Dirk Hayhurst's Blog

Today, in the media scrum, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said he wasn’t planning any team functions during the spring. He has no plans to host a team barbecue, paintball match (the Diamondbacks did that), ice cream social or even a Sadie Hawkins dance. Nothing. When I heard that, I couldn’t help but frown. In my eyes it’s a wasted opportunity. I know it’s usually the team veteran’s job to organize such events, but if the veterans aren’t up to the task...

Just sick

It’s freezing cold here in Clearwater. Literally. Ice crystals have been spotted in the air—this is according to some local weather man who made ice crystals sound liken to the trumpet just before the apocalypse. Any-who, saw Doc today. Saw him; to afraid to actually talk to him. I’m media now and that’s like the snake to his mongoose. Instead I asked his trainer if he speaks to anyone on the team and he said no, “if he talks to you a lot, it probably means...

Had another nice chat with Chad Mottola today. This time we talked about at what point, exactly, players learn to use batting practice to work on going opposite field or situational hitting, and stop trying to yank everything. Motor said it’s different for every player. He said that he himself learned to shut down his hitting after his second round of batting practice because by the third set his ego started to win him over and he went into “launch” mode. A hitter just has...

Nice to see the Jays get it done in a tight game. They are undefeated on the road, but completely defeated at home. I keep my fingers crossed that they’ll soon realize the offensive juggernaut they could be and start filling scoreboards will all kinds of jagged numbers. Well, at least JA Happ didn’t break anyone’s arm today. That’s always a plus…

I had the opportunity to chat with Chad Mottola whilst standing behind the batting cage, watching the Jays hitters try and knock the hell out of some batting practice balls. I say knock the hell out of them because it was remarkable how few of them actually tried to drive the pitch where it was pitched. They all wanted to send it over the fence. No one ever seems to go the opposite direction with pitches in batting practice unless otherwise told to do so by the coaching staff. The end...

Photographic evidence that having established veterans on your team helps in unquantifiable ways.

Last night I completely lost my voice. Still hasn’t come back this morning. I wont be able to do color for the game or the television hit afterwards… mother @#$%!. I’ll be back at the hotel sucking down tea and honey and trying to get my full register back while Wilner calls the action and finds someone to fill in. last time I checked, he was asking Casey Janssen to do it. Wouldn’t that be cool? Casey would be pretty good, good speaker, knows the game, tends to sound...

Some shots of the Red Sox, and their EVIL manager…

Some quick shots of the Blue Birds and some ESPN folks as they get ready to take on the Red Sox.

Day two as the radio color man. Just like back when I was a player, home games are much more enjoyable. You just jump in your car and head home when it’s over instead of getting locked into Tampa traffic. In the booth I felt like I got stronger as I went on. Jerry is a real pro and easy to work with, and I’m pumped to work with Wilner because I think he’s going to have a completely different approach. It will be good for me to work with different personality type. I expect...