|
Leonard Kyle Dykstra (born February 10, 1963 in Santa Ana, California) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Dykstra played played for the New York Mets (1985-89) and Philadelphia Phillies from (1989-96). He threw and batted left-handed.
Dykstra was signed by the Mets as a 13th round draft pick in 1981. A star in the minors, in 1983 he led the Carolina League in at-bats, runs, hits, triples, batting average, and stolen bases with 105, which was a league for 17 years.
In 1985, Dykstra was deemed ready for the Major Leagues. The following season, he was the starting center fielder for the Mets World Series champions. He continued with the Mets until 1989 when he was traded to the Phillies.
Dykstra was well liked in Philadelphia for his scrappy play. He was known for his trademark cheek full of tobacco and hard play. In fact, one of his nicknames was "Nails", as in "Tough as Nails".
With the Phillies, Dykstra's career was marked by incredible highs and lows. In 1990 he started the All Star Game, led the league in hits, and finished fourth in batting average. He was batting over .400 into June.
Unfortunately, Dykstra's next two seasons were marred by injury. In 1991, a car accident where he suffered fractured ribs, a broken cheekbone, and a fractured collarbone, cost him two months. On Opening Day 1992, Dykstra was hit by a pitch that broke his hand. In all he played in just 145 of 324 possible games in the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
In 1993, it all seemed to come together for Dykstra and the Phillies. The team, which had been rebuilding for 10 years, returned to the top of the National League East. He played in 161 games, setting a Major League record with 773 plate appearances. He was also named an All Star and led the league in hits and walks. Dykstra's spark led the Phillies to the World Series where he hit four home runs although the Phillies lost the series.
Injuries plagued Dykstra for the rest of his career. He retired after the 1996 season. Since his retirement, Dykstra has run a car wash in California. His name has been mentioned as a possible coach or manager, most recently for his original team, the Mets.
External links
- Lenny Dykstra at:
- Baseball LIbrary (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/D/Dykstra_Lenny.stm)
- Baseball Reference (http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/dykstle01.shtml)
| 
