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“Oil Can” Boyd Says He’d Be A 150-Game Winner If He Didn’t Do So Much Freaking Cocaine

Dennis Ray “Oil Can” Boyd, a former MLB pitcher who spent his best years with the Red Sox, got his nickname because he drank a lot of beer (beer is called “oil” in his hometown of Meridan, Mississippi). That’s the first thing you should know about “Oil Can” Boyd.

The second thing you should know is, had he not done so much cocaine, he would’ve been one of the greatest pitchers ever.

(That second statement comes from a source close to the situation, that source being “Oil Can” Boyd.)

According to the amazingly-nicknamed 52-year old, who hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 1991, he “would have won 150 ball games” if he hadn’t done ridiculous amounts of nose candy in his heyday. According to Boyd, he was under the influence of amphetamines for roughly “two-thirds” of his appearances in the majors. (In case you’re wondering, Boyd posted a career record of 78-77.)

Oh, one other thing you should know about the “Oil Can” if you didn’t already: he’s a bit of a character. After not being invited to Red Sox spring training in 1993, he threatened to sue the team. He also tried to become a replacement player during the 1995 season, betraying the players union (this also screwed over his agent). Oh, and he tried to make an MLB comeback at age 49, 18 years removed from the Majors.

One thing we’ll say to ol’ “Oil Can”: Doc Ellis pitched a no-no while on LSD. So, at the very least, you could’ve had a slightly better winning percentage while doing all that white.

[h/t reddit; image via]

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