Dirk Hayhurst's Blog

Words and thoughts still trying to make it to the big leagues...

APR

2013

Baseball Central Topics for April 12th, 2013

Hastily assembled, error filled, pre-show notes. Padres/Dodgers Fight! *Carlos Quinten is the most plunked hitter in baseball. You know he has some regressed hitter rage just waiting to get out. *CQ says that this was because of some history he had with Zack Greinke from 2009. What? That was 4 years ago- if you’ve been waiting around that long get even, try counseling. *This was not a mound charge situation; full count, one run game… it’s not intentional, it’s...

APR

2013

Baseball Central Topics for April 11th

Fan Catches a ball in a beer cup. Probably made the beer taste better…. domestic American beer is such swill. Goats head delivered to Tom Ricketts at Wrigley Field. Goat had this to say about it, “I was just happy to help my team any way I could. I have to tip my hat to the other guys for beating the crap of out of the Cubs so bad that I could get this opportunity”. 16 straight victories for Zito counting last season. 1.69 ERA. Giants may pick up his option for 2014. Great...

APR

2013

Baseball Central Topics. April 4th, 2013

I write up a daily list of topics in the morning and send them to the Producers and Jeff Blair before Baseball Central starts. Here is todays. T-t-t-t-t-t-topics! Things you probably shouldn’t say during an interview: Gio Gonzales about trying to keep his hands warm during his start: “I felt like I was making love to my hand.” More here: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/04/gio-gonzalez-i-felt-like-i-was-making-love-to-my-hand/ What is up with MLB pitchers and...

MAR

2013

The Last #Jays Spring Training Update

There is a reason sports are so full of type A personalities, arrogant SOB’s, and dumb jocks. As much as we bemoan them for their lack of social graces, it’s a survival skill in this job. A defense mechanism against situations like the plight of Ricky Romero. Ever notice how the player who truly doesn’t care about what you think stops and tells you so? No? Didn’t think so. Focusing on yourself may make the sensitive feel snubbed, but there are some jobs in this world...

MAR

2013

#Jays Spring Training Update March 21, 2013

Brett Cecil or Jeremy Jeffress? You can only pick one, so who’s it gonna be? Last year Cecil’s velo was down and a big deal was made of it since, in most folks minds, the drop in velocity was an easy and direct bridge to his decreased effectiveness. Forget the fact that there are lefties all over the majors that throw slower than he did last season and still make good livings. Forget the fact that Cecil threw, on average, slower in 2011 (both minimum and maximum velocity) than...

MAR

2013

#Jays Spring Training Update March 15, 2013

You know something, I’m a big Romero fan. He’s gritty, tough, passionate, and earned the benefit of the doubt. But lately he’s been both out pitched by Happ, and pitched out of some ball games by his mistakes. I’m not attacking him. It’s not personal—and I think a lot of fans think it is when I criticize his play. Fact is, if it was personal, I’d defend him because I know he’s going through, and has gone through, a hell of a lot. Failure at the top...

MAR

2013

#Jays Picture Feed March 12th, 2013

Colby and Anthony sure don’t look like they’re competing with each other for a job in the Bigs in these shots. That’s probably because they aren’t… Gose, despite playing the hell out of center this spring, is heading to AAA. And he should be because he has a 30% K rate to work on (RA Dickey’s was half that last year, as a hitter, FYI). But, at such a young age, Gose hase already made huge strides, and built on them this spring. There is no doubt in my...

MAR

2013

#Jays Picture Feed March 7th, 2013

From yesterday. Just didn’t have time to get them up on the site. In case you missed it, Lawrie is down for a couple of weeks with a rib cage strain, he’ll be heading home and foregoing the WBC. Russel Martin has not, despite popular opinion, submitted his bid to play third… Santos has been backed off a few days. McGowan is still proceeding according to plan, which, apparently is for him to be in the fight for a bullpen job—although Gibby has candidly admitted it will be a...