The Nationals will be favored to put their postseason demons to rest Tuesday against the Brewers in the National Leaguewild-card game in Washington, but Milwaukee' David Long Jr. Jerseys s presence in the playoffs at all shows it's a team capable of outperforming expectations.
The fractured kneecap Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich suffered Sept. 10 ended his season and was supposed to take his team down with it. Instead, Milwaukee went 15-2 in its next 17 games to secure a playoff spot, though being swept by the Rockies to close the season helped the Cardinals secure the NL Central title.
Washington has its own resurrection story, with the Nationals overcoming a 19-31 start to take the first wild card spot, and an eight-game win streak to close the season helped salvage what began as an ugly September.
MORE:
Nationals ace Max Scherzer (11-7, 2.92 ERA) will get the start for Washington, though the right-hander closed the season on some shaky notes. After allowing more than three runs in just two of his first 22 starts, he did so in three of his final five.
Last postseason, the Brewers went with a very modern approach to its pitching, often using openers and bullpen games to mask an underwhelming starting rotation. This year, things are a bit different.
Brandon Woodruff (11-3, 3.62) worked mostly out of the bullpen last year but converted to starting full-time in 2019 and will take the mound for Milwaukee, but of course, with their postseason lives on the line, both teams will have quick hooks.
Below is all you need to know about Nationals vs. Brewers on Tuesday night, including start time and TV channel.
MLB POSTSEASON PICKS:
What channel is Nationals vs. Brewers on today?TV channel: TBSLive stream:
TBS is the home of the NL playoffs, airing the wild-card game and all divsional and championship series games. The American League playoffs are split between ESPN (wild-card game), MLB Network (ALDS), FOX Sports 1 (ALDS/ALCS), and FOX (ALCS).
This is Washington's first wild-card game. The Nationals mi sed the playoffs last year after back-to-back NL East titles in 2016 and 2017. The most recent postseason game at Nationals Park was the heartbreaking NLDS Game 5 lo s to the Cubs in 2017.
Nationals vs. Brewers: What time is first pitch?Date: Tuesday, Oct. 1Start time: 8:08 Los Angeles Rams Women Jersey p.m. ET
Milwaukee made a surprisingly deep postseason run last season. The Brewers swept the Rockies in the NLDS with relative ease and then played the Dodgers to a Game 7 in a series with three one-run games.
MLB playoff schedule 2019Wild-card roundEventTeamsDateTimeTV channelNL wild-card gameBrewers at NationalsTuesday, Oct. 18:08 p.m. ETTBSAL wild-card gameRays at AthleticsWednesday, Oct. 28:09 p.m. ETESPNDivision Series
A = Involves club with best record; B = Does not involve club with best record
EventTeamsDateTimeTV channelNLDS 'A' Game 1WC at DodgersThursday, Oct. 3TBATBSNLDS 'B' Game 1Cardinals at BravesThursday, Oct. 3TBATBSALDS 'A' Game 1WC at AstrosFriday, Oct. 4TBAMLBN or FS1ALDS 'B' Game 1Twins at YankeesFriday, Oct. 4TBAMLBN or FS1NLDS 'A' Game 2WC at DodgersFriday, Oct. 4TBATBSNLDS 'B' Game 2Cardinals at BravesFriday, Oct. 4TBATBSALDS 'A' Game 2WC at AstrosSaturday, Oct. 5TBAFS1ALDS 'B' Game 2Twins at YankeesSaturday, Oct. 5TBAFS1NLDS 'A' Game 3Dodgers at WCSunday, Oct. 6TBATBSNLDS 'B' Game 3Braves at CardinalsSunday, Oct. 6TBATBSALDS 'A' Game 3Astros at WCMonday, Oct. 7TBAMLBN or FS1ALDS 'B' Game 3Yankees at TwinsMonday, Oct. 7TBAMLBN or FS1NLDS Los Angeles Rams Men Jersey 'A' Game 4 (if nece sary)Dodgers at WCMonday, Oct. 7TBATBSNLDS 'B' Game 4 (if nece sary)Braves at CardinalsMonday, Oct. 7TBATBSALDS 'A' Game 4 (if nece sary)Astros at WCTuesday, Oct. 8TBAFS1ALDS 'B' Game 4 (if nece sary)Yankees at TwinsTuesday, Oct. 8TBAFS1NLDS 