Thread: Chris Colabello

Full Name: Christopher Adrian Colabello
Born: 10/24/1983
Birthplace: Framingham, MA
College: Assumption, MA
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 210
Bats: R
Throws: R






NEW BRITAIN, CT - The New Britain Rock Cats are off to a hot start in 2012 and first baseman Chris Colabello has done his fair share to help the team climb to first place in the Eastern Division. For the 28-year-old rookie, he's just happy someone gave him the chance to play ball.Despite growing up less than 100 miles from New Britain Stadium, Colabello has taken an unusual route to New Britain. The path from Milford, Mass. to New Britain, Conn. may not seem like a long one at all, but for Colabello it has been one lengthy road paved by determination, hard work, and patience. "I just went out and played the game hard and played the game the right way," Colabello said of his path to the Eastern League. His first stop along the way was Division II Assumption College, where he batted .352 with 40 doubles, 24 home runs and 111 RBI in 154 career games. After going undrafted in 2005, Colabello signed with the Worchester Tornadoes of the Canadian-American Association League. In seven seasons, he proved he could simply rake at the plate - he never turned in a season under the .300 mark - yet found himself in the same position. Still, he kept suiting up and taking the field chasing a dream. "I was very fortunate. I had some people around me early in my career that gave me some good advice. They said, 'Keep playing until someone rips your uniform off your back. As long as you have your uniform on, someone could see you,'" Colabello said. Colabello's best season in independent ball came in 2011, when he batted .348 with 20 home runs and 79 RBI on his way to being named the Can-Am Most Valuable Player. It was enough to be his final season. "I was very fortunate to have a good year and I think that kind of got me on the map a little bit," he said.The success of last season was certainly enough to garner the interest of the Minnesota Twins. After seven seasons, Colabello's dream was realized with one phone call. "It was tremendous," he said. "It was something I waited for a long time. I had a little bit of an opportunity with Detroit in 2006."Back in 2006, Colabello was working out for Team Italy in an attempt to make the roster for the World Baseball Classic - and thus following in his father's footsteps of playing for the Italian National Team. "My dad ended up in Italy in 1976, I think was his first year, and played eight years over in Italy. He was an American guy from Milford, Mass and met my mother over there," said Colabello.His dad pitched for the Italian National Team in the 1984 Olympics, facing off against the United States at Dodger Stadium. Colabello just grinned when asked how the game ended for his father."It didn't go well for him. He still has nightmares about it a little bit," Colabello joked. It was while following in his father's footsteps in an attempt to represent Team Italy at the WBC when Colabello learned the Tigers were holding a tryout. It resulted in his first Spring Training camp. And his first Spring Training cut. "It seems so far back. I always promised myself I would use that experience as a learning experience for the future in case I got another opportunity," he said.That opportunity finally arose with the call from the Twins. With that, the independent ball veteran-turned-minor league baseball rookie was packing his bags for Spring Training once again. Now, a month later, he finds himself in Double-A, just two steps away from the big leagues on the organizational ladder. On Saturday afternoon, while he stands near the on deck circle as the visiting New Hampshire Fisher Cats take batting practice, he can look in the home team dugout and see the Twins' roving instructors. Among the Minnesota staff perched atop the dugout bench is Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. Consider it a perk of working in the Twins' organization - and a far cry from the Can-Am League."Everything I had heard about Minnesota from even before I signed was that they are a first-class organization in terms of the way they treated guys in their minor league system and the opportunities that guys got in the system," said Colabello. "All the coordinators, all of the coaches have been tremendously helpful. They don't short-change anyone. Being an outsider at the beginning was a situation that could have been fairly uncomfortable but they made this transition so easy for me."Colabello has made the transition to the Eastern League look effortless as well. The New England native currently leads the team with a .313 average (15-for-48), four home runs, a .414 on-base percentage, and .667 slugging percentage. He ranks second in runs scored with 12 and is tied for second with 12 RBI. With the Twins' brass in town for the current homestand, Colabello learned on Sunday he had just been named the Twins' Minor League Player of the Week. "It's a great environment to be in," said Colabello. I think there are a lot of good people around. I'm very thankful to the Twins for the opportunity. I'm just trying to go out and play the game I've been playing."He enters the season as the oldest member on the Rock Cats' roster and finds himself surrounded by a mix of veterans and young prospects. It is the young faces and naturally talented prospects that have been two of the biggest changes for Colabello to adjust to."What I've noticed is that there are a lot of guys that are certainly tool guys. You'll notice you have a guy like (Rock Cats center fielder) Aaron Hicks on your team that it speaks for itself - the way he runs, the way he throws, the way he goes and gets it in the outfield," Colabello said. "I think in independent baseball, you're typically going to find guys who have been around the game a little longer. It's weird for me to be the oldest guy on the team. I've never been that guy in my career."Just add "oldest guy on the team" to the list of firsts for Colabello this season. With his lifelong dream becoming a reality, it likely won't be something he will let deter him from continuing to flat-out rake at the plate no matter what uniform he puts on. "At the end of the day," Colabello said, "you have to remind yourself that baseball is baseball no matter where you play."Thankfully for Rock Cats fans, Colabello finds himself playing in New Britain these days.

