Adjustments Paying Off for Chris Colabello, Who Still Speaks Highly of Years in Independent League

Speaking of 2011 Independent Player of the Year Chris Colabello , the seven-year Can-Am League (Worcester, MA and Nashua, NH) vet currently hitting cleanup every day for Minnesota , has another honor, sharing American League Player of the Week honors with the Los Angeles Angels’ now-injured Josh Hamilton.

Colabello, who has already been used at first base and right field in addition to serving as a designated hitter, had six and four-runs batted in games for the Twins while hitting .391 with four doubles and a homer.

Asked about his strong start after a struggle during winter baseball, the right-handed-hitting slugger told me “more than anything else it has been keeping my mind relaxed and trying to make my moves a little smaller with two strikes.”

Colabello, hitting .313 (10-for-32) and tied for third in the American League with 11 RBI entering play Thursday, certainly has not forgotten the Can-Am League.  He recently told NWITimes.com the league has “a lot of really good players.  These days, this ride I’m on is as much for those guys as it is for me.”

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Can-Am Grads Impressing

Bridger Hunt was a hitting machine last season, winning the Can-Am League batting title by 83 points with his .402 season (69 games) before the San Diego Padres purchased his contract, which kept the Newark, NJ infielder-outfielder off the postseason all-star team.

While it is very early, the 28-year-old is off to a very fast start for the Padres’ Class AA San Antonio, TX farm club, playing virtually every day and hitting .357 (5-for-14) in his first four games with a double and three runs scored.  It is the Floridian’s first time playing this high in affiliated baseball after several years in Independent leagues, including Rockland (NY) County of the Can-Am, Long Island, NY, Southern Maryland and Lancaster, PA of the Atlantic League and Grand Prairie, TX and Kansas City, KS of the American Association.

A 2012 Can-Am grad, Quebec’s Tony Davis , had his first successful Double-A outing Wednesday as the submarine style southpaw continues his drive toward what he told SportsNet.CA would be pitching  ”in the big leagues as a ‘LOOGY'”.  New terminology?  It was to me, meaning “left-handed one-out guy”.   

The 26-year-old hurled two hitless relief innings for Toronto’s New Hampshire farm club, following up on a very forgettable debut when he was touched for three runs without retiring anyone.  Davis has nothing but praise about playing for perennial champion Quebec.  “I can honestly say that playing for that team rejuvenated my love for baseball,” he told the Canadian website.  ”We played so hard, we had so much fun.  I just remember thinking I’m so glad I got to experience that.”

One More Umpire to Debut in Majors Saturday

Add one more umpire who came through Independent Baseball who has made it to the major leagues.  Anthony Johnson , who was in the Central League when it was in operation in 2004 and most recently has been working in the International League, is scheduled to make his debut when Cincinnati hosts Tampa Bay on Saturday.

             (This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are planned during 2014.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com , enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)