Who is Chris Colabello?

I originally posted this story back in spring training under the title "Chris Colabello continues his fairy tale." With the recent news of his promotion to the Twins, I thought it would be appropriate to move it back to the front page of this blog. I have added in some information about his season so far.

One of the best stories in the Twins organization in 2012 was the tale of a 28-year old man that got his first taste of baseball with an affiliated club. Chris Colabello had molded himself into one of the best hitters in the Canadian-American Association before the Twins signed him to deal. He spent all of last season being the elder statesman of the Eastern League while showing off his skills at the plate.

The story of Colabello could get even better this year when he is asked to make his MLB debut. He would be a 29-year old rookie and the thought of him being in the Twins line-up isn't too hard to imagine. Let's look back at what got him to this point and look ahead to what could bring him to the Twin Cities.

After growing up and attending college in Massachusetts, Colabello wanted to continue his professional baseball career. No major league organization drafted him out of college so he found a team in the independent leagues. For six seasons, he played in the Canadian-American Association and he developed himself into one of the best hitters in this league.

From 2005-2011, Colabello hit over .300 in every season. Those seven seasons saw him hit .317/.390/.514 with an average of 14 home runs a year. He showed the ability to play both corner infield positions and even a little outfield. The skills were there but no MLB teams came calling.

Before the 2006 season, Colabello got to try out for the Italian World Baseball Classic team. He didn't make the squad but the Tigers took notice and invited him to spring training. His spring was good but he didn't make the club and he went back to the CAA. His persistence would finally pay off but not for another half of a decade.

The 2011 season would be an eye-opening year for Colabello because he would put together the best numbers of his career. He hit .348/.410/.600 with 20 home runs and 32 doubles. He finished second in the league in home runs, batting average, RBI, and hits. He led the league in doubles and slugging percentage. At the end of the season, he would be named the Independent Leagues Player of the Year by Baseball America.

Minnesota would offer him a chance for the start of the 2012 season. There weren't any promises made by the Twins and he didn't get a signing bonus but he was getting an opportunity. If he made a minor league team, he would be making less money then he had in the CAA but sometimes it's not about the money.

Colabello would be sent to New Britain for the entirety of the 2012 season. He would hit .284/.358/.478 over 134 games. His numbers would be good enough to lead the Eastern League in doubles and he finished second in RBI, fourth in runs, and fourth in home runs. Darin Ruf would walk-away with the Eastern League MVP but Colabello would have strong runner up finish.

He was finally living his dream and that dream has only gotten better so far this spring.

The Twins wanted Colabello back in the organization and his performance last year was good enough for Team Italy to add him to their roster for the 2013 WBC. Italy would make a surprise trip to the second round of the WBC and Colabello was a key figure for their team. He hit .333/.368/.667 and he lead the team in home runs (2) and RBI (7).

Things were off to an even better start with the Rochester Red Wings this season. He was hitting .358/.417/.659 with 12 HR, 17 2B, and 39 RBI. Colabello was leading the team in almost every offensive category and the Twins offense hasn't exactly been firing on all cylinders. Hopefully, he can insert some offensive pop into a dull line-up. 

The fairy tale ending for Colabello will be when he steps onto the field for his first big league game. It has been quite the journey but he has earned this opportunity. He might not be a prospect to build around but his story is one of the best.

Fairy tales are great but Colabello gets to live out his dream and play major league baseball. 

That sounds like a fairy tale ending to me...

Soul Patrol: Back with a Vengeance

When the Minnesota Twins were coming back into relevance in the early 2000s, there was a group of outfielders at the core of the team's success. Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones, and Matt Lawton roamed the outfield and they were given a unique nickname, "The Soul Patrol."

Lawton would only make it part of that first season as part of the "Soul Patrol," as he was traded in a deadline deal to the New York Mets. This left the team a member short when it came to the "Soul Patrol" until Shannon Stewart joined the club in 2003.

