Strawberry: I'm trying to save Gooden 'before he's dead'

Darryl Strawberry is doing his best to care for former New York Mets teammate Dwight "Doc" Gooden, but there's growing concern, according to Strawberry, that Gooden is at risk due to a potential drug relapse.

"The condition Doc is in, it's bad, it's horrible. It's like cocaine poison. I feel like I've got to get it out there because nobody else is doing anything to help him, and it might be the only way to stop him," Strawberry told John Harper of the New York Daily News on Sunday.

Strawberry, who's dealt with his own fair share of off-field struggles in the past, has been growing increasingly worried about Gooden after the two were scheduled to make a joint appearance last week, but Gooden didn't show up.

It's the second time Gooden canceled a public appearance in the past week, leading Strawberry to take initiative.

"He's a complete junkie-addict," Strawberry said. "I've been trying behind the scenes to talk to him and get him to go for help, but he won't listen.

"I have to try something before he's dead."

Strawberry and Gooden, both former Mets first-round picks, won back-to-back Rookie of the Year honors in 1983 (Strawberry) and 1984 (Gooden). The pair battled addiction during and after their careers, which both players spoke about in the "Doc & Darryl" 30 for 30 film by ESPN, which aired last month.