'A' Game 5 (if nece sary)WC at DodgersWednesday, Oct. 9TBATBSNLDS 'B' Game 5 (if nece sary)Cardinals at BravesWednesday, Oct. 9TBATBSALDS 'A' Game 5 (if nece sary)WC at AstrosThursday, Oct. 10TBAFS1ALDS 'B' Game 5 (if nece sary)Twins at YankeesThursday, Oct. 10TBAFS1League Championship SeriesEventTeamsDateTimeTV channelNLCS Game 1TBAFriday, Oct. 11TBATBSALCS Game 1TBASaturday, Oct. 12TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 2TBASaturday, Oct. 12TBATBSALCS Game 2TBASunday, Oct. 13TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 3TBAMonday, Oct. 14TBATBSALCS Game 3TBATuesday, Oct. 15TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 4TBATuesday, Oct. 15TBATBSALCS Game 4TBAWednesday, Oct. 16TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 5 (if nece sary)TBAWednesday, Oct. 16TBATBSALCS Game 5 ( Jacob Harris Jerseys if nece sary)TBAThursday, Oct. 17TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 6 (if nece sary)TBAFriday, Oct. 18TBATBSALCS Game 6 (if nece sary)TBASaturday, Oct. 19TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 7 (if nece sary)TBASaturday, Oct. 19TBATBSALCS Game 7 (if nece sary)TBASunday, Oct. 20TBAFox or FS1World SeriesEventTeamsDateTimeTV channelWorld Series Game 1TBATuesday, Oct. 22TBAFoxWorld Series Game 2TBAWednesday, Oct. 23TBAFoxWorld Series Game 3TBAFriday, Oct. 25TBAFoxWorld Series Game 4TBASaturday, Oct. 26TBAFoxWorld Series Game 5 (if nece sary)TBASunday, Oct. 27TBAFoxWorld Series Game 6 (if nece sary)TBATuesday, Oct. 29TBAFoxWorld Series Game 7 (if nece sary)TBAWednesday, Oct. 30TBAFox
The Nationals will be favored to put their postseason demons to rest Tuesday against the Brewers in the National Leaguewild-card game in Washington, but Milwaukee’ David Long Jr. Jerseys s presence in the playoffs at all shows it’s a team capable of outperforming expectations.
The fractured kneecap Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich suffered Sept. 10 ended his season and was supposed to take his team down with it. Instead, Milwaukee went 15-2 in its next 17 games to secure a playoff spot, though being swept by the Rockies to close the season helped the Cardinals secure the NL Central title.
Washington has its own resurrection story, with the Nationals overcoming a 19-31 start to take the first wild card spot, and an eight-game win streak to close the season helped salvage what began as an ugly September.
MORE:
Nationals ace Max Scherzer (11-7, 2.92 ERA) will get the start for Washington, though the right-hander closed the season on some shaky notes. After allowing more than three runs in just two of his first 22 starts, he did so in three of his final five.
Last postseason, the Brewers went with a very modern approach to its pitching, often using openers and bullpen games to mask an underwhelming starting rotation. This year, things are a bit different.
Brandon Woodruff (11-3, 3.62) worked mostly out of the bullpen last year but converted to starting full-time in 2019 and will take the mound for Milwaukee, but of course, with their postseason lives on the line, both teams will have quick hooks.
Below is all you need to know about Nationals vs. Brewers on Tuesday night, including start time and TV channel.
MLB POSTSEASON PICKS:
What channel is Nationals vs. Brewers on today?TV channel: TBSLive stream:
TBS is the home of the NL playoffs, airing the wild-card game and all divsional and championship series games. The American League playoffs are split between ESPN (wild-card game), MLB Network (ALDS), FOX Sports 1 (ALDS/ALCS), and FOX (ALCS).
This is Washington’s first wild-card game. The Nationals mi sed the playoffs last year after back-to-back NL East titles in 2016 and 2017. The most recent postseason game at Nationals Park was the heartbreaking NLDS Game 5 lo s to the Cubs in 2017.
