Best known for his scientific approach to the sport and his use of computers, Boros' baseball career spanned almost 50 years from his debut as a player for the University of Michigan in 1956 to his retirement in 2004 as an executive with the Detroit Tigers.

Boros's cerebral approach to the game drew criticism from baseball traditionalists and resulted in unwanted press coverage for a team that finished in fourth place in 1983.

Boros spent the next 18 years working as a scout, coach, and front office administrator for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers.

[8] Michigan's head coach Ray Fisher was angered at the loss of Boros and told the press: "Major league baseball is a cut-throat game, and they are cutting their own throats as well.

[18] On May 23, 1961, he tied a major league record when Norm Cash, Boros, and Dick Brown hit successive home runs for the Tigers in a game against the Minnesota Twins.

Boros spent the night at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City before flying home to Detroit while the rest of the team flew to the west coast for a road trip.

As for ribbing by his fellow players, he noted that Detroit pitcher Paul Foytack replied to a good fielding play by Boros by yelling, "Atta boy, Steve.

The Cubs vice president John Holland said he expected Boros to provide "protection in the infield" and prove valuable as a righthanded pinch-hitter.

[12] He was acquired for a sum that The Sporting News described as "peanuts" and assigned to the Reds San Diego Padres farm team in the Pacific Coast League.

By early July, Boros was batting slightly under .300, set a club record with 50 errorless games, and had established himself as "one of the top favorites among Red fans.

He split the 1968 season between the Indianapolis Indians and Vancouver Mounties in the Pacific Coast League and finished his playing career with the Omaha Royals of the American Association.

[40][41] At the end of September 1974, the Royals announced Boros was being elevated to the major league club to replace Charley Lau on the team's coaching staff for the 1975 season.

[44][45] The 1978 team had eight players (led by Willie Wilson, Freddie Patek, Amos Otis, George Brett, and Hal McRae) who stole at least 10 bases and won the American League West pennant with a record of 92–70.

[48] Gammons added: "Boros is Lee Strasberg to Raines and the host of young speedsters coming through the Expos organization, constantly mixing technique and science with the athlete's artistic ability.

[51] Baseball writer Peter Gammons called Boros "quiet, thoughtful and intelligent", while one American League manager said the move "could be one of the best managerial hirings in 10 years.

[53] In his book on baseball innovations, historian Peter Morris wrote that Boros was "the first manager to make extensive use of computers in his decision-making process.

[55] Jay Alves, a "sabermetrician" hired by Boros to run the computer system,[56] later recalled: "With Steve, we tracked (on paper) virtually every pitch and where it was hit.

"[57] In April 1983, a sports writer noted: "These days in the Oakland Coliseum, where the Athletics do their thing, the phrase is 'Computer Ball' [not 'BillyBall,'] as programmed by Martin's successor, Steve Boros.

And Boros, 46, a Michigan grad who plans to take classes in computer science during the off-season, is in the forefront of a new wave of enlightened technocrats who are rewiring the game.

I'm too busy watching my pitchers for signs of fatigue or checking my base runners — all the little nuances and gut feelings that you get and no computer can pick up.

As 1984 neared, you'd think that George Orwell was in the press box: Almost every article on baseball and computers used a silly, futuristic lead, with machines replacing managers and robots turning double plays.

When the Padres manager Dick Williams resigned suddenly at the start of spring training in late February 1986, Boros was hired to replace him.

"[74]In an interview with the San Diego Union at the start of the 1986 season, Boros assured Padres fans that he would not make extensive use of the computer as he had in Oakland.

The resulting article noted: At Oakland, Boros used computers extensively, studying percentages and tendencies to guide his strategic decisions, but at heart, he is a humanist.

[75] Another widely publicized incident during Boros' tenure with the Padres occurred in early June 1986 when he was ejected before the first pitch in a game against the Atlanta Braves.

During the exchange of lineup cards, Boros tried to hand a videotape to the umpire who had made a disputed call the previous night resulting in a triple play.

While there are myriad extenuations — injuries to starting pitchers Eric Show and Dave Dravecky chief among them — those closest to the club's management have privately expressed doubts about whether Boros will be asked back.

"[80] Having played in the World Series two years earlier, the 1986 Padres finished in fourth place in the National League West with a disappointing record of 74–88.

Boros noted that Oakland relief ace Dennis Eckersley tended to throw a backdoor slider on 3–2 counts to left-handed hitters.

[6][86] After Boros's death, former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Fred Claire wrote, "I don't know that I've ever met a nicer man in the game of baseball.