Former Hawk Dan McDaniel
McDaniel was with the Hawks in 2008 after being selected in the 14th round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs. After spending all of 2009 with the Daytona Cubs, McDaniel found his way into the Oakland Athletics organization and joined the Canadians roster at the start of the 2010 season.
Having grown up right down the road from the Oakland Coliseum, McDaniel remembers going to A's games and becoming a big fan.
"I was so excited when the A's picked me up because it's my home town team. Since I was 10 years old I have been walking to the Oakland Coliseum and watching A's games," said McDaniel. "This organization has treated me well and I am excited to be here."
This weekend was McDaniel's first time back to Boise since 2008 and being back in the "City of Trees" was a welcomed sight.
"Boise is a great city. The first day that I came back I went into the dugout and looked at the field and all of a sudden, a bunch of those memories came back," said McDaniel. "2008 was a great season for me and a good start to my pro career."
In his first professional season with the Hawks, McDaniel made a big impact. In 2008, he was 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA in 20 appearances. He also recorded seven saves for the Hawks while striking out 45 batters in 32.1 innings.
"I want to get back to the way I was pitching when I was in Boise. I had a lot of success here and my hope in Vancouver is that I can get back to my old self," said McDaniel.
August 1 was a good indication of what McDaniel means by his "old self". In two innings, McDaniel gave up only one hit and struck out four batters in a relief appearance.
"In 2008, that was the best that my stuff has been. I hurt my back last year in Daytona and ever since then, I really haven't been the same pitcher. I've been working a lot with Pitching Coach Craig Lefferts on my mechanics and getting comfortable on the mound," said McDaniel.
McDaniel went through the ranks with various Cubs players who have made an impact. During his time in Boise, McDaniel played with current Cubs RHP Andrew Cashner and Cubs prospect 3B Josh Vitters. McDaniel also played with current Cubs SS Starlin Castro and OF Tyler Colvin when he was in Daytona.
"It's crazy seeing those guys on television, but those guys deserve to be there. They are all great players and I had a blast playing with them," said McDaniel. "We keep in touch and I try to check up on them as much as I can."
Life in Canada has been a big change for McDaniel. But living in a city like Vancouver has been a great experience.
"Vancouver is an awesome place and it really blew my mind when I first went out there. But it is really expensive up there and I have had to purchase an international calling plan for my phone so I can keep in touch with my family," said McDaniel. "I miss my family and I try to talk them as much as I can but with baseball, it's hard sometimes."
McDaniel is in an organization that has produced great pitchers like Tim Hudson, Dan Haren, Trevor Cahill, and Andrew Bailey. The hope is that one day, McDaniel will have a chance to become one of those names.
"As a pitcher, I have been searching for myself and trying to figure stuff out. I just hope to get bigger and stronger and continue to work on my game," said McDaniel.