Danesi Nettuno has lost its starting pitcher for game one, while the Italian Baseball League and European Baseball its biggest star of the 2012 season. Dirk Hayhurst has returned to the United States after just a couple of days in Italy.
GrandeSlam.net reports that the writer/pitcher has received an offer to work as commentator back home. Also he apparently wasn’t exactly in game shape condition after heavily promoting his new book “Out of my League”, which was published at the end of February.
The 30-year-old Hayhurst pitched a total of 25 games in the big leagues for the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays. After missing the 2010 season due to a shoulder injury he joined the Tampa Bay Rays organization, making 11 Triple-A starts in 2011.
Nettuno is trying to go with Santo Hernandez as new starter in game one. They cannot sign another foreign player this season since they used all of their available visas this winter. They might be looking for Americans with Italian passport after the end of Spring Training in Florida and Arizona.