Steve Lyons (baseball)
Steve Lyons | |
---|---|
Outfielder / Infielder | |
Born: Tacoma, Washington, U.S. | June 3, 1960|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 15, 1985, for the Boston Red Sox | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 3, 1993, for the Boston Red Sox | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .252 |
Home runs | 19 |
Runs batted in | 196 |
Teams | |
Stephen John Lyons (born June 3, 1960) is an American former
Early years
Lyons was born in 1960 in
Playing career
Path to the majors
At the start of his professional career, Lyons played for four teams in Boston's
Boston Red Sox
After playing for 3+1⁄2 years in the minor leagues, Lyons was promoted to the Red Sox in 1985, due in large part to having an impressive
In 1986, Lyons appeared in 59 games through late June, batting .250 with one home run and 14 RBIs. On May 10, he was ejected for the only time in his MLB career, by umpire Terry Cooney after arguing a called third strike.[7]
Chicago White Sox
Lyons was traded to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Tom Seaver on June 29, 1986.[8] For the remainder of the 1986 season, Lyons played 42 games with the White Sox, batting .203 with six RBIs; he also played 20 games with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. During 1987, Lyons split time between Chicago and their Triple-A affiliate, the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League. With the White Sox, he batted .280 with one home run and 19 RBIs in 76 games.
Lyons spent all of the 1988 season with Chicago, batting .269 with five home runs and 45 RBIs in 146 games. In 1989, he appeared in 140 games, batting .264 with two home runs and 50 RBIs. He played 94 games in 1990, batting .192 with one home run and 11 RBIs. In parts of five seasons with the White Sox, Lyons appeared in 497 games, batting .255 with nine home runs and 131 RBIs. Lyons was released by the White Sox on April 13, 1991.
Playing every position
Lyons played every defensive position (including pitcher) as well as designated hitter, pinch hitter, and pinch runner during his time with the White Sox. He also has the rare distinction of having played all nine defensive positions in a single game at the major league level, although in an exhibition contest. The "Windy City Classic," between the Chicago Cubs and the White Sox, took place at Wrigley Field on April 23, 1990.[9] Per standard baseball notation, Lyons's positions during the game were, in order: 2-3-7-8-6-9-5-9-1-4.[10]
Second stint with Boston
Lyons signed with Boston on April 18, 1991. With the 1991 Red Sox he played in 87 games, batting .241 with four home runs and 17 RBIs. After the season, Lyons became a free agent.
Atlanta Braves
Lyons signed with the Atlanta Braves in January 1992. He played 11 games for them, batting 1-for-14 (.071) with one RBI. The Braves released him at the end of April.
Montreal Expos
Lyons signed with the Montreal Expos on May 8, 1992. He played 16 games for them, batting 3-for-13 (.231) with one RBI.
Third stint with Boston
The Expos sold Lyons to the Red Sox on June 27, 1992. Through the end of the season, Lyons played 21 games for Boston, batting 7-for-28 (.250) with two RBIs. He also played 37 games with Triple-A Pawtucket. After the season, Lyons again became a free agent.
- Chicago Cubs
Lyons signed with the Chicago Cubs in early February 1993, and was released in late March.
Fourth stint with Boston
Lyons again signed with Boston on May 7, 1993. With the 1993 Red Sox he appeared in 28 games, batting 3-for-23 (.130). He also appeared in 67 Triple-A games with Pawtucket. Lyons's final MLB game was on October 3, when he played right field and second base in a 14-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.[11] He became a free agent after the season, but did not continue his playing career. In parts of five seasons with the Red Sox, Lyons played in 328 games, batting .251 with 10 home runs and 63 RBIs.
Lyons's overall MLB career totals include a .252 batting average, 19 home runs, and 196 RBIs in 853 games. He appeared twice as a relief pitcher, giving up four hits and one run in three innings pitched for a 3.00 ERA, while walking four and striking out two.
Eccentricities
Lyons's colorful personality earned him the nickname "Psycho".[12] He was known for such eccentricities as playing tic-tac-toe and hangman against opposing players during games, using spikes to mark the infield dirt.[13]
His most remembered incident occurred at
And the jokes began, "No one had ever dropped his drawers on the field. Not Wally Moon. Not Blue Moon Odom. Not even Heinie Manush." wrote one columnist.[12] Within 24 hours of the "exposure," he received more exposure than he'd gotten his entire career; seven live television and approximately 20 radio interviews. Lyons himself once stated, "We've got this pitcher, Mélido Pérez, who earlier this month pitched a no-hitter, and I'll guarantee you he didn't do two live television shots afterward. I pull my pants down, and I do seven. Something's pretty skewed toward the zany in this game."[12][15] In a later interview, Lyons said that, in the moment of dropping his pants, "I just brain-cramped."[16]
Broadcasting career
Fox Sports
After his retirement from the playing field, Lyons became a
Fox firing
During their broadcast of Game 3 of the
Los Angeles Dodgers
From 2005 to 2013, Lyons served as color analyst for the
Following Lyons's firing by Fox during the 2006 ALCS, on October 16, 2006, the Dodgers announced that they would keep Lyons as a commentator for their road games. The team said that they gave Lyons probationary guidelines and that he would undergo diversity training. Lyons also continued to host the Dodgers' post-game show, Dodgers Live.[20]
On October 12, 2013, Lyons announced that he would not be returning to the Dodgers the following season.[21]
Boston Red Sox
In 2014, Lyons joined the
In 2017, Lyons took a leave of absence, starting in June, from his broadcasting job with NESN. In August, it became public that Lyons had been arrested for domestic battery in January, with the arresting officer reporting that Lyons's girlfriend had suffered facial injuries.[23][24] On August 15, 2017, the three misdemeanor charges against Lyons were dropped in superior court in Torrance, California, after it was determined that the photos taken of Lyons's girlfriend in January had been lost by the police, leading to the dismissal.[25] Lyons's leave of absence extended through the remainder of the 2017 MLB season.