This became the second version of the "Soul Patrol." Jones would leave in 2005, Stewart left after the 2006 season, and Hunter became a free agent one year later. The "Soul Patrol" was spread out throughout baseball and it was tough to know if the Twins would ever see it again.

A new group of outfielders in the Twins farm system has taken on the mantra of the "Soul Patrol." JD Williams, Byron Buxton, and Adam Walker have put together strong starts to their seasons for Cedar Rapids. The Kernels have come out of the gate hot so there might be a little more magic in the "Soul Patrol" name.

"Soul Patrol" Center Fielder: Torii Hunter to Byron Buxton
Both players were first round picks but Buxton is putting together a season unlike anything Hunter ever had in the minor leagues. Through 41 games, Buxton is hitting .317/.420/.559 with seven home runs, four triples, and 10 doubles. His 19 stolen bases are also more than Hunter ever had in the minors.

Hunter has put together quite the major league career after never being ranked higher than 79th on Baseball America's Top Prospect List. Buxton enters his first full season already in the top 10 and he could be at the top of the list by the end of the year.

Throughout the history of the Twins organization, the club has turned to their center fielder for leadership. Hunter was a leader on the resurgent Twins teams of the 2000s. Buxton might have to be a leader as the team tries to erase the memories from the last couple of poor seasons and get back to playing winning baseball.

"Soul Patrol" Left Fielder: Jacque Jones to JD Williams
The Twins took Jones in the second round of the draft so there were some high expectations from the start. Williams was a tenth round pick and he has been a surprise so far with his ability to hit for power. Both men can play multiple outfield positions but Williams has been sent to left so Buxton could be in CF and Walker could be in RF.

Williams has struck out 29 times this season in 36 games but his OBP is still over .400. This comes from his ability to draw walks. Jones improved on his ability to draw walks during his Minnesota days but he never had an OBP of higher than .335.

So far this year, Williams is hitting .255/.406/.500 with four home runs, two triples, and eight doubles. He has eight steals in four attempts so he can take an extra base when the time is right. This is his second trip through the Midwest League and his numbers are improving. Last year, he hit .234/.311/.340 with Beloit.

"Soul Patrol" Right Fielder: Matt Lawton to Shannon Stewart to Adam Walker
Lawton joined the Twins organization as a 13th round pick and he went on to a decent career as a big leaguer. Stewart joined the Twins on a trade that would help push the team toward the playoffs. In 2012, Walker was a third round pick so there have been some expectations for him to succeed.

Last year, he played 58 games for the E-Twins and hit .250/.310/.496 with 14 home runs and 11 other extra-base hits. The power swing was there but some of his other numbers were lower than the club would have liked. He would still be advanced to Cedar Rapids this year and he is off to a very good start.

Through 41 games, he is hitting .284/.333/.594 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles, and four triples. He has three steals to his name and he has yet to be thrown out. His 45 RBI already match his total from last year and he did this in 83 less plate appearances.

It would be a very cool story if all three of these minor league outfielders made it to the Twins outfield at some point in their careers. There is a good chance that one or more of them won't be able to make it all the way through to the MLB level.

It's still a very exciting group of players to watch and the future could be bright for the newest edition of the "Soul Patrol."

Who is Caleb Thielbar?

It has been quite the wild ride for Mr. Caleb J. Thielbar on his way to the major leagues.

The 26-year old left-hander was called-up by the Minnesota Twins on Monday after the team demoted fifth starter Pedro Hernandez. Thielbar is not a starter so the team will need to make another roster move before Friday's game to fill out the rotation. Options for this spot include Kyle Gibson, Sam Deduno, and PJ Walters.

Thielbar was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th round of the 2009 MLB Draft. The Minnesota native went to college at South Dakota State University. He would spend the first two years of his professional career in the lower levels of the Brewers' system.

During his first season in rookie ball, he posted a 6-1 record with a 1.53 ERA. Most of his appearances were out of the bullpen as he was asked to make two starts. Over 48 innings, he struck out 48 and walked eight. These were the type of numbers that one would expect from a college age pitcher in rookie ball.