Nationals vs. Brewers: What time is first pitch?Date: Tuesday, Oct. 1Start time: 8:08 Los Angeles Rams Women Jersey p.m. ET
Milwaukee made a surprisingly deep postseason run last season. The Brewers swept the Rockies in the NLDS with relative ease and then played the Dodgers to a Game 7 in a series with three one-run games.
MLB playoff schedule 2019Wild-card roundEventTeamsDateTimeTV channelNL wild-card gameBrewers at NationalsTuesday, Oct. 18:08 p.m. ETTBSAL wild-card gameRays at AthleticsWednesday, Oct. 28:09 p.m. ETESPNDivision Series
A = Involves club with best record; B = Does not involve club with best record
EventTeamsDateTimeTV channelNLDS ‘A’ Game 1WC at DodgersThursday, Oct. 3TBATBSNLDS ‘B’ Game 1Cardinals at BravesThursday, Oct. 3TBATBSALDS ‘A’ Game 1WC at AstrosFriday, Oct. 4TBAMLBN or FS1ALDS ‘B’ Game 1Twins at YankeesFriday, Oct. 4TBAMLBN or FS1NLDS ‘A’ Game 2WC at DodgersFriday, Oct. 4TBATBSNLDS ‘B’ Game 2Cardinals at BravesFriday, Oct. 4TBATBSALDS ‘A’ Game 2WC at AstrosSaturday, Oct. 5TBAFS1ALDS ‘B’ Game 2Twins at YankeesSaturday, Oct. 5TBAFS1NLDS ‘A’ Game 3Dodgers at WCSunday, Oct. 6TBATBSNLDS ‘B’ Game 3Braves at CardinalsSunday, Oct. 6TBATBSALDS ‘A’ Game 3Astros at WCMonday, Oct. 7TBAMLBN or FS1ALDS ‘B’ Game 3Yankees at TwinsMonday, Oct. 7TBAMLBN or FS1NLDS Los Angeles Rams Men Jersey ‘A’ Game 4 (if nece sary)Dodgers at WCMonday, Oct. 7TBATBSNLDS ‘B’ Game 4 (if nece sary)Braves at CardinalsMonday, Oct. 7TBATBSALDS ‘A’ Game 4 (if nece sary)Astros at WCTuesday, Oct. 8TBAFS1ALDS ‘B’ Game 4 (if nece sary)Yankees at TwinsTuesday, Oct. 8TBAFS1NLDS ‘A’ Game 5 (if nece sary)WC at DodgersWednesday, Oct. 9TBATBSNLDS ‘B’ Game 5 (if nece sary)Cardinals at BravesWednesday, Oct. 9TBATBSALDS ‘A’ Game 5 (if nece sary)WC at AstrosThursday, Oct. 10TBAFS1ALDS ‘B’ Game 5 (if nece sary)Twins at YankeesThursday, Oct. 10TBAFS1League Championship SeriesEventTeamsDateTimeTV channelNLCS Game 1TBAFriday, Oct. 11TBATBSALCS Game 1TBASaturday, Oct. 12TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 2TBASaturday, Oct. 12TBATBSALCS Game 2TBASunday, Oct. 13TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 3TBAMonday, Oct. 14TBATBSALCS Game 3TBATuesday, Oct. 15TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 4TBATuesday, Oct. 15TBATBSALCS Game 4TBAWednesday, Oct. 16TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 5 (if nece sary)TBAWednesday, Oct. 16TBATBSALCS Game 5 ( Jacob Harris Jerseys if nece sary)TBAThursday, Oct. 17TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 6 (if nece sary)TBAFriday, Oct. 18TBATBSALCS Game 6 (if nece sary)TBASaturday, Oct. 19TBAFox or FS1NLCS Game 7 (if nece sary)TBASaturday, Oct. 19TBATBSALCS Game 7 (if nece sary)TBASunday, Oct. 20TBAFox or FS1World SeriesEventTeamsDateTimeTV channelWorld Series Game 1TBATuesday, Oct. 22TBAFoxWorld Series Game 2TBAWednesday, Oct. 23TBAFoxWorld Series Game 3TBAFriday, Oct. 25TBAFoxWorld Series Game 4TBASaturday, Oct. 26TBAFoxWorld Series Game 5 (if nece sary)TBASunday, Oct. 27TBAFoxWorld Series Game 6 (if nece sary)TBATuesday, Oct. 29TBAFoxWorld Series Game 7 (if nece sary)TBAWednesday, Oct. 30TBAFox…
Chris Sale wasn't good in the first game of the Red Sox's double-header Saturday. He knows that. His team lost 9-2 and he Adoree' Jackson Jerseys gave up eight earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.
But he was not happy with umpire Mike Estabrook who ejected both Sale and manager Alex Cora in a dismal fourth inning which saw a couple of pitches called balls that could have ended at-bats. Sale wants to see Estabrook held accountable for his performance, but he's not optimistic he will be.
Nothing is going to happen to him, Im sure. Hell be out there (in Game 2) at third base, probably be at home plate again. Im sure Ill get fined. Im sure AC will get fined, all for things I think we were justified about, Sale said, via the . I dont want to get too caught up in the politics of this, but theres got to be something. AC doesnt do his job for long enough, hes gone. If I dont do my job for long enough, Im gone. Goes for every other manager in the league, it goes for New York Giants Jerseys every other player in this clubhouse and in the league. Got to find something. Nothing really holding it down.
Cora was ejected first in the fourth inning during a mound visit when Estabrook came out to break it up. It appeared Cora hit the umpire with some profanity when he met the scrum on the pitcher's mound and he was then ejected.
Sale later was removed from the game after 3 2/3 innings pitched and was ejected when he yelled at Estabrook on his way off the mound.
There were a few questionable calls in the game to be sure.
Domingo Germn, Painted 96mph Fastball (Well, Painted Outside the Lines).
Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja)
"Terrible. Awful. Brutal." -Red Sox broadcastUmpire Mike Estabrook called on a ball on what should've been strike 3 to Aaron Judge. Instead of ending the inning, Judge hit a double, ending Chris Sale's day. As Sale walked off the field, Estabrook ejected Sale. v
Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor)
Sale thought he had struck out Gio Riley Dixon Jerseys Urshela on a pitch in the fourth inning but instead it was called a ball and Urshela would eventually single. He thought he had a strike on Aaron Judge as well but that Dexter Lawrence Jerseys was again called a ball.
When all was said and done the Yankees scored seven runs in the fourth inning and Cora and Sale were ejected. Sale again admitted he needs to be better but spoke about how you can't give this New York lineup second chances.
Give these guys extra outs its going to hurt. I felt like he changed the landscape of the game, Sale said. But theres got to be something that can be done about this. Were held accountable as players, as coaches. Theres nothing we can do. Im sure theres nothing Major League Baseball is going to do.
Related Articles
Chris Sale wasn’t good in the first game of the Red Sox’s double-header Saturday. He knows that. His team lost 9-2 and he Adoree’ Jackson Jerseys gave up eight earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.
But he was not happy with umpire Mike Estabrook who ejected both Sale and manager Alex Cora in a dismal fourth inning which saw a couple of pitches called balls that could have ended at-bats. Sale wants to see Estabrook held accountable for his performance, but he’s not optimistic he will be.
Nothing is going to happen to him, Im sure. Hell be out there (in Game 2) at third base, probably be at home plate again. Im sure Ill get fined. Im sure AC will get fined, all for things I think we were justified about, Sale said, via the . I dont want to get too caught up in the politics of this, but theres got to be something. AC doesnt do his job for long enough, hes gone. If I dont do my job for long enough, Im gone. Goes for every other manager in the league, it goes for New York Giants Jerseys every other player in this clubhouse and in the league. Got to find something. Nothing really holding it down.
Cora was ejected first in the fourth inning during a mound visit when Estabrook came out to break it up. It appeared Cora hit the umpire with some profanity when he met the scrum on the pitcher’s mound and he was then ejected.
Sale later was removed from the game after 3 2/3 innings pitched and was ejected when he yelled at Estabrook on his way off the mound.
There were a few questionable calls in the game to be sure.
Domingo Germn, Painted 96mph Fastball (Well, Painted Outside the Lines).
Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja)
“Terrible. Awful. Brutal.” -Red Sox broadcastUmpire Mike Estabrook called on a ball on what should’ve been strike 3 to Aaron Judge. Instead of ending the inning, Judge hit a double, ending Chris Sale’s day. As Sale walked off the field, Estabrook ejected Sale. v
Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor)
Sale thought he had struck out Gio Riley Dixon Jerseys Urshela on a pitch in the fourth inning but instead it was called a ball and Urshela would eventually single. He thought he had a strike on Aaron Judge as well but that Dexter Lawrence Jerseys was again called a ball.
When all was said and done the Yankees scored seven runs in the fourth inning and Cora and Sale were ejected. Sale again admitted he needs to be better but spoke about how you can’t give this New York lineup second chances.
Give these guys extra outs its going to hurt. I felt like he changed the landscape of the game, Sale said. But theres got to be something that can be done about this. Were held accountable as players, as coaches. Theres nothing we can do. Im sure theres nothing Major League Baseball is going to do.
Maybe Harper for Most Valuable Player in2016. The reigning NL New York Giants T Shirts MVPhit ahome run in his first at-batin the Nationals 4-3 extra-inning win over the Braves.
Bryce Harper saidto hell with MLB’s last month. Now he’s backing it New York Giants Jerseys upwith a trucker hat Donald Trump would be proud of.
Thanks toreporters inside Odell Beckham Jr T Shirts the Nationals clubhouse, we can ofHarper’swhite hat that read, Make Baseball Fun Again.
MORE: |
Sporting a cap that said, “Make Baseball Fun Again,” Bryce Harper talks about the…
Maybe Harper for Most Valuable Player in2016. The reigning NL New York Giants T Shirts MVPhit ahome run in his first at-batin the Nationals 4-3 extra-inning win over the Braves.
SAN DIEGO Working on their rebuild at last years winter meetings, the White Sox traded closer Addison Reed to the Diamondbacks for slugging third base prospect Matt Davidson. At the time, knowing that there was little hope of Chicago contending in 2014, the deal made a lot of sense.
Given that Reed had six blown saves, a 4.25 ERA, and a 4.03 FIP that did not belie his frontline numbers, thanks to 11 home runs surrendered, the deal still makes sense. Tajae Sharpe Jerseys Reed had piled up 40 saves for the White Sox in 2013, but relief pitchers who actually are reliable on a year-to-year basis are exceptionally hard to find, and taking a calculated risk that Reed was not Deion Jones Jerseys one of them was just fine for the White Sox.
Davidson spent the year in Triple-A, and hit a disappointing .199/.283/.362 with 18 home runs and 164 strikeouts, so the deal has not paid dividends for Chicago, either, but a year later, it could be time for the next stage of general manager Rick Hahns plan to come into place.
, who had a 3.08 ERA and 2.68 FIP while saving 39 games for the Yankees in 2014. Having already signed Adam LaRoche as an upgrade over the retired Paul Konerko, and with Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu in their lineup and ace Chris Sale fronting their rotation, the White Sox could loom as a sleeper for 2015 if they addre s their bullpen. Robertson would addre s their bullpen.
Chicago got decent work out Chris Lindstrom Jerseys of Jake Petricka, who had 14 saves after taking over the closers role, but the White Sox did not have a regular relief option in 2014 whose FIP was under 3.50 outside of Zach Putnam at 3.08 in 54.2 innings. Ronald Belisario, with a 5.56 ERA, was a nightmare, and Daniel Webb was hardly much better with 42 walks in 67.2 innings, though Javy Guerra did exceed expectations in allowing only three homers in 46.1 innings.
Robertson also has drawn interest from the Astros, although Kings report suggests that he is using Houston as leverage. A return to the Yankees to team with Dellin Betances and newly-signed left-hander Andrew Miller to form a powerful back end of the bullpen might make the most sense for Robertson, Desmond Ridder Jerseys who showed in 2014 that he was a worthy heir to Mariano Rivera in the Bronx.
SAN DIEGO Working on their rebuild at last years winter meetings, the White Sox traded closer Addison Reed to the Diamondbacks for slugging third base prospect Matt Davidson. At the time, knowing that there was little hope of Chicago contending in 2014, the deal made a lot of sense.
