THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 3, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic


NextImg:Exclusive | Dwight Gooden is keenly aware of what Paul Skenes is capable of — and what pitfalls he has to avoid

Don’t miss Mike Puma’s text messages from Queens and beyond — he’s giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Mets.

Sign up Now

Dwight Gooden never would’ve admitted it at the time. He knows Paul Skenes probably won’t admit it now — four decades after Gooden’s dazzling rookie year in 1984 and the encore that ended with a Cy Young Award in 1985 — as the Pirates’ ace, either.

But Gooden knew his starts carried extra weight. In front of sold-out crowds at Shea Stadium or road venues, he recognized — heck, embraced even — that fans bought tickets to see him.

To watch him strike out 10 or more hitters. To throw a complete game. To record a shutout. Once everyone started taking a 19-year-old rookie seriously, Gooden’s outings turned into must-watch events.

“Everybody was there to see you, man,” Gooden told The Post. “It was your show.”