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The Bullpen Gospels: Major League Dreams of a Minor League Veteran
From the humble heights of a Class-A pitcher's mound to the deflating lows of sleeping on his gun-toting grandmother's air mattress, veteran reliever Dirk Hayhurst steps out of the bullpen to deliver the best pitch of his career--a raw, unflinching and surprisingly moving account of his life in the minors.
I enjoyed the visualizations, maybe a little too much, and would stop only when I felt I'd centered myself. . .or after one of my teammates hit me in the nuts with the rosin bag while my eyes were closed.
Hilariously self-effacing and brutally honest, Hayhurst captures the absurdities, the grim realities, and the occasional nuggets of hard-won wisdom culled from four seasons in the minors. Whether training tarantulas to protect his room from thieving employees in a backwater hotel, watching the raging battles fought between his partially paralyzed father and his alcoholic brother, or absorbing the gentle mockery of some not-quite-starstruck schoolchildren, Dirk reveals a side of baseball, and life, rarely seen on ESPN.
My career has crash-landed on the floor of my grandma's old sewing room. If this is a dream come true, then dreams smell a lot like mothballs and Bengay.
Somewhere between Bull Durham and The Rookie, The Bullpen Gospels takes an unforgettable trot around the inglorious base paths of minor league baseball, where an inch separates a ball from a strike, and a razor-thin margin can be the difference between The Show or a long trip home.
I enjoyed the visualizations, maybe a little too much, and would stop only when I felt I'd centered myself. . .or after one of my teammates hit me in the nuts with the rosin bag while my eyes were closed.
Hilariously self-effacing and brutally honest, Hayhurst captures the absurdities, the grim realities, and the occasional nuggets of hard-won wisdom culled from four seasons in the minors. Whether training tarantulas to protect his room from thieving employees in a backwater hotel, watching the raging battles fought between his partially paralyzed father and his alcoholic brother, or absorbing the gentle mockery of some not-quite-starstruck schoolchildren, Dirk reveals a side of baseball, and life, rarely seen on ESPN.
My career has crash-landed on the floor of my grandma's old sewing room. If this is a dream come true, then dreams smell a lot like mothballs and Bengay.
Somewhere between Bull Durham and The Rookie, The Bullpen Gospels takes an unforgettable trot around the inglorious base paths of minor league baseball, where an inch separates a ball from a strike, and a razor-thin margin can be the difference between The Show or a long trip home.
340 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2010
About the author
Dirk Hayhurst
4 books59 followersDrafted from Kent State University in 2003 as a senior sign, Dirk Hayhurst has pitched professionally for nine years on more than eight minor league teams and two major league teams, including the San Diego Padres and the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2011, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays and pitched for their Triple-A team, the Durham Bulls, in Durham, NC. Hayhurst was born in Canton, Ohio, and resides in the off-season in Hudson, Ohio, with his wife Bonnie, a music therapist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
October 11, 2021
5.00 Stars — A good memoir can be a bit like Wine —Ageing gracefully & stoically and remaining timeless, surging from good to great, or — as is most often the case — become dated, irrelevant encoding irreverence . This Memoir, offers me a very strong indication of being the most former, it has a timeless allegorical-note about it in the finish, Tannins with deep rooted-flavours that nimble in their profile, if you will!
To be honest, Memoirs just don’t come this good, this fun and yet poignant. This story of baseball and everlasting self-doubt, offers by far the most guilt-free self-deprecating humour I’ve come across in a long time if ever, this memoir about the most strategic-sport in the world & what life is like on its fringes, manages to genuinely capture the quintessential-essence-of-human-life in a way that transcends pro-sports or even any competitiveness or game at all.
This novel, written whilst battling the minor leagues of Major League Baseball gives the best insight into the psyche of an elite athlete that I’ve ever read, whilst at the same time showcasing the hypocrisy & the nuanced idiocy that occurs in professional sports, namely the insanity of being elite of elite, yet also being one poor throw of a ball away form being ever-so-average. It’s a quandary that many a psychoanalyst has endeavoured to articulate and quantify - WHAT makes the truly great ones so great? Well after reading this you’ll either see the truth clearer than ever & come to understand that timing & luck are perhaps far more likely than any ‘destiny’ for greatness or perhaps even more perplexed and mystified as to how on earth anyone ever becomes consistently great at the elite level of pro sports!!!
This is a masterpiece that stands alone above any sports-memoir I’ve ever read & I can’t see it ever being topped, this is so real that the pages are laced with baseball DNA So deeply I found myself putting the book down only to find I had smells & ghost stains of leather, relish, mustard, sunflower seeds, wood & lineament oil.
Brilliant.
To be honest, Memoirs just don’t come this good, this fun and yet poignant. This story of baseball and everlasting self-doubt, offers by far the most guilt-free self-deprecating humour I’ve come across in a long time if ever, this memoir about the most strategic-sport in the world & what life is like on its fringes, manages to genuinely capture the quintessential-essence-of-human-life in a way that transcends pro-sports or even any competitiveness or game at all.
This novel, written whilst battling the minor leagues of Major League Baseball gives the best insight into the psyche of an elite athlete that I’ve ever read, whilst at the same time showcasing the hypocrisy & the nuanced idiocy that occurs in professional sports, namely the insanity of being elite of elite, yet also being one poor throw of a ball away form being ever-so-average. It’s a quandary that many a psychoanalyst has endeavoured to articulate and quantify - WHAT makes the truly great ones so great? Well after reading this you’ll either see the truth clearer than ever & come to understand that timing & luck are perhaps far more likely than any ‘destiny’ for greatness or perhaps even more perplexed and mystified as to how on earth anyone ever becomes consistently great at the elite level of pro sports!!!
