temptation. “ … It’s his first All-Star Game, his first full year, a lot of people expecting to see him hit 100, so I’m sure. Unless he’s not human, he’s going to be bringing it.
“It’ll be similar to when he played the Nationals and pitched against [Stephen] Strasburg,’’ Gooden said, referring to Harvey’s 7-1 win over Washington on April 19. “He came out gassing a bit, and I’m sure the All-Star Game will be even more adrenaline. I’m sure it’ll be an electric atmosphere for him. It’s his first one, at home. I just hope he enjoys it, cherishes the moment and goes out and [pitches well].’’
* Gooden watched former Yankees teammate Derek Jeter’s long rehab from left ankle surgery and subsequent right quadriceps injury, saying if the decision had been up to him, he would have held the shortstop out until after the All-Star break.
“I’m sure he’s been pushing to get back out there,” Gooden said. “It’s easy to say he came back too soon now. But at the same time, he’s 39 years old. Me personally, whether he got hurt or not, I would’ve held him out to the second half and given him a fresh start in the second half and let him go.
“Even with that he could’ve got hurt then too. But my opinion, I would’ve held him out until the second half.’’