New York Mets Starting Lineup: 1986 World Series Game 6
1. Lenny Dykstra, CF
He was the one on the field you couldn’t help but notice, which was just the way he liked it. Hat off, a mop of unruly hair, and that signature clump of Big League chew bulging against his cheek.
But Lenny Dykstra was also a pretty good leadoff hitter for the ’86 Mets. He hit .295 that year, and more importantly he had a .377 on-base percentage with 31 stolen bases. A table setter, he was known for his take-no-prisoners style of play. Unfortunately, that would later lead to his becoming a prisoner.
But before all that developed, he had a shining moment the 1993 NLCS…
Only 23 at the time of the 1986 World Series, he would play in all seven games for the Mets, collecting eight hits, two of which were uncharacteristic home runs. In Game Six, however, he was hitless in four tries with two strikeouts.
In the middle of the 1989 season, Dykstra was unceremoniously traded along with Roger McDowell to the Phillies for Juan Samuel. Because it followed on the heels of fan favorite Wally Backman being exiled to the Twins for three minor leaguers who never had a cup of coffee in the big leagues, a few eyebrows were raised as to what the Mets were doing. Years later when everything came out about the team’s wild ways, speculation presumed that they were simply clearing house.
Dykstra would go on to have several ho-hum years with the Phillies and two spectacular years, the best of which came in 1993 when he led the league in plate appearances (773), runs scored (142), hits (194), and walks (129) in helping his team make a World Series appearance.
Plagued by a series of injuries, he would leave baseball three years later at the age of only 33 and still as wild as ever.
From there, his personal life took a downward spiral culminating in 2012 when he was sentenced to three years in a California state prison after pleading no contest to grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement.
“Nails” as he was known, plead not guilty to 25 counts after police arrested him and found cocaine, Ecstasy and synthetic human growth hormone at his Los Angeles home last April. He changed his plea in October to no contest and in exchange prosecutors dropped 21 counts.
More recently, he has regained the spotlight by publishing two books in which it would seem he disses everyone who he has ever had contact with, including several members of the 1986 New York Mets. Most of them wisely chose to ignore him.
In fact, his behavior would conform more with a few other teammates (which we’ll get to) who also had a difficult time adjusting to life after baseball.