This is a masterpiece that stands alone above any sports-memoir I’ve ever read & I can’t see it ever being topped, this is so real that the pages are laced with baseball DNA So deeply I found myself putting the book down only to find I had smells & ghost stains of leather, relish, mustard, sunflower seeds, wood & lineament oil.
Brilliant.
February 4, 2014
What baseball fan hasn't dreamed of what it would be like to play in the Big Leagues or imagined themselves in their teams home colours playing in front of thousand of friends, family and fans. For the vast majority of us, this dream was never closer than our own mind. The Bullpen Gospels provides a first hand account of a prospect's journey toward this dream. While at times the book is insightful, it is always honest while leaving the reader smiling and laughing.
If you had the opportunity to listen to Toronto Blue Jays games during the 2013 season or followed the 2008 San Diego Padres or the 2009 Toronto Blue Jays, the name Dirk Hayhurst should be familiar. The former pitcher turned broadcaster/writer tells tales of his experiences through his 2005-2007 minor league seasons. While his story has some highs, it is mostly filled with lows. In his self-effacing manner, the reader is left laughing at the authors misfortune while rooting for his to succeed. Dirk spins tales of the life of a prospect and the reader is invited into the locker room, the hotels and team bus. While there are a few stories of players you may know, it is certainly not a tell all memoir in the vain of Jose Canseco's Juiced. Dirk is respectful but honest.
The reader quickly realizes that there is very little glory or money on the minor league trail. In the absence of money for entertainment, the boys in the locker create their own. There is no lack of pranks, jokes or adolescent behaviour serving as a background to the author's quest for his dream. The reader is provided a glimpse into what builds a team, the competition to succeed and the various ways you might run into a naked teammate.
What will the Baseball Fan Enjoy
The average Major League Baseball fan has little idea of what happens in the minor leagues. The Baseball Fan will enjoy learning about what their favorite young players endured to get to the Big Show. The Baseball Fan will enjoy the cameo appearance from big name players that they know. In this volume, there are several stories involving Trevor Hoffman and it enjoyable to see the player somewhere other than the mound. Mostly, the Baseball Fan will enjoy that the book involves the actual game from the perspective of a player who made it farther than most of us ever will. As a caution, the Baseball Fan that does not enjoy adult language may want to avoid this book despite my recommendation. There is moderately high use of adult language which may offend some readers.
Strikeout or Homerun?
The Bullpen Gospels is an easy homerun. This behind the scenes look is both well written and honestly funny. There is appeal for the rabid fan as well as the nominal fan. I recommend this read to fill in the space between baseball games. The Bullpen Gospels is available at all major bookstores and online.
This is cross posted at Baseball Babble
If you had the opportunity to listen to Toronto Blue Jays games during the 2013 season or followed the 2008 San Diego Padres or the 2009 Toronto Blue Jays, the name Dirk Hayhurst should be familiar. The former pitcher turned broadcaster/writer tells tales of his experiences through his 2005-2007 minor league seasons. While his story has some highs, it is mostly filled with lows. In his self-effacing manner, the reader is left laughing at the authors misfortune while rooting for his to succeed. Dirk spins tales of the life of a prospect and the reader is invited into the locker room, the hotels and team bus. While there are a few stories of players you may know, it is certainly not a tell all memoir in the vain of Jose Canseco's Juiced. Dirk is respectful but honest.
The reader quickly realizes that there is very little glory or money on the minor league trail. In the absence of money for entertainment, the boys in the locker create their own. There is no lack of pranks, jokes or adolescent behaviour serving as a background to the author's quest for his dream. The reader is provided a glimpse into what builds a team, the competition to succeed and the various ways you might run into a naked teammate.
What will the Baseball Fan Enjoy
The average Major League Baseball fan has little idea of what happens in the minor leagues. The Baseball Fan will enjoy learning about what their favorite young players endured to get to the Big Show. The Baseball Fan will enjoy the cameo appearance from big name players that they know. In this volume, there are several stories involving Trevor Hoffman and it enjoyable to see the player somewhere other than the mound. Mostly, the Baseball Fan will enjoy that the book involves the actual game from the perspective of a player who made it farther than most of us ever will. As a caution, the Baseball Fan that does not enjoy adult language may want to avoid this book despite my recommendation. There is moderately high use of adult language which may offend some readers.
Strikeout or Homerun?
The Bullpen Gospels is an easy homerun. This behind the scenes look is both well written and honestly funny. There is appeal for the rabid fan as well as the nominal fan. I recommend this read to fill in the space between baseball games. The Bullpen Gospels is available at all major bookstores and online.
This is cross posted at Baseball Babble
April 18, 2017
A scant handful of interesting, poignant, or amusing anecdotes sandwiched between endless chapters of explosive diarrhea, sophomoric frat humor, and misogynistic behavior. Coming from a self-pronounced teetotal-ling virgin you'd hope to hear these incidents recapped with at least a few frowns between the lines.
If you're into garden variety hard knock life, power of positive thinking memoirs, you might give this an extra star. If you're looking for real baseball insight, you just struck out - and yes, that groaner intentionally mimics how the book is written.
If you're into garden variety hard knock life, power of positive thinking memoirs, you might give this an extra star. If you're looking for real baseball insight, you just struck out - and yes, that groaner intentionally mimics how the book is written.
January 20, 2013
I watch a whole heck of a lot of baseball games, and I am, of course, aware that all the players are people outside the context of being baseball players, but I don't think about it too much. This book is a reminder that I probably don't want to know those people, but good grief, are they hilarious in their offensive habits.
