Dirk Hayhurst is a pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, currently playing for the Triple-A Durham Bulls. Following a standout career at Kent State University, the Canton, Ohio, native has appeared in the major leagues with the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays. But that's just part of the story.

Dirk is a staunch believer that what you do does not define you, but you define it. In that sense, he dabbles in, and occasionally excels at, a viaritey of things, often garnering the reaction, "You’re not the typical athlete, are you?"

He is the author of the New York Times bestseller "The Bullpen Gospels: Major League Dreams of a Minor League Veteran."

http://dirkhayhurst.com/books/buy-the-book/

His second book is expected to hit the shelves in spring 2012.

Hayhurst is also the inventor of the Garfoose, a friend to special-needs kids who happens to be a fire breathing, magically empowered, indestructible, wifi enabled, half giraffe half moose who is ready and able to take on the A.L. East, yet still excited to read at school functions.

http://dirkhayhurst.com/garfoose/

Visit Dirk's website: http://dirkhayhurst.com/

Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TheGarfoose