Embattled jailbird and ex-Phillies star Lenny Dykstra is expected to be released from a California prison Sunday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Dykstra is 15 months into a three-year sentence for grand theft auto charges and filing a false financial report.
Dykstra, dubbed "Nails" for his tenacity on the field, played ball for the Mets and the Phillies, leading the former to the 1986 World Series.
After a drunk driving incident and a few injuries, he retired in 1996 and started a car wash business.
Then things got weird.
He got into trading and became something of a celebrity stock picker. He launched the ill-fated Players Club, a magazine for high-minded athletes. The enterprise took him under to much ridicule.
In 2009 he filed for bankruptcy after owing millions to banks, real estate pros, law firms, and private jet companies. His home — which was Wayne Gretzky's $17.5 million mansion by the way — went to auction.
He ended up living in his car.
Ever the badass, Nails told his creditors to "bring it on, bros."
But things went from bad to worse for Dykstra. His convictions included: a car finance scam, lewd conduct, and assault with a deadly weapon. Then there was the grand theft auto and fraud that finally landed him behind bars.
He faced up to 20 years but agreed to a plea deal. As the icing on top, a federal judge tacked on 6 1/2 months to his sentence for bankruptcy fraud. Apparently, he had been selling or hiding assets belonging to the bankruptcy estate (to the tune of $400,000).
Now it seems as though Nails' luck has finally turned.
After 15 months behind bars, we wish Dykstra the best in his future endeavors.
Like Christopher Frankie, Dykstra's biographer, told the Inquirer, "People in this country really love a comeback story."
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