Hayhurst is a nobody grinding his way up through the minor leagues. The narrative - which is his true story, though I think most all of the names are changed or composite characters used - follows his 2007 season, wherein he goes through quite a bit of an existential crisis as he struggles and reaches the point where it may be time to give up on baseball. In fact, he finds himself in the big leagues in 2008, but that's not the point of the story.
In Hayhurst's own words, his book is about what baseball isn't. The story is not a complex one, but it is his, and he approaches it with the insight and thoughtfulness that one doesn't expect from an athlete. He is probably unusual in having the gift of being able to write about this - there doesn't seem to be any reason to believe it was ghost-written or something, because he's consistently a bit of an outcast for being the intellectual sort of type who's above it all. His agent points this out, noting an instance where Hayhurst is obviously different from other baseball players on the basis of using fuck and Narnia in the same sentence.
He is part of the fray and yet he is above the fray, and over the course of this year he deals with demons from his own family as well as the Baseball Reaper, to come to some sort of triumph, which is not to say he became one of the best baseball players of all time, but he does seem to have become the best baseball player that he could be.
I actually would have liked if there was a bit more to the story. Some things that seem important are glossed over; for instance, as he harps on the beats where his season's success dovetailed into his regular life, he goes right past when he meets his future wife. Maybe he was a little embarrassed by it, since it began on the Internet. I am not really sure, but I think it would have added something to the story if he was also on the journey where he gets the girl (which he does) at the same time that he rebounds from nearly washing out of high-A into becoming a part of the AA championship team.
Oh, and the thing about this book: it's freaking hilarious. The raunchy and debauched stories that he relates from his minor league teammates are sexist, homophobic, and occasionally gross for more normal reasons. Immature frat boy pranks rule the day. But it's still funny, and Hayhurst's detached observations of these are part of the fun. Inside looks at the Kangaroo Court are a particular treat.
Hayhurst is a nobody grinding his way up through the minor leagues. The narrative - which is his true story, though I think most all of the names are changed or composite characters used - follows his 2007 season, wherein he goes through quite a bit of an existential crisis as he struggles and reaches the point where it may be time to give up on baseball. In fact, he finds himself in the big leagues in 2008, but that's not the point of the story.
In Hayhurst's own words, his book is about what baseball isn't. The story is not a complex one, but it is his, and he approaches it with the insight and thoughtfulness that one doesn't expect from an athlete. He is probably unusual in having the gift of being able to write about this - there doesn't seem to be any reason to believe it was ghost-written or something, because he's consistently a bit of an outcast for being the intellectual sort of type who's above it all. His agent points this out, noting an instance where Hayhurst is obviously different from other baseball players on the basis of using fuck and Narnia in the same sentence.
He is part of the fray and yet he is above the fray, and over the course of this year he deals with demons from his own family as well as the Baseball Reaper, to come to some sort of triumph, which is not to say he became one of the best baseball players of all time, but he does seem to have become the best baseball player that he could be.
I actually would have liked if there was a bit more to the story. Some things that seem important are glossed over; for instance, as he harps on the beats where his season's success dovetailed into his regular life, he goes right past when he meets his future wife. Maybe he was a little embarrassed by it, since it began on the Internet. I am not really sure, but I think it would have added something to the story if he was also on the journey where he gets the girl (which he does) at the same time that he rebounds from nearly washing out of high-A into becoming a part of the AA championship team.
Oh, and the thing about this book: it's freaking hilarious. The raunchy and debauched stories that he relates from his minor league teammates are sexist, homophobic, and occasionally gross for more normal reasons. Immature frat boy pranks rule the day. But it's still funny, and Hayhurst's detached observations of these are part of the fun. Inside looks at the Kangaroo Court are a particular treat.
March 18, 2016
Hayhurst is a long reliever in his fifth year in the minors, sent back to A ball after having seen AAA for a few games the previous year. This is his story about that year, working his way back up the baseball path. He bookends the stories about his baseball life that year with some stories about his troubled family. His family stories here are heartbreaking and sad, quite different from the bulk of the book, and I felt a little out of place. Another thing that threw me is that this has very few of the typical baseball stories you read in baseball books. No, this is more about what happens on the team bus, in the bullpen, and in the clubhouse. It’s the life beyond the game. And it’s hilariously funny, if you like teen boy raunchy humor. If you don’t, you won’t like this book. Hayhurst is very comfortable with human waste and the body parts that eliminate it. Hayhurst also can writing touching stuff, when talking about taking a boy with an illness into the bullpen or in his first anecdote, about giving his shoes to a homeless man.
The best part, beyond the great anecdotes of boys being boys, was seeing Hayhurst as the old guy for part of the season in Single A, then being the new guy in his Double A team. I found it interesting how baseball makes you jump back and forth on that continuum during your rise through the minors. And Hayhurst description of the Baseball Reaper, there to take away the playing days of a washed up player, well that fits in well with the Job Reaper I suspect is behind every layoff and shutdown in this economy. Baseball is the same as the real world, only different.
It detracts a bit from the story of Hayhurst’s rise from Single A to Double A ball, where the story ends at the end of the season, when you read his minor league record and see that he also got in two games at the Triple A level. You wonder why the whole story wasn’t as good as the modified one he told. Then I saw his AAA ERA of 23.63, so maybe he was just embarrassed. But when you see an obvious change in history, you wonder what else in his anecdotes he took liberties with. Hayhurst does tell good stories, though.
