#16

Position:  P

Bats/Throws:  R/R

If Dan were a cartoon character, who would he be?  Answer below.

Baseball Background: Grew up in Albuquerque, NM. and I started in Little League when I was 8. Started pitching when I was 9. Played ball for St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque, then went to Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA and played ball there. They were the only school that gave me a scholarship. Division III teams can't give athletic scholarships, so they gave me an academic one, despite my 2.7 GPA in high school, so go figure. The level of ball at Coe was best characterized as high school for high school graduates. Played for one of the most storied teams in college baseball history - for futility. We were 3-21 my senior year, and our coach got fired from his high school teaching job for screwing one of his students (female - consensually, but geez). I moved up to the Cities after graduating, and started my Park National career in 1992 playing for Jim Botten (a.k.a. Botts, Old Cotton, Cheesy Au Gratin). After a horrific 1992 and 1993, a bunch of guys from the Mustangs joined us in 1994, creating one of the two most talented teams I ever played for, and we went 16-1, winning the league and coming in fifth in State. In 1995, we lost 7 starters, retaining only the pitchers and our solid veteran catcher Mark Morton (a.k.a. Mort). We saw mixed results over the next four seasons, and thought we could do better. So, ten of us from J. Botten along the Germar boys, Brigsy (back after a 5-year hiatus), C. Buck Phillips (our southern redneck friend), and all-time U of S. Dakota rushing leader Jason Leber got together with Charlie Ross at the helm of the Cobras. The new formula worked. We won the league outright with a 16-1 record our first year in 1999, offending every team we played along the way (not my fault Corny - I wasn't even at that game). In 2000, a resurgent contingent of league rivals pinned their ears back gunning for the evil Cobras. They ended up sticking us with three losses during the regular season and we had to settle in a tie for first with Lyon's Pub and the Angels. In the state tournament, we avenged our league foes, vanquishing both Pub and the Angels from the tournament. That was the one year I got to play on the last day of the season. We came in second to the St. Thomas guys, playing for Glynn Building products. Statistically, that was my best year, with a 7-1 record. That state tournament contained my most memorable moment, coming in for our rock solid lefty Tom Dyvig against Stockmen's Irish with no outs and two on. With my first pitch, I beaned their #4 hitter (accidentally of course), loading the bases. I then got the next two guys to hit infield flies and the third to hit a weak grounder to Matty Germar at 1st. We hung on to win by a run, much to the displeasure of the drunken, classless Stockmen's fans. In 2001, we had another solid team and won the league, but with Brigsy, Dallas and Mort retired, it just wasn't the same, so Dyvig and I jumped over to the Metro Merchants to play with our longtime teammates Todd Blackwood, Timmy Martin and Donny Whritenour. The 2002 season was a success, with us coming in 5th in the league at 10-5, and then taking 2 of 3 from a tough Wesley Homes team to bring our second-year team to State. This year was a disappointing one for the Merchants with us coming in fourth and getting bounced in the first round of the league tournament. Dyvig and I were outstanding as usual, though. This is my rookie year in 35 & over, and I have to say the ability level of the hitters has surprised me. They're more disciplined and don't chase as many offspeed pitches out of the zone like the majority of the younger guys do. They are also more likely to make you pay for throwing a bad pitch. The games tend to be higher scoring, but just as competitive.

Stream-of-Consciousness Personal Background: I've been married for almost ten years to my wife Deb. We only have one "kid," our black cat Shadow. My parents still live in the same house I grew up in, in Albuquerque. I work for RBC Dain Rauscher as a Portfolio Analyst, doing equity research for our brokers. I like the job, but I have to be there at 6:15 every morning, so if I seem crabby during a weekday game, that's why. The only other sport I really play is basketball, which I'm pretty lame at, but since I'm 6'6", someone always talks me into playing each year. If you consider golf a sport, I guess I play three. I'm the oldest of three, but my brother and sister got most of the athletic genes. My sister Colleen (who's the same height I am), plays pro volleyball in Europe, she calls my brother Andy her little brother, even though he's 7 years older than her. Andy was an all-city hoopster in high school - at center, at 6'3". That's about it. If you've read this long, rambling bio to the end - I salute you. You have a better attention span than I do. Have a nice day!

If Dan were a cartoon character, he would be Dudley Do·Right.

Saints Lifetime Stats:

Seas	Gms	AB	Runs	Hits	RBI	2B	3B	HR	BB	K	E	SB	AS	SAC	GWH	DP	Avg.	OBP
1	14	6	1	2	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.077	.077