In 2010, Thielbar found a few more bumps in the road as he tried to make his mark in the minors. He played nine games at rookie ball and his ERA jumped to 3.68 over 14.2 innings. His time in Low-A produced even worse numbers. Over 30 games, he had a 5.60 ERA and a 1.491 WHIP. He struck out 43 and walked 14 over 53.0 innings.

The Brewers would cut ties with him and it was time for Thielbar to make some changes as he headed to independent baseball.

Thielbar would find a new team to latch on with for 2011. The St. Paul Saints were looking to add some depth to their bullpen and Thielbar seemed to fit the mold. He would pitch 49.2 innings for the Saints with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.128 WHIP. He had a decent strike out to walk rate as he struck out 62 and walked 15.

The Minnesota Twins took notice of Thielbar's numbers and he signed a deal with the club. Since it was so late in the year, he was limited to three appearances with the Fort Myers Miracle. It was enough to earn his first win as a member of the Twins organization. He didn't allow a single run and he gave up one hit in 7.1 innings.

Last season was a whirlwind for Thielbar. He pitched very effectively at three different levels in the Twins system. On a return trip to the Florida State League, he pitched 12.1 innings with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.486 WHIP. The next stop was New Britain where he threw 25.0 innings with a 1.80 ERA and a 0.840 WHIP. Rochester was his final stop and he threw 40.1 innings with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.438 WHIP.

Minnesota wanted to see more out of Thielbar so he was sent to the Arizona Fall League this past year. He had pitched close to 80 innings in the minors so he had tired by the time the AFL started. Over 13 innings, he posted an 11.08 ERA. He gave up 21 hits, walked eight, and struck out 12. There was still enough there for the Twins to add him to their 40-man roster.

To start the 2013 season, Theilbar was sent back to Rochester. He was 1-1 with a 3.76 ERA in 17 relief appearances at Triple-A. In 26.1 innings, he struck out 34 and walked eight while holding lefties to a .159 batting average. Since his primary responsibility with the MLB club should be to get out lefties, he seems to be up to this task.

Over his last eight appearances with the Red Wings, he had not allowed a run. In those 11.1 innings, he  struck out 15 and limited his walks to five. Things seemed to be clicking on all cylinders for him and the time was right to have him join the Twins roster.

According to the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook, (which you can still order here for a discounted price):
"When Thielbar was pitching in the Brewers system, he threw a fastball in the mid-80s. After being released, he completely reworked his mechanics and got himself in much better shape. In 2012, he was hitting 92 mph. He has very good control of his curveball, and also throws a change-up. Some compare his delivery to that of fellow-Minnesota left-handed reliever Glen Perkins."

One of the strengths of the Twins has been their bullpen and Thielbar can be another important piece of the puzzle. It looks like he is ready for the big leagues and this will complete quite the journey to get to this point.

Talk to Contact: Episode 38

Episode 38 of the Twins baseball podcast,  Talk To Contact (@TalkToContact), is now available for download via iTunes or by clicking here.

Dalton Hicks

This week Cody and Eric dive into the poor pitching management of Ron Gardenhire,Joe Mauer‘s hit-streak amid a season filled with strike-outs, and then we discuss the possibility of seeing Kyle Gibson in a Twins uniform and the outside shot of a 6-man rotation in Minnesota.

We name our Twins hitters and pitchers of the week, and then go Down on the Pond and talk about Low-A Cedar Rapids Kernals first basemen Dalton Hicks.

We finish up the podcast talking about beers from Europe and making a trip Around the League (including a fabulous Korean bat flip).

Only an hour of fun this week, but we’ll be back next week with a special patriotic Talk to Contact in honor of Memorial Day.

You can follow me on Twitter (@NoDakTwinsFan) or read my writing at NoDakTwinsFan.  You can follow Paul on Twitter (@BaseballPirate) or read his writing at  Puckett’s Pond.  And of course, you can find Eric on Twitter (@ERolfPleiss) and read his writing at Knuckleballs!