I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator was able to provide voices to the players that really provided some added entertainment to the listening and helped to easily distinguish the many players. This was very well done and made what might have been a difficult to follow book, given lots of players, an easy read. Audio version by Ray Porter highly recommended.
The best part, beyond the great anecdotes of boys being boys, was seeing Hayhurst as the old guy for part of the season in Single A, then being the new guy in his Double A team. I found it interesting how baseball makes you jump back and forth on that continuum during your rise through the minors. And Hayhurst description of the Baseball Reaper, there to take away the playing days of a washed up player, well that fits in well with the Job Reaper I suspect is behind every layoff and shutdown in this economy. Baseball is the same as the real world, only different.
It detracts a bit from the story of Hayhurst’s rise from Single A to Double A ball, where the story ends at the end of the season, when you read his minor league record and see that he also got in two games at the Triple A level. You wonder why the whole story wasn’t as good as the modified one he told. Then I saw his AAA ERA of 23.63, so maybe he was just embarrassed. But when you see an obvious change in history, you wonder what else in his anecdotes he took liberties with. Hayhurst does tell good stories, though.
I listened to the audio version of this book. The narrator was able to provide voices to the players that really provided some added entertainment to the listening and helped to easily distinguish the many players. This was very well done and made what might have been a difficult to follow book, given lots of players, an easy read. Audio version by Ray Porter highly recommended.
May 1, 2011
For some reason I am obsessed with minor league baseball. Definitely a weird thing for a chick to be into (especially a married chick who isn’t a “cleat-chaser.”) Something about the grind of it, the struggle, the chance to make it big (for a very few) is appealing to me, not to mention game after game in small ballparks in the middle of nowhere. I guess, unlike the NFL, you can be drafted and slog around the minors for so many years, forever even. It takes a real dedication to keep going because most players make less than a McDonald’s cashier.
Anyway, I wondered if there was a memoir about the minor leagues so I went on Amazon, searched “minor league baseball” and voila! I came across this bestselling, impressively blurbed memoir by Dirk Hayhurst. Once I started the book I was thrilled to learn not only was it the well-written minor league memoir I was looking for but Dirk Hayhurst was in the farm system for my beloved Padres! I loved learning more about High-A and AA life, not to mention guest appearances by some of my favorites: Chase Headley, Will Venable, and the legendary Trevor Hoffman. Sorry, Hayhurst, your name didn’t really ring a bell despite my Friars-obsession. I think you knew that, though.
The writing is funny and quick and the author seems like the proverbial “good guy” at least amongst the frat-like behavior of his compatriots. Granted, he wrote the book so was free to paint himself in a certain light. However, I am sure there are very few (if any) minor leaguers who don’t drink and are waiting until marriage for sex. Some parts of the book were nail-biting (was he going to get cut at AA spring training?) and I was very careful not to Google the author because I didn’t want to know how it turned out. This book was definitely was gritty as I expected. It is very clear that minor league baseball is just one long, extended high school locker room and some of the gross antics got a little old after awhile. But, it was to be expected. All in, an interesting tale of life in the Minors. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Anyway, I wondered if there was a memoir about the minor leagues so I went on Amazon, searched “minor league baseball” and voila! I came across this bestselling, impressively blurbed memoir by Dirk Hayhurst. Once I started the book I was thrilled to learn not only was it the well-written minor league memoir I was looking for but Dirk Hayhurst was in the farm system for my beloved Padres! I loved learning more about High-A and AA life, not to mention guest appearances by some of my favorites: Chase Headley, Will Venable, and the legendary Trevor Hoffman. Sorry, Hayhurst, your name didn’t really ring a bell despite my Friars-obsession. I think you knew that, though.
The writing is funny and quick and the author seems like the proverbial “good guy” at least amongst the frat-like behavior of his compatriots. Granted, he wrote the book so was free to paint himself in a certain light. However, I am sure there are very few (if any) minor leaguers who don’t drink and are waiting until marriage for sex. Some parts of the book were nail-biting (was he going to get cut at AA spring training?) and I was very careful not to Google the author because I didn’t want to know how it turned out. This book was definitely was gritty as I expected. It is very clear that minor league baseball is just one long, extended high school locker room and some of the gross antics got a little old after awhile. But, it was to be expected. All in, an interesting tale of life in the Minors. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
April 28, 2010
I purchased this book after reading several glowing reviews. I hoped that Hayhurst would expose a behind-the-scenes look into the minor league experience with honesty and intelligence. Unfortunately, sad to say, I was disappointed.
There was far too much sophomoric, rowdy behavior, complete with all of the expected predictable elements including downloading porn from the Internet, drunken behavior and fart jokes. Really guys? Has anybody really not already heard about these worn-out juvenile shenanigans?
I was more interested in Hayhurst’s personal story, coming from a maladjusted--to put it mildly--home with few alternative choices had he not chosen to pursue baseball. Hayhurst seems like a decent guy and he does grow personally. For the entries on his personal growth alone, I gave the book three stars. For the tired poop jokes, zero.
There was far too much sophomoric, rowdy behavior, complete with all of the expected predictable elements including downloading porn from the Internet, drunken behavior and fart jokes. Really guys? Has anybody really not already heard about these worn-out juvenile shenanigans?
I was more interested in Hayhurst’s personal story, coming from a maladjusted--to put it mildly--home with few alternative choices had he not chosen to pursue baseball. Hayhurst seems like a decent guy and he does grow personally. For the entries on his personal growth alone, I gave the book three stars. For the tired poop jokes, zero.
