How 1984 actually went.
The rebuild suddenly became a pennant race. Dwight Gooden arrived at 19 with a fastball and curve that overwhelmed major-league hitters, Keith Hernandez played like the leader the young roster needed, and Darryl Strawberry continued growing into a power threat. Davey Johnson’s confident style told the players that waiting for the future was over.
Gooden struck out 276 hitters and won Rookie of the Year, producing a level of excitement Shea had not felt since Seaver. Ron Darling and Sid Fernandez helped form a deep young rotation, while Mookie Wilson, Wally Backman, and Hubie Brooks gave the lineup speed and flexibility. The Mets won 90 games, 22 more than the year before.
Chicago stayed ahead and won the division, but second place did not feel like failure. It felt like an announcement. The Mets had stars, pitching, a smart manager, and a farm system still supplying help. After years of asking when the team might become respectable, fans entered the next winter asking how soon it could become a champion.
Gooden made every fifth day electric, and 90 wins made the future arrive ahead of schedule.