Dwight Gooden to join Newark Bears as minor league baseball executive

Gooden joins Newark Bears as baseball executive

NEWARK, N.J. — Dwight “Doc” Gooden is back in baseball at the independent minor league level.

The Newark Bears say the former Cy Young award winner, who pitched for the New York Yankees and New York Mets, will be hired as senior vice president of the Atlantic League franchise on Thursday.

Team spokesman Jesse Suskin says Gooden will serve as the Bears’ community ambassador in Newark, New Jersey’s largest city. The 44-year-old Gooden will work with youth baseball camps and leagues.

Gooden dominated baseball at 19, earning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 1984. He later struggled with substance abuse problems.

He joins former Yankees teammate Tim Raines, who is the Bears’ manager.