March 11, 2012
Fantastic. The best what-it's-like-to-play-baseball book I've read since Ball Four. And it's not just about baseball - Hayhurst takes us not just into the clubhouse and bullpen, but also into his own mind as he struggles with this place in the game, his family, and the world. Highly recommended.
July 9, 2015
It was alright. I love baseball so you don't have to say much to squeeze a few stars out of me. Not a fan of toilet humor.
March 11, 2019
If you are a baseball fan, do you ever wonder if minor league baseball may stunt the emotional growth and maturing of young males? If you wondered about that, this book will remove any doubts. Honestly, I find it a bit disconcerting to read how these young men, who are thrown together away from their families, view females and how that influences so much of what they say and do. This is absolutely not Dirk Hayhurst's fault and, in fact, he is a very good writer. I appreciated the way things came together for him by the end of the book and the fact that he took a more reflective approach to being a professional athlete than most of them do. However, I would hesitate to recommend this book because such a large percentage of it involved stories of raunchy behavior and so little of it had to do with baseball or the author's reflective thought process. I heard Dirk Hayhurst interviewed by Houston Astros broadcasters and was interested in the book as a result. Although I do not regret reading it, I must admit to being disappointed in what I anticipated would be an excellent baseball book.
November 19, 2020
This is kind of a tough memoir to review. I think that Hayhurst does an incredible job capturing not only what it means to be a baseball player, but part of a baseball team, which is a truly unique experience. Also, the humor of some of the stories is straight-up, laugh-out-loud funny.
However, the book does not even attempt to be politically correct. The "locker room talk" present in Hayhurst's story is going to turn off a lot of readers. He presents jokes that are unabashedly homophobic, sexist, and racist. Players on his teams constantly refer to each other as being "gay", call women "sluts", are disparaging toward Mexican players, and use the word "retard" rather frequently.
As a baseball coach, I would in no way condone this language on my teams; however, I think that people also need to be judged within the context of the era in which they are living. I think that we, as a society, have come a long way in the last decade and a half and I would hope that many of these stories would have played out differently if they were to have taken place more recently.
I think it's possible to really like a book without loving or condoning every part of it.
However, the book does not even attempt to be politically correct. The "locker room talk" present in Hayhurst's story is going to turn off a lot of readers. He presents jokes that are unabashedly homophobic, sexist, and racist. Players on his teams constantly refer to each other as being "gay", call women "sluts", are disparaging toward Mexican players, and use the word "retard" rather frequently.
As a baseball coach, I would in no way condone this language on my teams; however, I think that people also need to be judged within the context of the era in which they are living. I think that we, as a society, have come a long way in the last decade and a half and I would hope that many of these stories would have played out differently if they were to have taken place more recently.
I think it's possible to really like a book without loving or condoning every part of it.
April 1, 2010
One of the greatest baseball books of modern times hit North America's books stores this week. Shockingly, it was written by a guy who was more interested in growing up to be Trevor Hoffman, not Peter Gammons. Those aren't my words. They are the opening sentences of ESPN baseball analyst Jayson Stark's review of The Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst.
The book is receiving rave reviews not only for its baseball-related content, but also for Hayhurst's pained, personal story. But don't be confused. This story is neither an over-the-top expose on today's players, nor a "aw shucks" feel-good tale. In fact, it is not easy to put this book into a single category.
Hayhurst use pseudonyms and composite characters to protect his teammates' identifies. This is raw stuff, some times cringe-worthy, sophomorphic fun, other times cringe-worthy pain, delivered like an automatic machine gun by a gifted writer. A particular passage about an octopus copulating a bagpipe had me laughing so hard I couldn't catch my breath.
Bullpen is compelling because of the style, or "voice" with which it is written. Hayhurst's style is disarmingly conversatinal and self-deprecating; exposing the reader to the lighter side of baseball, but also to his inner most fears and demons. He does so in a manner that makes you feel like you are in the room with him and his teammates shooting the breeze. The style draws you in, his stories are intoxicating, and the result is a spellbinding read.
The grit and realism starts right from the prologue.
"I was the team's long relief man. A nonglorious pitching role designed to protect priority pitchers. If the starting pitcher broke down or the game got out of control, I came in to clean up so the bullpen wasn't exhausted. Despite feel-good semantics supplied by the organization, my main job was mopping up lost causes. Why waste a talented pitcher when there was a perfectly useless guy for the job? I could pitch five innings in a blowout or face one batter in the seventeenth inning. Put it this way: if I could have done any other role successfully, I wouldn't have been the long man."
Usually, when I review a book, I take notes to remind myself of things I might want to weave into the review. That approach was hopeless with this book. There are far too many memorable moments to keep track of. Below is an excerpt of a comparatively tame episode amongst the many:
"As we made our way to the pen, fans splashed against the stadium's fenceing, begging us for autographs. We signed everything from hats and programs to ticket stubs and sandwich wrappers. It always boggles my mind how fans will fight all over themselves at a chance to get one of our names scribbled on their souvenirs. If only they knew what we were under these jerseys. Just hours before the game, the team debated the question of when a protein shake should be consumed--before or after sex? During, we decided, if you have a hand free."
Hayhurst is currently with the Toronto Blue Jay organization, but on injured reserve. He has been in the bigs with both San Diego and Toronto after a 4-year up and down minor league career bouncing between A, AA, and AAA.
Mark Ahrens
www.booksonbaseball.com
The book is receiving rave reviews not only for its baseball-related content, but also for Hayhurst's pained, personal story. But don't be confused. This story is neither an over-the-top expose on today's players, nor a "aw shucks" feel-good tale. In fact, it is not easy to put this book into a single category.
