Can’t Put A Finger On It
I was just reading this about former Yankee Sparky Lyle –
One noticeable missing piece in the Somerset dugout was Sparky Lyle, the former great Red Sox and Yankees closer and long-time manager of the Patriots. Lyle, always feisty as a player), has proven to be equally spirited as a manager. Lyle, perhaps best known for authoring a tell-all book on the inner workings of the 1978 World Champion New York Yankees, was serving the second game of a 10-game suspension levied by the league for making two obscene gestures to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs crowd during Game 3 of 2010 Atlantic League Championship Series. The reigning Atlantic League Manager of the Year began serving his sentence during Game 4—which was won by Somerset and clinched the championship for the Patriots—and fined an undisclosed amount by the league.
And, it got me wondering…when was the last time a Yankees player flipped the bird, or something like that, at Yankees Stadium? Was it Black Jack in 1995?
If so, it’s interesting that this never happened under Joe Torre. Not with David Wells, Gary Sheffield, Jason Grimsley, Chuck Knoblauch and some other characters who have come through the doors in Yankeeland. I wonder if it will ever happen under Joe Girardi’s watch…and which player would do it?
I dunno – what’s a bigger baseball sin. A ballplayer jogging across the back of a pitcher’s mound, or a 60-year-old manager giving fans the finger – twice – and costing his team 10 games without him as manager?
I’m having a hard time remembering the last time a player or manager flipped off a crowd before McDowell in ’95. Usually, if something happens it’s an off field incident.
@ lisaswan: Have you ever been to a Pats game?
Basically, Sparky – and don’t get me wrong, I love the guy – waives to the crowd before the game and than sits in the dugout smoking ciggies for the rest of the day. I doubt he’s costing his team anything here.
lol.,. Nice work if you can get it
Ha! I stand corrected then, Steve!
It could have been worse – Sparky could have gone to this fan’s house and sat on his birthday cake – LOL.