Lyon Article from ESPN Insider

[ActingWild]

I don't actually have Insider but here's what they have out for the general public. Anyone have Insider and willing to post the whole story?

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/colu.../columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=2058501

The best is yet to come?
Insider
Neyer
By Rob Neyer
ESPN Insider
Archive
Related Video:
Arizona continues Colorado's losing slide ESPN Motion

Just two months ago, who would have guessed that on the morning of May 12 a Diamondback named Brandon Lyon would lead the major leagues in saves? So what bizarre chain of events has led to this strange situation?

In 1999, the Blue Jays drafted Lyon, then attending Dixie Junior College (which isn't in the Deep South, but rather in Utah), and a year later they signed him to a contract. Lyon rocketed through the minors. One year and two months after beginning his professional career, he debuted in the major leagues with seven solid innings against the Orioles, and he finished that season with five wins, four losses, and a solid 4.29 ERA in the majors.

In 2002, though, Lyon struggled badly, both in the majors and the minors, and the Blue Jays – or more precisely, new general manager J.P. Ricciardi – gave up on him. To clear space on their 40-man roster (for a variety of players now hoping to join Rickey Henderson with the San Diego SurfPups), the Jays placed Lyon on waivers. Anybody could have had him, and the Red Sox, impressed by Lyon's rapid ascent to the majors, took a flyer. Again, Lyon was immediately impressive, and with the Red Sox' closer-by-committee plan failing miserably early in the season, Lyon was assigned the role and thrived … for a while.

As it turned out, Lyon wasn't healthy. First he pitched well (posting a 1.98 ERA in April and five saves in May), then he struggled, then he got traded to the Pirates and then he got traded back to the Red Sox after the Pirates discovered that Lyon's elbow was hurting. After taking more than a month off, Lyon returned to action in September and pitched well enough. But shortly after the 2003 season, Lyon was one of four young players the Red Sox sent the Diamondbacks for Curt Schilling.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I don't actually have Insider but here's what they have out for the general public. Anyone have Insider and willing to post the whole story?

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/colu.../columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=2058501

The best is yet to come?
Insider
Neyer
By Rob Neyer
ESPN Insider
Archive
Related Video:
Arizona continues Colorado's losing slide ESPN Motion

Just two months ago, who would have guessed that on the morning of May 12 a Diamondback named Brandon Lyon would lead the major leagues in saves? So what bizarre chain of events has led to this strange situation?

In 1999, the Blue Jays drafted Lyon, then attending Dixie Junior College (which isn't in the Deep South, but rather in Utah), and a year later they signed him to a contract. Lyon rocketed through the minors. One year and two months after beginning his professional career, he debuted in the major leagues with seven solid innings against the Orioles, and he finished that season with five wins, four losses, and a solid 4.29 ERA in the majors.

In 2002, though, Lyon struggled badly, both in the majors and the minors, and the Blue Jays – or more precisely, new general manager J.P. Ricciardi – gave up on him. To clear space on their 40-man roster (for a variety of players now hoping to join Rickey Henderson with the San Diego SurfPups), the Jays placed Lyon on waivers. Anybody could have had him, and the Red Sox, impressed by Lyon's rapid ascent to the majors, took a flyer. Again, Lyon was immediately impressive, and with the Red Sox' closer-by-committee plan failing miserably early in the season, Lyon was assigned the role and thrived … for a while.

As it turned out, Lyon wasn't healthy. First he pitched well (posting a 1.98 ERA in April and five saves in May), then he struggled, then he got traded to the Pirates and then he got traded back to the Red Sox after the Pirates discovered that Lyon's elbow was hurting. After taking more than a month off, Lyon returned to action in September and pitched well enough. But shortly after the 2003 season, Lyon was one of four young players the Red Sox sent the Diamondbacks for Curt Schilling.

I look forward to reading the rest of this. Props to you for posting what you can get.

Lyon has truly been a potential first-to-worst-to-first story. The guy rocketed up the Blue Jay system, but was eventually cast off by both the Red Sox twice and the Pirates in between before being the throw in of the Curt Schilling deal.

If I'm not mistaken, he was on thin ice with the D-Backs as well, however his ability to close games has really perhaps saved his career.

 

[ActingWild]

*sigh* Looks like the article jinxed him. DL again.