In the second inning, broadcast partner Lou Piniella was talking about Oakland's Marco Scutaro and the success the usually light-hitting shortstop had at the plate during the previous series against Minnesota.
Piniella compared it to finding a "wallet on Friday" and hoping it happened next week.
Piniella also said the A's needed Frank Thomas to get "en fuego" — Spanish for on fire — and that he was currently "frio" — cold.
Play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman said, "The bilingual Lou Piniella."
Lyons then said, "Lou is habla- ing some Español there, and I'm still looking for my wallet. I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit close to him now."
The three announcers laughed.
But after the game, Ed Goren, president of Fox Sports, informed Lyons he was being suspended for a game. Lyons flew home Saturday, and after arriving at LAX he called his girlfriend, who told him there were reports he had been fired.
I met Steve Lyons once, near the men's room at a Macy's in San Diego. I like him as a commentator and I think Fox overreacted here. I hope Steve doesn't lose his job with the Dodgers. I think Lou Pinella has some trouble with the English language, so trying to speak Spanish was a little bit of a reach. I'm not sure how what Steve said was offensive, but who knows.
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