Mystifying
only offense in a 3-1, 12-inning loss to the Braves at Citi Field.
“You know you are going to get a fastball from him 97% of the time, but he’s got four of them,” Bruce said. “You know it’s a lot of the same, but it’s really, really different too, you’ve just hit the mistakes.”
After a slow start to his Mets career after being traded from Cincinnati last August, Bruce has burst out of the gates this season. He went 3-for-5 Wednesday with the homer and a double and has reached base safely six times in two games.
The Mets’ offense, however, has gotten off to a less impressive start. They have scored in just two of 20 innings they have played. Collins said he’ll hold off the panic for now, citing the slow end to spring training. The Met regulars played their last Grapefruit League game March 28, played a fiveinning intrasquad scrimmage on March 30 and then played Opening Day on Monday.
DARRYL Strawberry says he and Doc Gooden are friends again, apparently at least partly because he asked his former teammate to forgive him for publicly calling him a “complete junkie-addict’’ last summer. “I had to sit down and ask him to forgive me and let him know that I truly love him,’’ Strawberry said by phone on Wednesday.
Strawberry still insists he was speaking from the heart last August when he called out Gooden publicly, telling me at the time that he was worried his friend was going to die if he didn’t get help.
But he says he came to realize that Gooden was deeply wounded, and no doubt embarrassed, by the front-page headlines in the Daily News. More than once since then, in fact, and as recently as a few weeks ago, Doc had said publicly that he wanted nothing more to do with Darryl.
However, when a friend of both players, a woman named Amy Heart, recently asked them to consider coming together and making peace, Gooden agreed and Strawberry saw it as a chance to explain himself and resurrect the friendship.
“I still believe I did the right thing,’’ Strawberry said. “But maybe I should have called and talked to him in person. I had nothing to gain from what I said or any intention to hurt Doc, but I know I did hurt him. “We got into the hurt when we sat down and talked. With his mom was dying last summer, he was going through a lot and I should have been more sensitive about that.
“I was just in fear and overwhelmed because I never want to see a friend of mine die that way. But when we talked I understood where he was coming from. We talked it out and got to a good place. He told me he still loved me, and I told him, ‘I’m sorry, I should have done better.’ ”
All indications are that Gooden feels good about the relationship again, but he didn’t return a call or a text asking him for his thoughts.
His long-time friend, Yankees’ front-office adviser Ray Negron, said he thought Gooden was in Maryland on Wednesday, visiting his children who live with his ex-wife. Negron said Gooden rarely communicates with anyone via his iPhone when he’s there.
“I talked to him after they had dinner the other day and Doc seemed happy about everything with Darryl,’’ Negron said.
Gooden and Strawberry were seen together at Citi Field for the Mets’ season opener on Monday. They had dinner on Sunday at Delmonico’s Kitchen in Manhattan, where they talked, though not so privately, as cameras recorded their conversation as part of what Heart says will be a TV show.
A radio talk-show host whose husband, Gary Green, is a minor-league team owner and someone Strawberry calls “a dear friend,” Heart says she came up with the idea for a TV show that showcases athletes who are fighting back from personal issues or misfortune.
Her own friendship with Strawberry and Gooden convinced her that bringing them together would be an inspiring story and a way to kick off a series of such shows.
“They were both reluctant at first,’’ Heart said. “But they trusted me more than anyone else to do this right.
“We have been filming and we’ve had such an incredible response. These guys were iconic and the fans love them so much. When we were walking around (outside Citi Field on Monday), it was amazing: the energy, people clapping and cheering. Some were even crying, saying how happy they were to see Doc and Darryl back together.”
Heart says there is more filming to do, and she isn’t ready to reveal details of when and where the show will air, but says she has gotten what she hoped for as far as their interaction
“They were both nervous when they met,’’ Heart said. “There was a lot of emotion from both of them. I was really surprised to see the synergy, see them being honest and real. They spoke about everything.”
Strawberry said he had no qualms about reuniting with Gooden in front of TV cameras. He responded sharply when asked if he and Doc were getting paid for their participation.
“We ain’t making no money,’’ he said. “This isn’t about money. This is about real life. Amy believes this an inspiration piece for other people. This is about two friends realizing how much we’ve been through, how much our relationship means to other people as well as ourselves.
“It’s crazy. We were at the ballpark and fans were mobbing us. It’s been 30 years, but they were so happy, saying how much it means to see us back together. And after sitting down with Amy and her being able to ask the hard questions, it brought about healing. I feel like we’re in the best place we’ve ever been.” s for the concern that sparked Strawberry’s comments last summer, he said he believes Gooden is in a better place as well regarding his well-documented history of cocaine use.
“He sounds better, he looks better,’’ said Strawberry. “I know about recovery: it’s a process. I think he’s working on himself, working in the right direction. That’s what makes me happy. There are no miracles overnight. The miracles come over a period of time and process.
“He’s feeling good about himself. That’s all I want — Doc feeling good about himself. Underneath everything, he’s a great human being.”
A