Lyons returned to NESN for the 2018 MLB season, calling Red Sox spring training games with Dave O'Brien, and during the regular season has served as an in-studio analyst and fill-in color commentator. Lyons was not brought back for the 2021 Season and beyond.
Other broadcasting
In the mid-1990s, Lyons worked for WMVP in Chicago, and as an analyst for ESPN and ESPN2.[26] He was part of the Arizona Diamondbacks' broadcast crew in 2003 and 2004.[27] Lyons made his debut video game appearance as a broadcaster in All-Star Baseball 2005 along with Thom Brennaman. He has also been a broadcaster in the MLB: The Show series.
Controversial broadcasting remarks
Lyons has been criticized for making insensitive comments in the broadcast booth on multiple occasions.
Lyons maligned outfielder
In August 2006, while working an
Lyons and fellow sportscaster
Personal life
Lyons is of French and Irish descent,[citation needed] and as of 2017[update] resides in Hermosa Beach, California.[25] In 1995, he published a book, PSYCHOanalysis, with foreword by Stephen King, of his personal observations and stories about baseball.[26]
References
- ^ Gammons, Peter (April 11, 1982). "Snow Puts Rangers, White Sox in Hole". The Boston Globe. p. 52.
- ^ Jaynes, Dwight (June 4, 1985). "Red Sox Rookie's Tale of Trail to Big Time like Fable Come True". Portland Oregonian. p. D1.
- ^ "Bosox Tab Beavers' Lyons". Portland Oregonian. June 9, 1981. p. D3.
- ^ Gammons, Peter (March 20, 1985). "Lyons on Cutting Edge of the Debate". The Boston Globe. p. 34.
- ^ "Chicago White Sox 6, Boston Red Sox 5". Retrosheet. April 15, 1985. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ "California Angels 3, Boston Red Sox 2". Retrosheet. April 30, 1985. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ "Boston Red Sox 4, Oakland Athletics 2". Retrosheet. May 10, 1986. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ Whiteside, Larry (June 30, 1986). "Seaver finally changes his Sox". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 10, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "This Day in All Teams History - April 23rd". nationalpastime.com. 2015.
- ^ "Lyons plays every position in exhibition". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. April 24, 1990. p. 37. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ "Milwaukee Brewers 6, Boston Red Sox 3". Retrosheet. October 3, 1993. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Swift, E. M. (August 13, 1990). "Moon Man". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 10, 2018 – via si.com/vault.
- ^ Andriesen, David (May 13, 2002). "Lyons remembered for games in games". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ "Lyons absent-mindedly drops pants at first". MLB.com. July 16, 1990. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
- ISBN 978-0849947322.
- ^ Marchand, Andrew (October 3, 2003). "5 Questions for Steve Lyons". New York Post. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ a b "Fox fires Lyons for racially insensitive comment". ESPN. AP. October 15, 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- ^ "Piniella Comes to Defense of Fired Lyons". AOL Sports. October 17, 2006. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Broadcasters | Los Angeles Dodgers". mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ "Lyons keeps part-time job with Dodgers". ESPN. October 18, 2006.
- ^ Shainkin, Bill (October 12, 2013). "Steve Lyons, Eric Collins out as Dodgers broadcasters". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
- ^ Wilbur, Eric (April 3, 2014). "Steve Lyons joins NESN as Red Sox studio analyst". The Boston Globe. Boston, MA.
- ^ "Report: Steve Lyons facing domestic battery charge". WEEI. August 5, 2017. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
- ^ "NESN analyst Steve Lyons off the air after domestic battery charge". The Boston Globe. August 5, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017 – via Boston.com.
- ^ a b Gleeson, Scott (August 16, 2017). "Red Sox analyst Steve Lyons has domestic violence charges dismissed". USA Today.
- ^ a b Greenidge, Jim (July 2, 1995). "Lyons shares some laughs". The Boston Globe. p. 52. Retrieved August 10, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Gintonio, Jim (January 17, 2003). "Lyons joins D-Backs' TV crew as analyst". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. 46. Retrieved August 10, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Delgado Swoons During Hicks Visit". Can't Stop The Bleeding. January 23, 2005.
- ^ Weingarten, Marc (August 27, 2006). "Steve Lyons is An idiot". Two Jakes.
- ^ McCauley, Janie (October 14, 2006). "Fox fires baseball announcer Steve Lyons after racially insensitive comment". USA Today. AP.
Further reading
- Lyons, Steve (1995). Steve Lyons: PSYCHOanalysis. Sagamore Publishing. ISBN 9781571670137.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Baseball-Almanac
- Steve Lyons at IMDb
- Steve Lyons on Twitter