Dirk Hayhurst's Blog
Words and thoughts still trying to make it to the big leagues...Minor League Survival Tip #15. They Called Up THAT Guy?
At some point in your career, you will find yourself in front of a television showing a Big League game wherein someone you’ve played with, or against, is in the Bigs while you are not. You will see the back of his jersey as he winds up on the mound, or hear the...
Minor League Survival Tip #40. Eating at a Gas Station
Why do you need to know about eating at a gas station? Because you’ll be eating there a lot. I mean, A LOT. When you’re a manager burning down the interstate in route to the next town, hoping to grab some ZZZ’s before that double header against the Iron Pigs, or...
Minor League Survival Tip #65. Signing a Baseball
It’s exciting signing baseballs for fans the first time. It makes you feel like a thoroughbred all-star, the kind you always envisioned yourself being back before you inked your contract. Besides, a few scribbles can make the long bus trips and the crap food blues...
Minor League Survival Tip #12. Pack Shower Shoes
Shower shoes are a must in the minor league world. Some of the showers your feet will venture into are so nasty the diseases you could catch while inside them may result in amputation. Unfortunately thats what happens when you mix sweaty guys, bad drainage, and...
Self Talk
“Don't change your approach. Don't change your character. This stuff happens to everyone, it's part of the game.” He said it like he'd seen it happen a thousand times before. Probably not that many, but he'd been playing long enough to know failure's cold bite, the...
Japan
Have I ever told you that one of my goals in baseball is to someday play in Japan? Oh yes, it totally is. The food, the cartoons, the video games... I must go there someday. Many people scoff at this because they believe baseball in the US to be the premier place to...
Branding Your Beliefs
I was in the bookstore today. I love bookstores, I love the feel of them, I love how you walk around surrounded by knowledge, and, if you’ve written anything yourself, the feeling of being ensconced by the fruit of days, months, and years of work crafted into print....
Mrs. Garfoose’s Tips for Parents of Special Garfooslings
The following is an excerpt from an email my wife exchanged with an individual looking for help with his Garfoosling, concerning language development skills. I hope anyone out there looking for similar advice finds this useful. Bold words added by Mr. Garfoose. Hello...
Share Day
I've always contested that of our two jobs, my wife's is the more relevant. In fact, I believe that most jobs are more relevant than baseball. There are some who argue this point with me, saying that baseball brings joy to people's lives and provides role models and...
The 10 Commandments.
Behold! The Ten Commandments of Social Networking as a professional athlete. 1) Be yourself. Don’t have your agent, your media guy, or your “people” post on your behalf. That’s lame, and it always sounds like someone selling school fundraiser tickets is tweeting as...
Belly Dancer
On the third day of our series in Colorado Springs we were snowed out. The second game, a businessman special, was played in sunny 60 degree weather. Come 9 p.m. that night, snow was falling. It came down fast, in fine mountain country fashion, smothering the area in...
4 Preseason Predictions.
Four Pre Season Predictions from your friendly neighborhood Garfoose. #1. I will need headphones while working out in the Ray’s weight room. Likelihood: High. It’s not that I don’t like rap, hip-hip or country. It’s that I hate them. Yes, I know, you probably like...