Sparky Lyle

Sparky Lyle
Lyle atTD Bank Ballparkin 2019
Pitcher
Born:(1944-07-22)July 22, 1944 DuBois, Pennsylvania,U.S.
Batted:Left Threw:Left
MLB debut
July 4, 1967, for the Boston Red Sox
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 1982, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	99–76
Earned run average	2.88
Strikeouts	873
Saves	238
Teams
Boston Red Sox(1967–1971) New York Yankees(1972–1978) Texas Rangers(1979–1980) Philadelphia Phillies(1980–1982) Chicago White Sox(1982)
Career highlights and awards
3×All-Star(1973,1976,1977) 2×World Serieschampion (1977,1978) AL Cy Young Award(1977) 2×AL saves leader(1972, 1976)

Albert Walter"Sparky"Lyle(born July 22, 1944) is an Americanprofessional baseballpitcherwho spent sixteen seasons inMajor League Baseball(MLB) from 1967 through 1982. He was arelief pitcherfor theBoston Red Sox,New York Yankees,Texas Rangers,Philadelphia Phillies,andChicago White Sox.

A three-timeAll-Star,he won theCy Young Awardin 1977, the firstAmerican Leaguereliever so honored. He led the AL insavesin 1972 and 1976. With the Yankees, Lyle was a member of theWorld Serieschampions in 1977 and 1978, both over theLos Angeles Dodgers.

Lyle co-authored, withPeter Golenbock,The Bronx Zoo,a 1979 tell-all book which chronicled the dissension within the Yankees in itsWorld SeriesChampionship seasons of1977and1978.From 1998–2012, Lyle served as manager of theSomerset Patriots,anindependent baseballteam of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball.

Lyle is credited, alongsideRollie Fingers,with expanding the role and importance of the reliever in professional baseball beginning in the 1970s.

Early life and career

Lyle was born inDuBois, Pennsylvania,on July 22, 1944, and grew up in nearbyReynoldsville.His father was a carpenter and general contractor, and his mother a seamstress at a coffin factory. He attended Reynoldsville High School where he playedvarsityfootball and basketball. During the spring of hisjunioryear, he began playingAmerican Legion baseballfor the DuBois team because neither his high school nor Reynoldsville fielded an organized baseball squad.

He oncestruck out31 batters while pitching 14 of 17inningsin a state tournament game for DuBois. At the time, his pitching repertoire consisted of afastball,curveballandchangeup.He was brought in for a tryout with thePittsburgh PiratesalongsideBruce Dal Canton.The Pirates signed only the latter after seeing that the speed of Lyle's pitches was no match for Dal Canton's.Lyle did succeed in catching the attention ofGeorge Stallerwho was ascoutfor theBaltimore Oriolesat the time. Lyle signed with the ballclub as an amateur free agent on June 17, 1964.

He spent the opening half of his first professional campaign in 1964 with theBluefield Orioles.He appeared in seven games, three out of the bullpen. It was the first time he was used as a reliever, an idea which he suggested to managerJim Frey.Later that season, he would earn a promotion to theFox Cities Foxes,where he was used exclusively as astarting pitcherin six games for the eventualMidwest Leaguechampions.

Boston Red Sox

Lyle was selected by theBoston Red Soxin the first-year draft on November 30, 1964.He progressed up the Red Soxfarm systemas a relief pitcher, with stops inWinston-Salemin 1965,Pittsfieldin 1966 andTorontoin the first half of1967.It was during his time at Pittsfield that he picked up theslider,a pitch that was introduced to him byTed Williamsatspring trainingprior to that season. Lyle recalled, "He told me it was the best pitch in baseball because it was the only pitch he couldn't hit even when he knew it was coming." The slider became the most successful pitch in his repertoire.

