Sparky Lyle

From SoSH

Contents 1 Overall Career 1.1 With Boston 1.2 After Boston 2 Awards 3 Moment in the Sun 4 Transactions 5 External Links

Overall Career

Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle was born on July 22, 1944, in DuBois, PA. Lyle was 22 years old when he broke into the big leagues on July 4, 1967, with the Boston Red Sox. Lyle, a left-handed relief pitcher, pitched for the Red Sox (1967-1971), the Yankees (1972-1978), Texas (1979-1980), Philadelphia (1980-1982), and the Chicago White Sox (1982).

With Boston

Lyle was first signed as an amateur free agent by the Baltimore Orioles on June 17, 1964; however, he never played a game for the Orioles. On Nov 30, 1964 he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox from the Orioles.

By the 1969 season he would emerge as the Red Sox' top reliever.

On March 22, 1972 he was traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for first baseman Danny Cater and a player to be named later (Mario Guerrero).

• Final Boston Stats: 260 Games, 22-17, 69 Saves, 2.85 ERA, 275 K's

After Boston

Lyle went on to be the first relief pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in the American League. He led the AL in saves twice and helped the Yankees to three pennants and two World Series titles as the Yankees' bullpen ace. In 1972 he saved 35 games, an then AL record, and also became the first LHP to collect 100 saves in the AL.

On November 10, 1978 he was part of a major trade which sent him, along with four other players and cash, to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Juan Beniquez and four other players, including a young Dave Righetti.

In 1998, he became the manager of the Somerset Patriots, a minor league team based in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He managed the team to Atlantic League pennants in 2001, 2003 and 2005.

Awards

• 1977 American League Cy Young Award
• 3-time American League All-Star (1973, 1976, 1977)

Moment in the Sun

• Update

Transactions

• June 17, 1964: Signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent.
• November 30, 1964: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox from the Baltimore Orioles in the 1964 first-year draft.
• March 22, 1972: Traded by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for Mario Guerrero (PTBNL) and Danny Cater.
• November 10, 1978: Traded by the New York Yankees with Mike Heath, Larry McCall, Dave Rajsich, Domingo Ramos, and cash to the Texas Rangers for Dave Righetti, Juan Beniquez, Mike Griffin, Paul Mirabella, and Greg Jemison.
• September 13, 1980: Traded by the Texas Rangers to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kevin Saucier (PTBNL).
• August 21, 1982: Purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the Philadelphia Phillies.
• October 12, 1982: Released by the Chicago White Sox.

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis