July 19, 2010
By Brien Bouyea
For The Troy Record
CHATHAM, Mass. -- After producing arguably the finest offensive season in the history of Siena College baseball, Dan Paolini wasn't interested in kicking back this summer and resting on his laurels.
After hitting a school-record 26 home runs this past season for the Saints, Paolini has taken his game to the Chatham Anglers of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League with the intent of enhancing his game and opening some eyes. While he received plenty of attention and accolades for his prodigious power at Siena, Paolini is a bit of an unknown commodity on the Cape, which has led to him having a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
"I feel I have something to prove out here. All of these guys come from big schools and here I am from tiny Siena," Paolini said. "When I come up to bat and the announcer says `now batting, from Siena College, Dan Paolini,' it sounds a little out of place here, but I know I belong at this level."
Anglers head coach John Schiffner agrees.
"Danny is a very good player and he approaches the game the right way," said Schiffner, who is in his 26th season with Chatham. "He's a natural hitter with excellent power, good in the field, strong arm, runs well, instinctive. He's a legit pro prospect."
Paolini, a 6-foot, 195-pound second baseman from Stratford, Conn., is the second Siena player Schiffner has coached; Blake Hanan was on the Chatham roster in 2002 when the team was known as the Athletics.
"I've known (Siena coach) Tony Rossi for a long time and he won't call me on a kid unless the kid can play," Schiffner said. "Tony won't waste my time with someone who would be in over his head. He told me Danny would be a good fit for us and he was right."
The wood-bat Cape League is traditionally dominated by the pitchers. Paolini has raised his average to a respectable .246 after a slow start. He has one homer and five runs batted in through 18 games.
"I'm getting to where I want to be at the plate," Paolini said. "If you hit .250 in the Cape League that is pretty respectable. I'm starting to get hot and I hope I can get up to .300. I've had a lot of line-drive outs, so I feel good about how I am hitting right now."
Paolini was projected to be a pitcher at the Division I level, but an arm injury ended those dreams. He was always a solid hitter as a high school player, but the bigger colleges that were interested in Paolini for his arm were not interested in him for his bat.
"Siena was really the only school that saw me as a hitter," Paolini said. "Connecticut wanted me as a pitcher, but once I got hurt the coach said he didn't think I could hit well enough to play in the Big East. Being doubted like that has really pushed me to succeed."
Paolini quickly proved he was a force to be reckoned with at the plate on the college level. As a freshman in 2009, he led the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference with a .430 average and belted 11 homers with a team-high 53 RBIs. His .430 average ranked ninth nationally and he as named the MAAC Rookie of the Year and a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American.
But even Paolini was surprised by the sophomore season he had. He finished second on the Saints with a .368 average and drove in 64 runs to compliment his MAAC-record 26 homers. His 47 homers per game led the nation. Furthermore, he stole 12 bases and reduced his error total from 12 in his freshman season to four as a sophomore. Paolini was named the MAAC Player of the Year and became Siena's first All-America selection.
"I thought maybe I could get to 15 homers, but to hit 26 was beyond my wildest dreams," Paolini said. "I just kept a steady approach and didn't concentrate on hitting homers. I always try to keep things simple at the plate and get a good swing on a good pitch. I don't know if I can match those numbers next year, but I think I am still improving and maturing as a hitter."
Along with the tremendous pitching he is seeing this summer, Paolini says the biggest adjustment he has had to make on the Cape is getting used to the numerous pro scouts that are at each game.
"We have probably 15-20 of them a night. They line up right behind the plate and you see those radar guns go up on every pitch," he said. "You can't help but notice them. It was a little daunting at first because they are usually there as early as batting practice. They're watching how you approach every aspect of the game. It's about more than just numbers out here. They want to see how you would handle a professional environment."
Paolini is well aware of Chatham's tradition of producing outstanding pro players. Jeff Bagwell, Jason Bay, Ryan Braun, Evan Longoria, Mike Lowell and Thurman Munson all played for the team, as did Saratoga Springs native and current San Diego Padres pitcher Tim Stauffer.
"It's pretty special to be in this position when you hear of the guys who came before you," Paolini said. "The opportunity that I'm getting here is something I am very grateful for and I am trying to make the most of it. I get to play baseball every day against the best players in the country and have the opportunity to make an impression on pro scouts. I couldn't imagine a better way to spend the summer."
