Dan O'Brien

Daniel Joques O'Brien (born April 22, 1954) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. O'Brien played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals in and .

Minor leagues O'Brien attended Bishop Barry High School (St. Petersburg, Florida) and Florida State University. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox in the 1972 and 1975 amateur drafts, but did not sign with either team. In 1974, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star. In 1976, he was drafted again and signed with the Cardinals. He pitched in the Cardinals' farm system from 1976–1978 culminating with the Springfield Redbirds, their AAA affiliate in the American Association. His first decision, a loss, came 4 days later when the Cardinals lost, 2–1, to the Phillies at Veterans Stadium. He pitched 8 innings of 1-run baseball but surrendered 2 hits before inducing a groundout to start the bottom of the 9th inning; Buddy Schultz relieved him but gave up the game-winning single 1 out later.

O'Brien opened the 1979 season back with Springfield before joining the Cardinals in early August.

Post-Cardinals career After the 1979 season, the Seattle Mariners purchased O'Brien's contract. However, he was released shortly before the 1980 season. He finished the 1981 season with the Columbus Astros, the Houston Astros' AA affiliate in the Southern League. He was an assistant coach at the University of Michigan from 1991 to 1995.