The Bullpen Gospels

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What to expect

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 and unflinching account of his life in the minor leagues. Whether training tarantulas to protect his room from thieving employees in a backwater hotel or absorbing the gentle mockery of some not-quite-starstruck schoolchildren, Hayhurst reveals a side of baseball—and life—rarely seen on television.

Upon its release, The Bullpen Gospels became a New York Times bestseller; and with comparisons to Jim Boutons's Ball Four, The Bullpen Gospels is slated to be a classic of the genre.

Critics Review

“One of the best baseball books ever written.”

Keith Olbermann

“Hilarious, poignant, a really enjoyable read.”

Bob Costas

u201cHe has a message to deliver about the things that matter in lifeu2014and those that donu2019t. And he offers sage observations about the nature of celebrity and ambition, forgiveness and familyu2026Mr. Hayhurst is already a writer, maybe even a major-league prospect.u201d

Wall Street Journal

The Bullpen Gospels is a rollicking good bus ride of a book.”

Sports Illustrated, editorial review

“Dirk Hayhurst has written a fascinating, funny and honest account on life in the minor leagues. I loved it.”

Tim Kurkjian, senior writer, analyst/reporter ESPN televisionu00a0

Bull Durham meets Ball Four.”

ESPN.com, editorial review

u201cIf Holden Caulfield could dial up his fastball to 90 mph, he might have written this funny, touching memoir about a ballplayer at a careeru2014and lifeu2014crossroads. He might have called it Pitcher in the Rye. Instead, he left it to Dirk Hayhurst, the only writer in the business who can make you laugh, make you cry, and strike out Ryan Howard.u201d

King Kaufman, Salonu00a0

u201cActor Ray Porteru2019s narration is engaging and lively; he expertly captures the vocal nuances of the wide variety of colorful characters in Hayhurstu2019s tale, from no-nonsense coaches to a foul-mouthed grandmother. Recommended for adult baseball fans interested in digging into life in the minor leagues and learning what goes on behind the scenes when the cameras are off.u201d

Library Journal

“A true picture of baseball.”

Tim McCarver

“Fascinating…a perspective that fans rarely see.”

Trevor Hoffman, pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers u00a0

u201cThe Bullpen Gospels is a funny bone-tickling, tear duct-stimulating, feel-good story that will leave die-hard baseball fansu2014and die-hard human beings, for that matteru2014well, feeling good.u201d

Bob Mitchell, author of Once Upon a Fastball

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