Another Loss Postgame, Go Figure!

Blum at his best —

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Friends and family gathered inside Caden Dana’s childhood home to watch him live out his lifelong dream.
It was the first day of the 2022 MLB Draft, and Dana wanted to hear his name called. He had a commitment to the University of Kentucky if all else fell through, but the hope was it wouldn’t be necessary.

The hard-throwing right-hander from Don Bosco Prep had been told to expect a selection in the top three rounds. That night came and went … nothing. The next day, 10 full rounds, all passed, and still no selection.

“That was a bad day,” said Caden’s father, Fred Dana.
“We weren’t expecting first round or anything. But they’re telling us he’s going to go in the top three rounds. … He was pissed. He was livid. And I’m livid. I walked out of the house I’m like, ‘I gotta get out of here.’”

“When he didn’t go in the first three rounds, I think we were all very surprised,” said Mike Rooney, his high school coach and longtime family friend. “Caden wanted to play pro ball.”

It’s almost surreal that this was just two years ago. If that trajectory had held, Caden would still be at Kentucky, starting classes in his junior year. But as is probably clear by now, that is not what happened. Caden, 20, will make his major-league debut for the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. He’ll become the youngest Angels starting pitcher in more than 50 years. The right-hander dominated Double A, posting a 2.52 ERA in 23 starts this year.

He might have had a “bad” draft day. Everything since has been a storybook rise.
“Everything shut off in my body, my brain turned off,” Caden said of being notified about his big-league call-up.

“I was like, I don’t know what just happened. That’s crazy.”
This moment almost didn’t happen. Caden had made up his mind after those failed first two draft days. He would go to college. He’d prove himself there. Then he’d go pro, and prove everyone wrong.

Fred was so angry, he went to eat alone just to cool off. Caden was quite upset. Casey, his older brother, tried to distract him by encouraging him to not look at his phone. They worked out together.
“It was hard to see him so up and down in the span of 24 hours,” Casey said of Caden’s emotions before that call came. “I tried to get out of my own head and make sure he was all right.”

The Angels, however, hadn’t forgotten about Caden. They entered the third day of the draft with money to be flexible. They considered numerous scenarios — most of them involved going over slot on two or three players.
Conversations in the room, however, continuously came back to one player: Dana. Signing him would require all of their extra bonus pool money to go to him. They’d be going all in on one player as opposed to betting on a few.

The Angels front office had two critical voices pushing for Dana. One was Jim Rooney, a longtime Milwaukee Brewers scout and pitching coordinator, who happened to be the brother of Mike Rooney, Caden’s high school coach. Jim and Angels scouting director Tim McIlvaine had a strong relationship. The other was Drew Dominguez, the Angels’ northeast area scout. He consistently vouched for Dana. Some within the organization believe it’s possible Dana wouldn’t be an Angel if not for Dominguez’s persistence.

Before Day 3 began, the Angels reached out to George Iskenderian, Caden’s agent. They presented the offer — $1.5 million, the slot value of a second-round pick, and in the ballpark of what he’d been looking for initially. The team also said they wanted to take Casey Dana, a UConn outfielder, later in the day.
When Iskenderian called the Dana family, Fred didn’t want to get on the phone. Caden persuaded his dad to answer.
“Mr. Dana, how are you doing,” Fred recalled being asked.

“How the f— do you think I’m doing,” he responded.

That’s when Iskenderian relayed the Angels’ offer for both Caden and Casey.
“I go, ‘Holy s—. OK, you’re forgiven,” Fred said.
Casey and Caden chest-bumped in the kitchen. In an instant, all was solved.

“It was a fun day,” Casey said, “and one I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”

All the people who helped him through that stress-filled week will be boarding a plane Saturday and flying cross-country to Anaheim.

Double A wasn’t able to make the trip, and he plans to order a new one for Anaheim.
His minor-league teammates chide him, but it’s a reflection of how locked in he is on his health and routine. And it’s a product of the people who shaped him into a pitcher and person who could make his MLB debut at just 20 years old.

A pitcher who performed immediately and consistently throughout his minor-league career. And hopes to do so in the majors.

Those two hellish days two years ago won’t soon be forgotten. But, they also no longer matter. He’s where he’s supposed to be.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5735381/2024/08/31/angels-caden-dana-draft-experience/