Aloha Ka Punahou 2004.10
Daniels gets wish, still unhappy
For two years John Daniels has been clamoring to be closer. For two years Hawaii gave him the
chance. For two years he failed at the job.
This season the job was his since Opening Day and he has been effective (0.87 WHIP in 19
games). Yet he is still "Very Unhappy." It's not because luminary McKinley Washington looms
6-7 more weeks on the DL. It isn't because Hawaii is off to its typical mediocre start. It's
because Daniels is not happy...
with his performance.
Yet Daniels has pitched in 19 games this season, amassing a record of 0-1, 5 saves, and a 1.56
ERA to go with his tiny WHIP. He is unscored upon in May in 8 innings; no one has scored upon
him on the road in 2004 (he has collected four of five saves on the continent).
Projections see him pitching in a personal best 88 games this season, with 23 saves. (Those
numbers could still hold true if McWash is traded.)
*
In 2002 Daniels was given the closer job after being claimed off waivers from Phoenix the first
week of the season. He was out-pitched by Tim Scott, come back player of the year. Daniels
finished 5-4-2, 4.52 while Scott finished 7-3-16, 3.45.
Last year Scott imploded. (He re-surfaced with the Surfers this season, only to catch the torn labrum disease.)
But Al Hoot had signed DVD and late in the season offloaded him to Califa for McWash. DVD
saved 14 with a 4.70 ERA before hitting the west coast, while McWash saved 11 in 23 games
with a 1.54 ERA. That trend continued this spring training with Washington saving 5 in 8 games
before rupturing his a tendon.
Daniels appeared in a team high 69 games last season and after McWash was the most
effective hurler in a lamentable bullpen. Daniels lowered his ERA to 4.04 in 78 innings.
This spring Daniels finally stopped demanding to be closer. Now that he is, he's doing great but
still unhappy.
Nevertheless, Hawaii is happy with him. So happy that McWash, who has improved his control
rating while undergoing PT, remains on the available list.