Hayhurst use pseudonyms and composite characters to protect his teammates' identifies. This is raw stuff, some times cringe-worthy, sophomorphic fun, other times cringe-worthy pain, delivered like an automatic machine gun by a gifted writer. A particular passage about an octopus copulating a bagpipe had me laughing so hard I couldn't catch my breath.
Bullpen is compelling because of the style, or "voice" with which it is written. Hayhurst's style is disarmingly conversatinal and self-deprecating; exposing the reader to the lighter side of baseball, but also to his inner most fears and demons. He does so in a manner that makes you feel like you are in the room with him and his teammates shooting the breeze. The style draws you in, his stories are intoxicating, and the result is a spellbinding read.
The grit and realism starts right from the prologue.
"I was the team's long relief man. A nonglorious pitching role designed to protect priority pitchers. If the starting pitcher broke down or the game got out of control, I came in to clean up so the bullpen wasn't exhausted. Despite feel-good semantics supplied by the organization, my main job was mopping up lost causes. Why waste a talented pitcher when there was a perfectly useless guy for the job? I could pitch five innings in a blowout or face one batter in the seventeenth inning. Put it this way: if I could have done any other role successfully, I wouldn't have been the long man."
Usually, when I review a book, I take notes to remind myself of things I might want to weave into the review. That approach was hopeless with this book. There are far too many memorable moments to keep track of. Below is an excerpt of a comparatively tame episode amongst the many:
"As we made our way to the pen, fans splashed against the stadium's fenceing, begging us for autographs. We signed everything from hats and programs to ticket stubs and sandwich wrappers. It always boggles my mind how fans will fight all over themselves at a chance to get one of our names scribbled on their souvenirs. If only they knew what we were under these jerseys. Just hours before the game, the team debated the question of when a protein shake should be consumed--before or after sex? During, we decided, if you have a hand free."
Hayhurst is currently with the Toronto Blue Jay organization, but on injured reserve. He has been in the bigs with both San Diego and Toronto after a 4-year up and down minor league career bouncing between A, AA, and AAA.
Mark Ahrens
www.booksonbaseball.com
September 3, 2011
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, 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!
May 27, 2013
This book has been compared to Jim Bouton's "Ball Four," which I first read as a preteen and is still one of my all-time favorites. The comparison is somewhat unfair to "The Bullpen Gospels" -- Hayhurst's work is less consistently funny and by no means as shocking but is more personal and touching than Bouton's work. Hayhurst is willing to reveal more of his own internal struggles than Bouton and includes his sad family history and its ongoing impact on his career. As he lets the reader into this very intimate story, one feels connected to him in a different way than with Bouton and the difficulties of the Hayhurst clan become just as important to the reader as Dirk's career.
All in all, I found this a very satisfying book, as a baseball fan, as a reader, and as one who hopes the best for troubled families. Be ready to laugh and be ready to shed a tear.
All in all, I found this a very satisfying book, as a baseball fan, as a reader, and as one who hopes the best for troubled families. Be ready to laugh and be ready to shed a tear.
February 3, 2014
I LOVE this book. It's the minor league adventures of retired major league pitcher Dirk Hayhurst. I have never laughed so hard out loud while reading a book. Some of the stories he tells are so hilarious! Even if you don't like baseball, I think you will like this book.
April 28, 2021
As a baseball fan I really enjoyed this book. It was super funny and just all around enjoyable.
February 28, 2021
Written by a Minor league journeyman, who did finally manage to appear in a few games in the big leagues before turning into an author focusing on trying to be somewhat controversial in baseball and occasional analyst positions on some relatively lesser sportcasts. I get that he spent a long time in the majors and that he is not stupid, but I also found his inside/outside position in the book and thereafter as somewhat unsatisfying. The book is about his time in Single A and double AA ball--culminating in his San Antonio Texas team winning the Texas League championship. Hayhurst alternates between discussing the mostly immature pranks the other minor league players engage in, with some relatively sound observations as to how being a baseball player should not be your identity, and his dealing with a disabled father (injured in the work place), alcoholic brother and barely coping mother. The book ends on a relatively high note--where we see Hayhurst as having found the love of his life and marrying her as his brother turns the corner by working through AA. However, as I reviewed Hayhurst's subsequent career path, it seems to have been largely seeking to either engage in some after the fact disclosures of some of the less funny parts of baseball player life (whether pitchers who cheat while playing or disgusting sexual practices among (some of) his teammates. Hayhurst thus seems to be trying to make a living out of his identity as a mostly minor league player. While that is his prerogative, it somehow cheapens the book--anything to stay commercially relevant? I hope Hayhurst finds something else to earn his living from, as it seems like the longer it is since his playing days, the more sensational his baseball revelations need to be. I would give the book a 3.4 and then only if you are a serious baseball fan.
June 11, 2023
I think Hayhurst is a decent writer, but this book came up short for me in a number of ways. My main problem with it was the often lengthy conversations among the ballplayers and coaches while in hotel rooms, on buses, in the locker room. I'm sure these conversations are true-to-form and exhibit verisimilitude, but the characters themselves are just not interesting enough to sustain interest. They often sink into adolescent banter, and it goes on and on, and, again, players may be exactly like this, but for me it isn't interesting.
I would have preferred more about the differences between A and AA ball, what the parks were like, the fans, more game action that had something to do with the author. I'm a lifelong baseball fan, but I know very little about these leagues, and I don't know much more now after having plowed through this book. I know about the bathroom habits of Class A players, but not much else.
