Tornadoes’ Colabello Makes Twins’ Double-A Team
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Colabello fielding the ball
The Worcester Tornadoes announced that the Milford, Mass. native and Worcester Tornadoes veteran Colabello accepted an invitation to the Twins Camp earlier this month.
The 6'4”, 210 pound Colabello, who was a member of the Tornadoes for almost the entirety of their existence, accepted the Twins' invitation to Spring Training just weeks before pitchers and catchers began reporting for duty last weekend.
Colabello has spent most of his playing time at first base- where he will be playing in the Twins organization- but has also spent some time at third base and in left and right field. Colabello stands to be the starting first baseman for the Twins Double-A affiliate, the New Britain Rock Cats.
“Their need is for a first baseman, but I am going to bring all of my gloves,” Colabello said. “I am going to let them know I can play anywhere, and if they have the need, I am more than happy to oblige.”
With New Britain, Colabello will playing his home games only an hour and half from Worcester.
“There are many advantages to being with the Twins and New Britain,” Colabello said. “Ft. Myers [where the Twins' camp neighbors the Red Sox training facility] is familiar, and in New Britain family and friends are close; I couldn't ask for a better situation than this.”
The new Worcester Tornadoes manager and former hitting coach Chip Plante was surprised that it had taken this long for the opportunity to present itself.
“Finally someone had a need. He's been a real productive hitter for five or six years now,” Plante said. “Sometimes it's just a matter of need.”
The Rock Cats had an opening at first base this year, and following Colabello's award-winning year that featured a .348 batting average with 20 home runs- both second in the league- along with 32 doubles, 79 RBI and a stunning 1.010 OPS, he got the call. “It felt great [to get the call],” Colabello said. “I am thankful to the Twins for giving me the opportunity.”
Although Colabello has been in the Canadian-American League for seven years, this was not the first shot in Spring Training he has had. In 2006, while working out with Italy for the World Baseball Classic, Colabello found out that the Detroit Tigers were having a tryout.
“They asked me to stay, and I signed a contract even though they didn't have a need for me,” Colabello said. “It was difficult to make enough of an impression with their roster already filled up.” Colabello's experience in Spring Training in 2006 was not all for naught, though.
“It opened my eyes to what Spring Training is all about,” Colabello said. “It is definitely helpful for this time around.”
Colabello spent six and half seasons with the Tornadoes prior to his signing with the Rock Cats this spring. The half-year he spent away from Worcester was in 2007 when he was traded mid-season to the Nashua Pride- who were in playoff contention- while the Tornadoes were struggling.
“Nashua won the championship that year and I got to play for [Red Sox great] Butch Hobson,” Colabello said. “But my heart was always in Worcester, and Rich Gedman was a big mentor to me, so I re-signed with the Tornadoes when I entered free agency after the season.”
Over his career in the Can-Am League Colabello amassed some outstanding statistics. He had a career batting average of .317, 86 home runs, 420 RBI and an OPS of .903. “He's a very, very hard worker; a student of the game,” said Plante. “But all work aside, he's got talent; the kid can hit.”
Colabello plans to head down to Ft. Myers this Sunday where he will begin his career as a minor league baseball player. “I look at this as the first step,” Colabello said. “In my heart I always believed it would happen, so it's a big deep breath.”
“It's not the end goal, though, so it's time to go to work,” Colabello said. “I told them that I promise as long as I'm wearing a Twins uniform I will leave it all on the field.”
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