Update (10:40 p.m. ET): Dwight Gooden issues statement slamming Darryl Strawberry. "I don't do cocaine, and have not for years."
Original story: Former Cy Young winner Dwight Gooden might be having issues in his personal life, at least according to former teammate Darryl Strawberry, to the point that Strawberry recently said that Gooden is a "complete junkie-addict" and that he fears for Gooden's life.
Monday, Gooden was on the Joe Piscopo radio show and responded to the comments.
"The Darryl thing hurt me a lot because I had just thought we re-established our relationship," he said.
"I forgave him for a lot of stuff. I never threw him under the bus, never said anything about him publicly. For him to say that stuff, you have to draw a line somewhere and I guess do a better choice of picking friends."
Later, Gooden said he is fine and "healthy." He noted that, yes, he's a drug addict, but he's still in recovery.
"I am an addict, that don't mean I'm an active addict."
Both Gooden and Strawberry had drug problems through parts of their careers and Gooden served a stretch in prison. They have been presented as recovering addicts in recent years, though Strawberry's account paints the picture that this only applies to one of them. Gooden disputes that notion, however. Hopefully he's telling the truth and he's OK. Gooden is now 51 years old.