Based on this book, baseball players are just like college frat rats when they're not on the field. Probably the reader could spin tales as good or even better from his or her past. I would have liked to have read more inside baseball. I would have like to know more about what it's like to be out on the field and not so much about the locker room or the team bus. There was some of that, but not enough.
I loved the initial chapters, the self-doubt, the motivation to escape his depressing family life, his arriving at Spring Training, but, for me, the book degenerated into uninteresting subject matter. It's too bad--I was rooting for this man, and I had a deep appreciation for the level of his emotional life that he was willing to share with us, his readers.
I would have preferred more about the differences between A and AA ball, what the parks were like, the fans, more game action that had something to do with the author. I'm a lifelong baseball fan, but I know very little about these leagues, and I don't know much more now after having plowed through this book. I know about the bathroom habits of Class A players, but not much else.
Based on this book, baseball players are just like college frat rats when they're not on the field. Probably the reader could spin tales as good or even better from his or her past. I would have liked to have read more inside baseball. I would have like to know more about what it's like to be out on the field and not so much about the locker room or the team bus. There was some of that, but not enough.
I loved the initial chapters, the self-doubt, the motivation to escape his depressing family life, his arriving at Spring Training, but, for me, the book degenerated into uninteresting subject matter. It's too bad--I was rooting for this man, and I had a deep appreciation for the level of his emotional life that he was willing to share with us, his readers.
October 10, 2021
I listen to this book on Audible. What I thought was going to be a strictly fun read turned out to be a much more in-depth book. Not so much about baseball but just personal development and introspection. The author is not just a dumb jock. Hayhurst has a lot of depth as a person both intellectually and emotionally.
After finishing this book I feel it is very much like if the character Crash Davis from the movie Bull Durham had written a book this would be it.
I don’t know that I would read the book again or listen to it again but I found it highly enjoyable and will likely check out additional books that the author has published.
Keep in mind if you listen to the Audible version of this book there’s quite a bit of swearing and descriptive adult situations that are inappropriate for kids or possibly other adults. I found it entertaining but the type of entertainment may not be enjoyable for others. Keep in mind much of the story is centered around his work in the minor leagues as a ballplayer.
After finishing this book I feel it is very much like if the character Crash Davis from the movie Bull Durham had written a book this would be it.
I don’t know that I would read the book again or listen to it again but I found it highly enjoyable and will likely check out additional books that the author has published.
Keep in mind if you listen to the Audible version of this book there’s quite a bit of swearing and descriptive adult situations that are inappropriate for kids or possibly other adults. I found it entertaining but the type of entertainment may not be enjoyable for others. Keep in mind much of the story is centered around his work in the minor leagues as a ballplayer.
June 24, 2024
This book was a disappointment to me. Somewhere I read that it was a cross between BALL FOUR and another book which escapes my memory, probably BULL DURHAM. I read BALL FOUR more than fifty years ago and I liked it much more than this one. There was certainly more baseball in BALL FOUR; that is a plus. If you like reading foul language and the often lewd behavior of minor league ball players, this book is for you.
As I am writing this review, a new idea has popped into my head. I have often said and written that we do not read books or write reviews in a vacuum so I add so,e context to my reading and writing. I was in my early 20's when I read BALL FOUR. I am approaching my mid 70's as I write this review. I must keep in mind that most of these players are kids, and perhaps I have less tolerance that I did half a century ago.
Nevertheless, I would have preferred more baseball and less about the off field antics. The lessons to be learned are good news and thus the word Gospel is appropriate.
Three stars waxing
As I am writing this review, a new idea has popped into my head. I have often said and written that we do not read books or write reviews in a vacuum so I add so,e context to my reading and writing. I was in my early 20's when I read BALL FOUR. I am approaching my mid 70's as I write this review. I must keep in mind that most of these players are kids, and perhaps I have less tolerance that I did half a century ago.
Nevertheless, I would have preferred more baseball and less about the off field antics. The lessons to be learned are good news and thus the word Gospel is appropriate.
Three stars waxing
April 23, 2020
9/10
I like it a lot. The book takes you through a season or two from the perspective of a career minor leaguer. Much of the book is lighthearted and fun, if a bit blue in humor. There are many scenes of players joking around and passing the time in very amusing ways. Quite a few of the other players are very interesting 'characters' in their own right, even if their identities have been altered for the sake of anonymity.
However, the book also touches on the more difficult aspects of the narrator's life and the game: family troubles, growing as a person, inherent competition between teammates, losing friends to cuts or promotions, financial struggles, etc. Though, these heavier moments are far less frequent than the jovial norm.
The prose is simple and effective. The story moves along at a good clip, never one dragging. The biggest problem I have is that I don't think there's much re-readability here. That's because the jokes and antics of the players is the core of what this book is, but I feel like I would remember the punchline halfway through the retelling, ruining the joke. But perhaps I'm wrong on that.
I'll almost certainly pick up the next book in the series soon.
Oh, and Ray Porter is quickly becoming one of my favorite narrators of all time. At first I thought the Bob trilogy was just terribly funny (which I still standby), but now I'm wondering how much of that is due to Porter's reading. He absolutely shines when given humorous material to work with, and this book is no exception.
First person limited.
I like it a lot. The book takes you through a season or two from the perspective of a career minor leaguer. Much of the book is lighthearted and fun, if a bit blue in humor. There are many scenes of players joking around and passing the time in very amusing ways. Quite a few of the other players are very interesting 'characters' in their own right, even if their identities have been altered for the sake of anonymity.
However, the book also touches on the more difficult aspects of the narrator's life and the game: family troubles, growing as a person, inherent competition between teammates, losing friends to cuts or promotions, financial struggles, etc. Though, these heavier moments are far less frequent than the jovial norm.