Given that Reed had six blown saves, a 4.25 ERA, and a 4.03 FIP that did not belie his frontline numbers, thanks to 11 home runs surrendered, the deal still makes sense. Tajae Sharpe Jerseys Reed had piled up 40 saves for the White Sox in 2013, but relief pitchers who actually are reliable on a year-to-year basis are exceptionally hard to find, and taking a calculated risk that Reed was not Deion Jones Jerseys one of them was just fine for the White Sox.
Davidson spent the year in Triple-A, and hit a disappointing .199/.283/.362 with 18 home runs and 164 strikeouts, so the deal has not paid dividends for Chicago, either, but a year later, it could be time for the next stage of general manager Rick Hahns plan to come into place.
, who had a 3.08 ERA and 2.68 FIP while saving 39 games for the Yankees in 2014. Having already signed Adam LaRoche as an upgrade over the retired Paul Konerko, and with Rookie of the Year Jose Abreu in their lineup and ace Chris Sale fronting their rotation, the White Sox could loom as a sleeper for 2015 if they addre s their bullpen. Robertson would addre s their bullpen.
Chicago got decent work out Chris Lindstrom Jerseys of Jake Petricka, who had 14 saves after taking over the closers role, but the White Sox did not have a regular relief option in 2014 whose FIP was under 3.50 outside of Zach Putnam at 3.08 in 54.2 innings. Ronald Belisario, with a 5.56 ERA, was a nightmare, and Daniel Webb was hardly much better with 42 walks in 67.2 innings, though Javy Guerra did exceed expectations in allowing only three homers in 46.1 innings.
Robertson also has drawn interest from the Astros, although Kings report suggests that he is using Houston as leverage. A return to the Yankees to team with Dellin Betances and newly-signed left-hander Andrew Miller to form a powerful back end of the bullpen might make the most sense for Robertson, Desmond Ridder Jerseys who showed in 2014 that he was a worthy heir to Mariano Rivera in the Bronx.
It's just a good thing that Dirk Hayhurst is alive.
The words "accidental mixture of alcohol and oxycodone toxicity" will forever linger in the mind as the cause of death for New York Rangers fighter Derek Boogaard in 2011. So, when reading Hayhurst's new book, it was particularly striking to absorb his account of chasing pain pills and sleeping pills with beer as he battled depre sion while working his way back from shoulder surgery in 2010.
Hayhurst's latest tome follows two succe sful efforts, "The Bullpen Gospels" and "Out of My League." It's a much darker way to end a trilogy than "Return of the Jedi," as instead of spending time with Ewoks on Endor, Hayhurst's journey brings him into contact with practical-joking physical therapists in Birmingham, Alabama. Even through some of his lowest moments, Hayhurst maintains his sense of humor Mike Davis Jerseys in telling his story, and that makes the book a fast and enjoyable read.
The story revolves around baseball, but with the exception of a few reminiscences, Hayhurst hardly actually talks about the game, because he did not pitch at all in 2010. In a lot of ways, that will make "Bigger Than The Game" a much more relatable story to non-baseball fans. One scene in the Toronto Blue Jays' cafeteria is a perfect picture of life never really changing that much after high school.
In that high school scenario, Hayhurst plays the role of the outcast, one that he knowingly put on himself by writing and publishing "The Bullpen Gospels." He admits to making mistakes along the way, but that also does not excuse some truly reprehensible social behavior toward him from teammates, whose names are changed and occasionally turned into amalgam characters, a choice Hayhurst explains as a way of trying to maintain at least some of Feleipe Franks Jerseys the locker room code. That said, if anyone can't figure out the real identity of "TJ Collins," the bullpen leader who threatens to kill Hayhurst, they are not baseball fans.
The drama of "Bigger Than The Game" is not in Hayhurst's dealings with other players, though. It is in his own story, which scrapes so close to both premature personal mortality and forever-nearby Deion Sanders T Shirts profe sional mortality. Hayhurst never threw a pitch in the major leagues after 2009, but he made it back from shoulder surgery to pitch profe sionally again. It's the personal side, the i sue of a man so tied to baseball trying to postpone the inevitable end of his career for as long as po sible, while preparing for its eventuality, that is really gripping. Spoiler alert: Hayhurst winds up a succe sful author.