Friday Links-N-Thinks

It wasn't the best week for the Twins as the team lost the rubber game of their three game set with the Orioles on Sunday. This was followed by losing two out of three games to the dreaded White Sox.

Even with the poor play, Joe Mauer continues to be one of the best hitters in the game (.519/.594/.704 in the last 7 days). Aaron Hicks showed off all of his skills in one game to help the team to their only win of the week. It wasn't all bad for Justin Morneau either as he hit over .460 for the week with four doubles.

Things don't get much easier from here as the Boston Red Sox come to Target Field for a weekend set. Clay Buchholz takes the hill on Friday for the Sox. He has been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season but the Twins got to him in their last match-up a little over a week ago.

Boston's in town for a three game series but don't forget to check out some of the top baseball news from the last week.

• Byron Buxton smashed a walk-off grand slam and his teammates even let him get all the way around the bases! (The Kernels didn't do this on a walk-off a couple weeks ago.)
• Is there a connection between pitching to contact and the runs a team scores?
• Tom Brunansky is starting to get a feel for his new job. It also helps to have one of the best hitters in the game for the players to watch every day.
• With his performance earlier this week, there certainly has to be hope for Hicks.
• Some might even call it "The Aaron Hicks Game."
• Sometimes it helps to have 20/20 hindsight when it comes to free agent pitching.
• In the heart of the Twins offense, there has been a strong core this year.
• Chris Colabello took a different path but he certainly is making some noise this season.
• Sickels also wrote some prospect notes on a recent trip to see Cedar Rapids. Harrison and Walker were the subject of one post while Goodrum and Polanco headlined the other.
• Sports Illustrated's Fortunate 50 list came out and Joe Mauer ranks 20th.
• More top prospects are playing up the middle positions and this has cut back on production with first basemen at the big league level.
• Joe Mauer took over the active leader board for career batting average. Take that Pujols and Ichiro!
• Twins minor leaguer and Minnesota native Nate Hanson picked baseball over hockey.
• The offense has been great for Fort Myers but the pitching is helping the team to win games.
• Everyone should follow Brace Hemmelgarn on Twitter. He sends out some outstanding Twins pictures like the one below of the stairs out of the Twins dugout.

• There have been plenty of mock drafts posted in recent days and there starting to be a consensus for the Twins with the fourth pick.
• MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo: #4 Sean Manaea
• Baseball America: #4 Kohl Stewart
• ESPN's Keith Law: #4 Kohl Stewart
• Minor League Ball's John Sickels: #4 Kohl Stewart
• Here are some interesting notes on how players fared in games when their bobblehead was given out.
• Torii Hunter has changed his approach and the results have been very good for the veteran.
• The Marlins believe new manager Mike Redmond has their back (even if their team isn't very good)
• This deployed dad sure made a memorable return home.
• Mariners shortstops are hitting worse than pitchers so far this year.
• A campaign has started to push Mariano Rivera to start this year's All-Star Game. Apparently, they want to "Start Mo."
• Rawlings is changing some of the standards when it comes to baseball helmets. 
• Have you ever wondered what Yankee Stadium would look like if it was made out of match sticks?
• A player in Korea celebrated a knock like it was a home run... then the outfielder caught it on the warning track.

My Weekly Rundown

• Saturday: Talk to Contact: Episode 37
• Monday: Mauer's hot streaks and chasing doubles
• Tuesday: Are the Twins a .500 club?
• Wednesday: Contemplating Cole De Vries
• Twins Minor League Report (5/15): Colabello Crushes

Video of the Week: As mentioned multiple times in this post, Aaron Hicks put together quite the effort earlier this week. In one game, he hit two home runs and he took a home run away from Adam Dunn. Like Puckett, Hunter, Span, and Revere before him, Hicks can scale the wall and bring one back into the park. Check out the smile on his face when he shows off the ball he caught.