Lenny Dykstra has fallen on hard times

Lenny Dykstra is struggling now to make ends meet. We’re talking struggling to the tune of being $31 million dollar in the hole and having $50,000 in assets. An accountant would have eyes bulging out of his head looking at Dykstra’s flow-sheet.

Jeff Pearlman sums it up best.

It’s not that ex-athletes can’t be successful businessmen and business-women. It’s that Lenny Dykstra can’t be one. Having researched Dykstra extensively for The Bad Guys Won!, it was pretty clear that this wasn’t an especially intelligent, or ethical, man. He was a ridiculously bad better; an immature oaf, a guy who cheated on his wife with staggering regularity. The idea of Lenny Dykstra turning into Bill Gates? Laughable. The idea of Lennt Dykstra turning into a 10-cent con? Easy to see.

Hence, it was no surprise to hear yesterday that Dykstra recently filed for bankruptcy, saying he owed more than $31 million—and that he possessed roughly $50,000 in assets. The man is so sad that he’s pawning off his 1986 World Series championship ring, as well as the mini trophy each player received.

As a human, I sort of hope Dykstra rots for this one. He took advantage of a LOT of people, including close friends and family members.

When we read the book The Bad Guys Won by Pearlman, Dykstra was no doubt a likable figure. No bet was too big and no drink was too strong for him. He was our kind of guy. But those type of guys don’t usually make great investors and guys you’d want to trust with your life savings. Dykstra was running car washes a few years back, remember? It’s sad to see a legend of your childhood in such a bad spot but it sounds like Lenny Dykstra did this to himself. Can he turn his life around? He probably will find a way. Just like he found a way to hit that home run in the 1986 NLCS against Houston in the 9th inning.