Out of My League

div "Dirk Hayhurst writes about baseball in a unique way. Observant, insightful, human, and hilarious."br --Bob Costas/divdiv/divdiv-  /divdiv/divdiv/divdiv/div "Even more than he did in iThe Bullpen Gospels, /iDirk Hayhurst teaches us here what happens when a 'dream career' collides with reality. There is such universality in his struggles, that if by the book's end you don't ibecome /ihim in your mind, there's probably something wrong with your heart. This book shows why baseball is so often used as a metaphor for life."br --Keith Olbermanndivbrdiv/divdiv "Not many pitchers have replaced future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. Only one has written a delightful book about it. This isn't the story of any old Triple-A veteran trying to finally reach the majors. This is the story of Dirk Hayhurst finally reaching the majors. Which makes the story worth reading."br--Rob Neyer, Sports Nationbr  br "Hayhurst has done it again... Turns out he's a starter and a closer."br --Tim Kurkjian, ESPNbr  br  "A stirring, revealing tale of humanity."br --Ken Rosenthal, Fox Sportsbr  br "Gripping, revealing--and not at all what you'd expect."br --Tyler Kepner, iThe New York Times/i/divdivispan /span  /i/divdivi/i/divdivi"/iWith razor-sharp wit and keen observational powers, Dirk Hayhurst delivers a rare gem of a baseball book. Out of My League captures both the joy and the toll of becoming a big leaguer unlike anything else before it."/divdiv--Tom Verducci, iSports Illustrated/i/divdiv  -br "Hilarious, illuminating and poignant...This is more than a baseball book. It's the story of a man learning that it's possible to grip a baseball without it gripping him."br --Craig Calcaterra, NBC Sports.combr  br "Hayhurst has done it again...If only I could pitch as well as he can write, I might have more Cy Youngs than Greg Maddux."br --Jayson Stark, ESPN.combr  br "Memorable... Hayhurst delivers an entertaining story for more than just sports fans. This is about life, relationships and the sacrifices made to pursue a dream"br --Jordan Bastian, MLB.combr  br "Funny, earthy, touching. Dirk finally makes it to a big-league mound, but as a writer, he's been throwing strikes in the Show for a while now, and "Out of My League" is another quality start."br --King Kaufman, iBleacher Report/ibr  br "The most candid portrayal of life as a professional athlete I've ever seen." br --Michael Dolan, Editor-in-Chief,span /spaniAthletes Quarterly/ibr  br "It's never too inside baseball, even though it is literally from inside baseball."br --John Manuel, Editor, iBaseball America/ibr i /ibr "Dirk is a good friend who has never been afraid to tell it like it is. He has a genuine gift for telling the stories of his life in such a way that they reveal profound truths. I find his writing both entertaining and thought provoking... unlike his fastball."br --Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays All-Starbr  br"Baseball is a game governed by countless rules, none bigger than this one: Don't over think it. Dirk Hayhurst takes us down the rabbit hole that is his mind, to a place where that rule is constantly violated, every decision, every move, every breath over thought. In the process, he provides a brutally honest take on life in the majors--the oversized ballparks, hotel rooms, and personalities, but also the self-doubt, loneliness, and despair. I laughed, I cried, I even learned how to doctor a baseball."br --Jonah Keri, author of iThe Extra 2%/ibr   br "Compulsively readable and enjoyable...Apparently, it's not enough for Hayhurst to be a major league pitcher; he has to be a fantastic writer, too."br --Matt Fraction, Marvel Comics /div/div