Dirk Hayhurst: Update

September 7th, 2008

Read the original post: Putting It Out There.

• UPDATE •

September 07, 2008 — As much as I personally prefer the minor-league game, I rarely lose sight of the ultimate goal for every minor leaguer. And I’m happy for the ballplayers who—through hard work, perseverance, and more than a little good fortune—manage to escape the bushes and make it into The Show.

In the case of Dirk Hayhurst, I gotta tell you all, . . .I am absolutely thrilled!

Although the Padres management certainly noticed his performance with the Triple-A Portland Beavers this season, it was a surprise for many when he got the start against the San Francisco Giants on August 23, with another start against the Colorado Rockies on August 29th.

So how’s my favorite ballplayer/blogger doing ? Let me begin by pointing out the San Diego Padres called him up prior to the September 01 roster expansion and dedicated a roster spot for him. This is a considerably more secure position than being an interim fill-in for a player on the DL. Cool!

Albeit, his two starts weren’t exactly stellar. In his MLB debut, August 23, he threw 76 pitches over 4 IP with 3 ER, 2 BB and 2 SO. On August 29, he tallied 101 pitches over 4 IP with 4 ER, 4 BB and 4 SO in 4 IP. Ouch. By his own admission, the 6’3″ 210 lb righthander’s problem was getting too fussy about pitch location. The pitch-by-pitch diagrams certainly confirm he didn’t do such a good job of claiming the strike zone and going after the hitters. Here are the at-bats for the first three batters he faced in the third inning on August 29:

[You can watch his entire start via the MLB Gameday Pitch-by-Pitch animations: August 23, August 29th. Free registration is required. Internet broadcasts are available—August 23, August 29th— however you'll have to plunk down a minimum of $7.95/game or $14.95 for unlimited viewing for the rest of the season. ]

Compare these to his minor-league start in late May and the difference is readily apparent. That said, any expectations beyond his making it through four innings alive would have been pretty unrealistic. After all, Hayhurst has been limited to pitching long relief for virtually all of his professional career.

So, how significant were these two starts in terms of #57′s big-league future? I should start with the disclaimer of my own bias, which is I tend to consider athletic progress/results from the perspective of the long-term development. In other words, 2 GS/8.1 IP doesn’t mean much, except perhaps as an early snapshot of an MLB learning curve.

To illustrate what I mean, let’s look at the debut of a couple of Hayhurst’s Triple-A teammates. Wade LeBlanc (2006 draft, 2nd round, 61st overall pick) wasn’t so impressive in his first MLB start, throwing 100 pitches over 4 IP and ending up with 5 ER, 2 HR, 3 BB, 1 SO. Josh Geer (2005 draft, 3rd round, 98th overall pick) fared better in his two appearances. Still, he threw a lot of pitches, over 100 per 5 IP and needs to keep an eye on his walks-to-strikeouts ratio (6 BB/7 SO).

With the activation of Chris Young from the DL, Hayhurst was moved to the bullpen. It’s just plain silly to extrapolate/project too much out of 0.1 IP in one relief appearance, September 02. So I won’t even try.

As always, it is this blogger’s sworn duty to note those accomplishments that don’t get nearly as much attention, not that they’re less important. Most of the media coverage has focused on his thought-provoking journals and more recently, his triumph-of-the-underdog success. Pretty much overlooked is perhaps Hayhurst’s most significant accomplishment of all—fulfilling the added responsibilities that necessarily come with being a celebrity sports figure. And this is why I’m so stoked on the “likable righthander” from Canton, OH.

Hayhurst works out with Special Olympians, proving the heart of an athlete cannot be measured by the size of their paycheck.

Hayhurst has blogged more than once about his discomfort over being designated a role model for reasons that have more to do with the uniform he wears than the person inside it. At the same time, his actions speak volumes about his coming to terms with the unasked-for (and sometimes unrealistic) expectations that accompany the label of “sports hero.”

With his usual grace and good humor, Hayhurst applies the same professionalism to his PR duties as he does to his pitching mechanics and conditioning sets. Right before his call-up, Hayhurst won the Portland Beavers Community Service Award for all of his work off the field. As a major leaguer, he’s handled the spotlight well, readily answering questions from the press and giving them the kinds of quotes that make the story a breeze (not to mention a pleasure) to write.

And this brings me to the most impressive decision of all. Without fanfare, Hayhurst acknowledged his new status within the Padres organization by immediately ending his blogging. His hard work has paid off, management has rewarded him, and the stakes have been raised. No longer a Minor League Nobody flying under the radar of public scrutiny, the Major Leaguer understands his #1 job priority is to shut up,  . . .and pitch.

Wow. Talk about being a winner.

It takes a lot of maturity to understand the appropriate time and place for having your say. Hayhurst has always claimed he doesn’t deserve any special accolades. Well, I think the rest of us know better. Bye for now!

Entry Filed under: Game of Life,Major League Baseball