He was called up to Boston afterDennis Bennettwas sold to theNew York Metson June 24, 1967.Lyle pitched two scoreless innings to close out a 4–3 Red Sox loss to theCalifornia Angelsin his major-league debut atAnaheim Stadiumon July 4.He recorded his first careersavetwelve days later on July 16 in Boston's 9–5 victory over theDetroit TigersatFenway Park.His first win in the majors came on July 27 in the Red Sox's ten-inning 6–5 triumph at home over the Angels.He ended hisrookiecampaign with 27 mound appearances, a 1–2 record, five saves and a 2.28earned run average (ERA).He was left off Boston'sWorld Seriesroster due to a sore arm.

He registered 64 saves during the next four years, serving as the team's closer from1969to1971.

New York Yankees

During spring training prior to the1972 seasonon March 22, Lyle was traded to theNew York YankeesforDanny Caterand a player to be named later (Mario Guerrero). The transaction proved to be one-sided as Lyle became the Yankees' bullpen ace, establishing himself as one of the best relief pitchers of the 1970s. He played a major role in the Yankees' three straight pennants from 1976 to 1978, andWorld Seriestitles in the last two of those years.In 1972, hesaved35 games, anAmerican Leaguerecord, and a major league record for left-handers;Ron Perranoskihad set both marks in 1970, butJohn Hillerwould surpass Lyle's total with 38 in 1973. In 1972, Lyle also became the firstsouthpawto collect 100 saves in the American League. He also finished third in the 1972 MVP voting.

Lyle (left) shaking hands withGerald Fordin 1976

Lyle again led the league in saves in 1976, and in 1977 became the first AL reliever to win theCy Young Award.He was named an American LeagueAll-Starin 1973, 1976 and 1977. In 1976, he brokeHoyt Wilhelm's American League record of 154 career saves, and the following year eclipsed Perranoski's major league mark for left-handers of 179 career saves. Through 1977, Lyle had compiled 201 career saves, and was within range of Wilhelm's career big-league record of 227. Lyle was associated with a trademark song to herald his entry into games,Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D.

But despite Lyle's 1977 Cy Young Award, the Yankees decided to upgrade the closer position in the 1977 off-season. To this end they signedPittsburgh Pirates' relieverRich Gossage,who had been an All-Star the previous three years and had led the American League in saves while with theChicago White Soxin 1975. Gossage was a power pitcher as opposed to Lyle's more slider-based approach and could throw his fastball much harder than Lyle could, at or near 100 MPH on a consistent basis. Although Lyle was not opposed to the Yankees' move, he later said that they should have gotten rid of him after they signed Gossage. Lyle knew the 26-year-old Gossage was a rising star who would eventually become the go-to reliever, and Lyle was not okay with a reduced role in the Yankees' bullpen.

During the 1978 season, working mostly in middle relief appearances, Lyle appeared in 59 games and recorded nine saves, most of which were early in the season. He also posted a 9-3 record out of the bullpen, but posted his second-highest earned run average. Lyle suffered avaricose veinflareup in his pelvic area. Yankees teammateGraig Nettlesquipped that Lyle went "from Cy Young to sayonara."

During the course of the season, which as noted he documented in his book, Lyle expressed a desire to leave the Yankees. One of Lyle's desired destinations was theTexas Rangers,and he believed that a deal would be done "before Christmas". On November 10, 1978, the Yankees traded him to the Rangers along with catcherMike Heath,pitchersLarry McCallandDave Rajsich,and minor league shortstopDomingo Ramosin exchange for outfielderJuan Beníquez,pitchersMike Griffin,Paul Mirabella,andDave Righetti,and minor league outfielder Greg Jemison. $400,000 in cash was paid to the Rangers.

