Dirk Hayhurst

Dirk was pitching for my Toronto Blue Jays when this book came out. I was greatly anticipating it and it did not disappoint. There were funny stories of minor league life but what made the book come alive for me was the documenting of the dark side - the poverty, the fear of being released, the cruel ways players sometimes treat each other.

He took a lot of flack from his fellow players when he wrote this, although he doesn't name any names. (A couple later revealed themselves when the book show more was successful.) I'm very glad he didn't let himself be intimated to silence. I'm grateful for the window into this rarefied world. show less

Holy hell, Dirk is one hell of a writer. I really feel appreciative that I had a chance to sit down with him at the team hotel in Scranton when he was pitching with the Durham Bulls. He is an amazing, one of a kind guy. I just really wish I had read the book before I talked with him. After reading the book, you forget that this guy is only 30yrs old. His life experiences have really given him the insight and wisdom I can only compare to those old wise men that you see in movies, you know, show more where someone climbs a mountain to see an old guy who looks like he is wrapped in a towel, with his long unkept hair and facial hair to match. Dirk really has a unique view on life, and his perceptiveness to glean the knowledge that he has from his experiences really is bar none. This book is a baseball book only in theme, it really is a book about life. If you can't gain a valuable life lesson from reading this book, then you really weren't paying attention. Dirk told us that he has another book on deck that he is almost finished with, and I, for one, will be first in line when I hear that it is released. He really has an amazing way with words and this book will cause you to run the gamut of emotions. Whether you are a baseball fan or not, you have to read this book! show less

I won this book in a contest and didn't have any expectations about it but I absolutely loved it! In this biographical work, Dirk Hayhurst takes you through the last few years of his baseball career in the minor leagues when he starts to question whether it’s worth it to spend another year fighting to stay in the minors just to keep his dream of playing in the big leagues alive.
In between his moments of introspection, Hayhurst vividly describes the good, the bad and the ugly of life in show more the minors. He hilariously describes the shenanigans of his teammates, members of that particular breed of savages also known as baseball players. I couldn’t help laughing out loud while reading, much to the consternation of my fellow bus riders.
This book made me realize that not every player instantly becomes a major leaguer with multi-million dollar contracts. Most guys have to work at it and many never make it at all. Also, there’s no glamour in the life of a minor league player, it’s hours of bus travel, bad food and sometimes even worse accommodations.
All in all, you don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this book. Hayhursts’s account is much more than a book about baseball. It’s a book about choices, personal identity, friendship and family. It’s a book about life. show less

Good baseball story; annoying personal life story. I enjoyed hearing about the pressure and inside stories of the big leagues, but found it hard to believe that the author was still a virgin before he got married, and so was his wife. The story in the beginning of the book, about his trying not to lie to her about the porn in the locker room, was annoying. It's porn. It's baseball. What did she think happened in the locker room? There was a little too much religion going on, but baseball show more wise it was full of funny and interesting details. show less