The prose is simple and effective. The story moves along at a good clip, never one dragging. The biggest problem I have is that I don't think there's much re-readability here. That's because the jokes and antics of the players is the core of what this book is, but I feel like I would remember the punchline halfway through the retelling, ruining the joke. But perhaps I'm wrong on that.
I'll almost certainly pick up the next book in the series soon.
Oh, and Ray Porter is quickly becoming one of my favorite narrators of all time. At first I thought the Bob trilogy was just terribly funny (which I still standby), but now I'm wondering how much of that is due to Porter's reading. He absolutely shines when given humorous material to work with, and this book is no exception.
First person limited.
October 4, 2021
Couple the prototypical journey of a minor league professional with the tell-all nature popularized by Jim Bouton in “Ball Four” and you have encountered one of the freshest sports autobiographies in some time. Just like athletes-turned-authors such as Bouton in baseball and Bret Hart in wrestling, Hayhurst’s book benefits from his usage of a daily journal, specifically during the 2007 season. Relaying the frank nature of jock culture on-and-off the field will capture many readers’ attention, though the honesty Hayhurst displays with the questioning of his career path makes this biography incredibly well-rounded from the start. Thankfully, a featured sequel biography concerning his promotion to the big-leagues the following season exists, and the reader will find themselves begging for more pages to gleefully flip through.
March 25, 2018
This book is legitimately "laugh out loud" funny. Dirk Hayhurst shares his experiences as a minor league pitcher in the San Diego Padre system in 2007. This book will tell you a lot about life in the minor leagues but it is more a memoir about growing up and accepting life than it is a baseball book. This is because Hayhurst is sharing his story not telling us about the minor leagues. It is filled with short chapters and very funny dialogue. And then, just when you think it is yet another jock remembrance, you are hit with moments of real life, deep reflection and real change. It is a great read.
January 7, 2020
I finally got around to reading the original after having read his later works from Out of My League on. I'm sure it's the Portland connection that has me preferring the latter books, but the original is no slouch, with Hayhurst's patented mix of hilarious anecdotes and profound observations. Normally I'd have saved this catch-up reading for baseball season. (Though I picked it up more than a year ago--during the season--and got halfway done before shelving it in favor of other necessary reading.) But I've decided to try and finish some books I only partially read, trying to match up finishing an old book between starting new ones.
July 4, 2020
In some ways, this book presents itself as the opposite of all baseball narratives I’ve read before, deconstructing the myths and legends we often attribute to our national pastime. Still, by the end, it leaves me excited about what baseball has meant and can still mean, and it leaves me wanting to read more. (Fortunately, Hayhurst has three other baseball books...) Despite the vulgarity and base comedy, the author’s ultimate thesis is meaningful and interesting, about life and conflicts that move far beyond the baseball diamond. Definitely one of the more engaging and worthwhile baseball reads.
February 7, 2019
This is an entertaining book for people who like to read about life and struggles in sport, or
specifically baseball.
I think Mr. Hayhurst did a good job in describing what motivated him and what kept him
going in spite of some seeming setbacks. Some of the stuff that takes place in the locker room
and the team bus are often funny and sometimes sad.
I think this is a book for the fellow who might have dreamed once of playing professional baseball.
While some women might find things in the book to think about, I suspect the appeal of this book
will be mostly to guys.
specifically baseball.
I think Mr. Hayhurst did a good job in describing what motivated him and what kept him
going in spite of some seeming setbacks. Some of the stuff that takes place in the locker room
and the team bus are often funny and sometimes sad.
I think this is a book for the fellow who might have dreamed once of playing professional baseball.
While some women might find things in the book to think about, I suspect the appeal of this book
will be mostly to guys.
July 17, 2020
My husband recommended this to me and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This had me feeling just about every emotion. In fact, I found myself laughing aloud multiple times throughout the book as well. This also had a phenomenal narrator for the audiobook as well. His zeal and vocal inflections helped to bring the stories alive. I would highly recommend this to anyone who has been part of a sports team, but also, anyone who loves sports or can relate to sports. This story was so much more than about a guy who was in minor/major leagues. Stay away if you dislike vulgarity!
June 27, 2021
This is one book that I wavered on a rating often. Sometimes a five, sometimes a three, I ended up going with a three as I've given many more five's in my ratings and I didn't want to look like a pushover. This is however, thee book to read if one finds himself curious about the life of a minor league baseball player. Essentially living in poverty, traveling on 8 hour bus rides crashing in the cheapest of motels with the crushing pressure to advance up the chain and not get cut. Very entertaining but again, nobody is gonna call me a pushover.
The Bullpen Gospels....three stars.
The Bullpen Gospels....three stars.
January 6, 2022
Had high hopes for this since I had seen it in bookstores for a number of years, but I enjoyed only about the last quarter of it. It may have been the audio book reader, but the narrator/author seemed so angry about how his life had turned out to wind up in AA ball and have rifts with his parents, etc., that it soured me. Having been around pro players and in locker rooms as a sports writer, I also think many of the antics and profanity bored me. But I have another of his books (in book form) and will give it a try.
February 4, 2023
When someone asks me my favorite sport I usually say rodeo to be different. But giving a more traditional answer, it’s baseball. I like baseball because it’s about working as a team and an individual. It’s about achieving your personal best and learning how to be a part of a whole. It’s about math, statistics and historical moments. It’s relaxing one moment and being on the edge of your seat the next. There’s room for personality and individualism while still giving of yourself and setting your teammate up for success. Baseball is fascinating and I truly enjoyed this inside look.
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