Lenny Dykstra, former baseball star of the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies is getting out of jail this weekend, the Philadelphia Enquirer reported.
In Oct. 2011, Dykstra pleaded no contest to three charges of grand theft auto and one count of filing a false financial report. His prison sentence was the end of an abrupt halt in a promising career.
He was sentenced to three years in March 2012 after completing a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. According to an anonymous source, the Enquirer reported Thursday that Dykstra would be released by Sunday, just 15 months into his sentence.
"I was surprised they let him out before the three years, to be quite frank with you," said Christopher Frankie, author of "Nailed: The Improbable Rise and Spectacular Fall of Lenny Dykstra." "Because he blatantly disobeyed the court, and a lot of the stuff was very brazen. He was doing it in the full view of law enforcement."
Dykstra, whose nickname was "Nails" for his tough-guy persona on and off the field, was also charged with possession of cocaine, ecstasy and human growth hormone (HGH). Those charges were dropped in his plea deal that included rehab.
"I hope, for his sake, his family's sake, and the public's sake, that he doesn't return to his criminal past," Frankie said.
Dykstra retired at the age of 33 after a career plagued by injuries. Since retiring, he was arrested for sexual assault and sexual harassment on numerous occasions and was even sued for telling someone to bet on his Phillies team when he was a player.
His financial legal troubles came from his post-retirement business venture into investing. In July 2009 he filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, saying he only had $50 thousand in assets against $10 million and $50 million liabilities.
In June 2010, he was charged with lying under oath and improperly hiding and selling assets.
Relating to his drug possession charges, he was even mentioned in 2007's Mitchell Report, a detailed investigation of current and former Major League Baseball player's steroid use. In the report, multiple sources confirmed Dykstra used anabolic steroids during his playing career.
Baseball, as well as other sports, has seen fallen heroes return to public favor from similar depths. Take Josh Hamilton for example, but Frankie was not so sure this would happen for Dykstra.
"I think people in this country really love a comeback story, so he certainly has that opportunity," Frankie said. "But I'm not convinced that's the path he's going to take."