The i sues that Hayhurst brings up for baseball are something else entirely. The easy availability of prescription drugs to be used with minimal, if any supervision is a big and obvious one, but not the only one. The difference in medical treatment on the major Atlanta Falcons Hoodies Sweatshirts league and minor league sides of Blue Jays camp is flabbergasting. The stigma of depre sion also is noteworthy, though hardly an i sue that baseball alone is facing.
It is when Hayhurst gets into his own brain that he shows himself at his most vulnerable, and also his most relatable. Upon being told that his first book is a bestseller, he is somewhere far away from ecstatic, in part because he is near one of his lowest points mentally, but also because life-changing succe s can be harder to deal with than it feels like it should -- what do you do after reaching a lifelong goal? What if reaching that goal isn't all it's cracked up to be? These are not baseball questions, they are life questions, and in that way, "Bigger Than The Game" is a perfectly apt title for a book that is about much more than a pitcher on the 60-day disabled list.
It’s just a good thing that Dirk Hayhurst is alive.
The words “accidental mixture of alcohol and oxycodone toxicity” will forever linger in the mind as the cause of death for New York Rangers fighter Derek Boogaard in 2011. So, when reading Hayhurst’s new book, it was particularly striking to absorb his account of chasing pain pills and sleeping pills with beer as he battled depre sion while working his way back from shoulder surgery in 2010.
Hayhurst’s latest tome follows two succe sful efforts, “The Bullpen Gospels” and “Out of My League.” It’s a much darker way to end a trilogy than “Return of the Jedi,” as instead of spending time with Ewoks on Endor, Hayhurst’s journey brings him into contact with practical-joking physical therapists in Birmingham, Alabama. Even through some of his lowest moments, Hayhurst maintains his sense of humor Mike Davis Jerseys in telling his story, and that makes the book a fast and enjoyable read.
The story revolves around baseball, but with the exception of a few reminiscences, Hayhurst hardly actually talks about the game, because he did not pitch at all in 2010. In a lot of ways, that will make “Bigger Than The Game” a much more relatable story to non-baseball fans. One scene in the Toronto Blue Jays’ cafeteria is a perfect picture of life never really changing that much after high school.
In that high school scenario, Hayhurst plays the role of the outcast, one that he knowingly put on himself by writing and publishing “The Bullpen Gospels.” He admits to making mistakes along the way, but that also does not excuse some truly reprehensible social behavior toward him from teammates, whose names are changed and occasionally turned into amalgam characters, a choice Hayhurst explains as a way of trying to maintain at least some of Feleipe Franks Jerseys the locker room code. That said, if anyone can’t figure out the real identity of “TJ Collins,” the bullpen leader who threatens to kill Hayhurst, they are not baseball fans.
The drama of “Bigger Than The Game” is not in Hayhurst’s dealings with other players, though. It is in his own story, which scrapes so close to both premature personal mortality and forever-nearby Deion Sanders T Shirts profe sional mortality. Hayhurst never threw a pitch in the major leagues after 2009, but he made it back from shoulder surgery to pitch profe sionally again. It’s the personal side, the i sue of a man so tied to baseball trying to postpone the inevitable end of his career for as long as po sible, while preparing for its eventuality, that is really gripping. Spoiler alert: Hayhurst winds up a succe sful author.
The i sues that Hayhurst brings up for baseball are something else entirely. The easy availability of prescription drugs to be used with minimal, if any supervision is a big and obvious one, but not the only one. The difference in medical treatment on the major Atlanta Falcons Hoodies Sweatshirts league and minor league sides of Blue Jays camp is flabbergasting. The stigma of depre sion also is noteworthy, though hardly an i sue that baseball alone is facing.
It is when Hayhurst gets into his own brain that he shows himself at his most vulnerable, and also his most relatable. Upon being told that his first book is a bestseller, he is somewhere far away from ecstatic, in part because he is near one of his lowest points mentally, but also because life-changing succe s can be harder to deal with than it feels like it should — what do you do after reaching a lifelong goal? What if reaching that goal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? These are not baseball questions, they are life questions, and in that way, “Bigger Than The Game” is a perfectly apt title for a book that is about much more than a pitcher on the 60-day disabled list.
