Would You Rather? Dwight Gooden vs. Darryl Strawberry Topps Traded Rookie Cards
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The mid-1980s Mets had equal parts juggernaut and jungle vibe, a supremely talented group that dominated between the chalk while making headlines for bar fights and other tabloid-worthy antics that became the stuff of legend. At the center of this mayhem were two young stars who would help deliver the franchise's magical 1986 World Series championship, Dwight "Doc" Gooden and Darryl Strawberry. Yet their careers became cautionary tales of unfulfilled potential, with substance abuse and personal troubles derailing what seemed like certain Hall of Fame trajectories. Today, their rookie cards carry both the promise of greatness and the weight of what might have been.
The Case for Darryl Strawberry's 1983 Topps Traded #108T
Strawberry's 1983 Topps Traded card captures the effortless swing that made him the number one overall pick in the 1980 draft. The lanky outfielder from Crenshaw High School announced his arrival by crushing 26 home runs, leading to the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Strawberry faced substance abuse challenges but still compiled impressive numbers over parts of 17 seasons, a run that included eight All-Star selections and 335 regular season homers. The Straw Man was also a key cog in the crosstown Yankees' World Championships in '96 and '98, a late career renaissance that spoke to his enduring talent.
Lately, PSA 10 copies have sold for as high as $590, while PSA 9 versions trade in the $85-$100 range. With 775 Gem Mint PSA issues and 2,630 PSA 9s in the population report at the time of writing, Strawberry's card remains challenging in top condition despite showing better survival rates than many peers from the early Traded sets. Raw versions are in the realm of $40-45 in recent sales, offering an affordable entry point into vintage Mets collecting.
The Case for Doc Gooden's 1984 Topps Traded #42T
Gooden's 1984 Topps Traded rookie card captures baseball's most electric young talent at the very beginning of his meteoric rise. The distinctive Traded set design with its bold "METS" lettering perfectly frames the 19-year-old phenom who would strike out a major-league best 276 batters in his first year. This mid-season update makes it the true first card of Dr. K, who would follow up his RoY campaign with one of the greatest seasons in modern history—24-4 with a 1.53 ERA and unanimous Cy Young honors in '85.
Unfortunately, cocaine addiction reared its ugly head in 1987, resulting in a suspension that cost him the Mets' postseason run. Still, over parts of 16 seasons Doc tallied an impressive 194 wins and also contributed to a pair of Yankees championship seasons in '96 and 2000, including an improbable, emotional no-hitter against the Mariners.
Recent PSA 10 sales have fallen between $630 and $850, reflecting both the card's scarcity and Gooden's iconic status, with only 394 PSA Gem Mint rookies in existence at the time of writing compared to 1,068 PSA 9s. The latter trades in the $72-$96 range, while raw versions can be had for around $25.
The Practical Choice
Both cards represent players who achieved notable success despite personal pitfalls. With nearly half the PSA 10 population of Strawberry, Gooden commands a premium that reflects both condition rarity and his status as arguably the most dominant pitcher of the decade.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to who the collector prefers: the slugger with the graceful stride or the fireballer with the wicked curve. Both players remain fan favorites today, drawing huge crowds at events while giving back to the community that celebrates their achievements.
Either way, you're capturing a piece of Mets history from their most exciting era—when two of baseball's brightest young stars seemed destined for Cooperstown before life intervened.
Scott Orgera is a sportswriter and statistician with more than three decades of experience. He has covered thousands of MLB and NFL games, along with most other major sports. A member of the BBWAA, his bylines appear in the Associated Press, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs, and Forbes, among others. He also co‑authored 976‑1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground. Having worked card shows with his family in the 1980s, Scott has remained active in the hobby ever since and now owns a card and memorabilia shop just outside New York City.