Later career

Lyle signed a new contract with the Rangers shortly after he was acquired, with the intention of him finishing his playing career in Texas.However, Lyle was not the same pitcher he had been in his All-Star years and it showed. He split closer duties withJim Kernhis first year in Texas and only managed thirteen saves. Lyle also posted eight losses against five wins. He was nearly dealt along withJohnny Grubbfrom the Rangers to thePhiladelphia PhilliesforTug McGraw,Bake McBrideandLarry Christensonat the 1979Winter MeetingsinToronto,but the proposed transaction was never executed because, although Lyle did not have a no-trade clause negotiated into the deal he had signed after being traded to the Rangers, the two sides had agreed to defer a total of $500,000 that was to be paid to him over ten years as his salary for becoming an analyst on the team's television broadcasts once Lyle retired and they could not strike an agreement regarding that.

In 1980, Lyle only recorded eight saves. Entering the season as one of two contenders to breakHoyt Wilhelm's career saves record, he was caught and passed byRollie Fingersearly in the year on Fingers' way to setting a new mark himself.

Lyle was dealt to thePhillieson September 13 in a transaction that was completed whenKevin Saucierwas sent to the Rangers two months later on November 19.Since he was acquired after the deadline for postseason eligibility, he did not pitch for the Phillies during the National League Championship Series nor the1980 World Series.All the news was not positive, however, as for the first time in his career Lyle recorded an ERA above 4.00. In 1981 he saw more of the same, recording only two saves in 49 games with a 4.44 ERA and a 9-6 record.

His contract was purchased by theChicago White Soxfrom thePhillieson August 21, 1982. He played his last game on September 27. He was released by the White Sox on October 12, 1982.Lyle finished his 16-year career with 238 saves, a 2.88ERA,and a record of 99–76 in 899 games pitched — all in relief. In 1985, Fingers broke his American League record for career saves; and in 1991 Righetti surpassed Lyle's major-league record for career saves by a left-hander, though Lyle still holds the AL mark of 232.

Post-playing years

In 1998, Lyle became the first manager of theSomerset Patriots,an independent baseball league team based inBridgewater, New Jersey.He managed the team toAtlantic Leaguepennantsin 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2009, and was the Patriots' manager until November 27, 2012, when he became manager emeritus. Lyle's number 28 that he wore with the Patriots was retired on June 14, 2014.

Clubhouse antics

A noted clubhouse prankster in his playing days, Lyle was known for sneaking into thelocker roomduring games to sit naked onbirthday cakesprepared for teammates, leaving the imprint of his posterior on the frosting.In his autobiography, Lyle noted that teammateRon Swobodaturned the tables on him by defecating on a cake which was then delivered to Lyle; Lyle said the reason why he eventually stopped his cake sitting was because of the notoriety he gained from doing it, thinking that someone might try to "put a needle in the cake" to hurt him.

As a world-class practical joker, Lyle engaged in creative pranks like putting goldfish in the dugout water cooler and ordering pizzas to be delivered to the other team's bullpen. Once, as he noted, he got revenge onYogi Berrafor using his toothpaste before games by injectinglinimentinto the tube; Lyle said that once the liniment came in contact with Berra's mouth it literally caused smoke to pour from his gums.

He also loved giving "hotfoots", a time-honored baseball trick where a player will sneak up on another player or reporter while they are giving an interview in the dugout. The unsuspecting victim then has a match or two placed gently in the back or side of their shoe, with the head facing out. When the moment is right, the prankster lights the match head and slinks away to watch from a distance. As soon as the flame from the slowly burning head reaches the victim’s shoe, it’s hot enough to be felt. Lyle enjoyed the final result, usually a startled yelp in the middle of a serious conversation.

Books

• Lyle, Sparky;Golenbock, Peter(1979).The Bronx Zoo.Crown Publishers.ISBN0-517-53726-5.
• Lyle, Sparky; Fisher, David (1990).The Year I Owned the Yankees: A Baseball Fantasy.Bantam Books.ISBN0-553-05750-2.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orESPN,orBaseball Reference,orFangraphs,orBaseball Reference (Minors),orRetrosheet
• Sparky Lyleat theSABR Baseball Biography Project
• Baseball Hall of Fame candidate profile