#259 Sparky Lyle

No player from 1971 I can think of is more influential to today’s game than he…I look at two phases come to light; first his early years with Boston averaging an inning each game he appears then in 1972  record setting number of saves with the Yankees…put together it’s possible Sparky’s first true closer…at the time the top reliever completed usually closer to two innings per outing….his acquisition by the Yankees was the first in a line of imports that eventually resulted in two WS wins….over the years Sparky holds court in the Yankee pen…1975 decidedly an off year with 6 saves….bounced  back with vengeance in 1976 leading the AL in saves with a somewhat small figure of 23….In 1977, Sparky was able add 3 more saves to his total but more importantly he’s the first reliever to win AL Cy Young…it was the end of his prominence as George Steinbremer imports Goose Gossage and Rawley Eastwick, effectively putting Lyle is a secondary role….a trade to Texas for 1979 resulted in moderate improvement but was becoming evidently clear time was catching up to him…his worst season to date came in 1980 with a 4.49 ERA….only redeemer was late trade to the Phillies…improved and appeared in two scoreless inning in the NLCS….continued to hang on in Philly for the most of two more seasons in middle relief….career ended with White Sox late 1982…career line was 238 saves…37^th on the all time list….has written two books on baseball both based on his Bronx Zoo time.