Lenny Dykstra Explains Why 1993 NL Champion Phillies Weren’t Winners

Lenny Dykstra was sitting with his back to everyone, facing his locker in the visitors’ clubhouse.  He still couldn’t believe it. He certainly would never accept it.

Joe Carter’s three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning won the World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays.

“It always seemed that somehow, some way, we were going to get out of it,” Dykstra said. “It was a weird feeling, seeing that ball fly out of there. I felt helpless. I can’t really describe it.”

Dykstra’s seventh inning, three-run home run had put the Philadelphia Philllies back into the game after they had trailed, 5-1. At the conclusion of the inning, the Phillies held a 6-5 lead.

“I really believed after we took the lead that it would go seven games. I thought, ‘Wow, this was meant to be.’ I didn’t say it out loud, but I believed it. I thought it was destiny.

“Everyone thought the game was over in the third inning,” Dykstra said.

Dykstra had helped the New York Mets win the 1986 World Series. His view of what constitutes a season is identical to the one that George M. Steinbrenner held.

“Just getting to the playoffs isn’t enough,” Dykstra said before the playoffs started. “I know what it’s like to go to the playoffs and win it all, like I did with the Mets in 1986, and I know what it’s like to lose and go home. I don’t want to go home.”

There was only one playoff round in 1993. The winner of the best-of-seven NLCS went on to the World Series.  The wild card didn’t exist and only four teams made the playoffs.

In 2012, there will be a total of six division winners and four wild cards.

Now there will be 10 teams that can claim they had a successful season. To Lenny Dykstra, only one of the those 10 teams will be the real winner.

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