THROUGH	GAMES	OF	4/22
Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
NBR	EAS	.313	15	48	12	15	5	0	4	12	32	6	6	0	0	.414	.667	1.080

Date	OPP	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
Apr 14	@NH	.600	5	2	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.600	1.000	1.600
Apr 15	@NH	.333	3		1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.500	.333	.833
Apr 16	@POR	.400	5	2	2	1	0	1	4	0	0	0	0	.400	1.200	1.600
Apr 17	@POR	.667	3	3	2	0	0	2	3	1	1	0	0	.750	2.667	3.417
Apr 18	@POR	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.250	.000	.250
Apr 19	NH	.500	4		2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.600	.500	1.100
Apr 20	NH	.333	3	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	.500	.667	1.167
Apr 21	NH	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.400	.000	.400
Apr 23	POR	.000	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Apr 24	POR	.250	4	0	1	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	.400	.250	.650

Last 10 Games: (Current team only)
Date	OPP	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
Apr 15	@NH	.333	3		1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.500	.333	.833
Apr 16	@POR	.400	5	2	2	1	0	1	4	00	0	0	0	.400	1.200	1.600
Apr 17	@POR	.667	3	3	2	0	0	2	3	1	1	0	0	.750	2.667	3.417
Apr 18	@POR	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.250	.000	.250
Apr 19	NH	.500	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.600	.500	1.100
Apr 20	NH	.333	3	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	.500	.667	1.167
Apr 21	NH	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.400	.000	.400
Apr 23	POR	.000	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Apr 24	POR	.250	4	0	1	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	.400	.250	.650
Apr 25	POR	.333	3	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	.500	.667	1.167

Rock Cats lost 7-3

Last 10 Games: (Current team only)
Date	OPP	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
Apr 17	@POR	.667	3	3	2	0	0	2	3	1	1	0	0	.750	2.667	3.417
Apr 18	@POR	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.250	.000	.250
Apr 19	NH	.500	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.600	.500	1.100
Apr 20	NH	.333	3	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	.500	.667	1.167
Apr 21	NH	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.400	.000	.400
Apr 23	POR	.000	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Apr 24	POR	.250	4	0	1	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	.400	.250	.650
Apr 25	POR	.333	3	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	.500	.667	1.167
Apr 27	@RIC	.167	6	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.167	.167	.333
Apr 28	@RIC	.000	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
NBR	EAS	.257	20	70	14	18	6		4	15	36	8	14			.354	.514	.868

Through games of 4/28/2012

▲	Club▲	W▲	L▲	PCT▼	GB	Home▲	Away▲	L 10▲	Streak▲
	Reading Phillies (PHI)	14	7	.667	-	9-3	5-4	6-4	L1
	New Britain Rock Cats (MIN)	13	9	.591	1.5	7-6	6-3	4-6	L3
	Binghamton Mets (NYM)	11	10	.524	3.0	7-5	4-5	6-4	L1
	Trenton Thunder (NYY)	10	11	.476	4.0	5-7	5-4	5-5	W1
	New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR)	9	12	.429	5.0	3-6	6-6	5-5	L1
	Portland Sea Dogs (BOS)	7	16	.304	8.0	4-5	3-11	4-6	W1

▲	Club▲	W▲	L▲	PCT▼	GB	Home▲	Away▲	L 10▲	Streak▲
	Akron Aeros (CLE)	12	6	.667	-	6-2	6-4	6-4	W3
	Harrisburg Senators (WSH)	14	8	.636	-	5-4	9-4	7-3	W1
	Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF)	11	11	.500	3.0	6-3	5-8	5-5	W3
	Erie SeaWolves (DET)	9	11	.450	4.0	3-6	6-5	5-5	W1
	Altoona Curve (PIT)	8	11	.421	4.5	6-5	2-6	4-6	L1
	Bowie Baysox (BAL)	8	14	.364	6.0	4-9	4-5	4-6	L1

STANDING THROUGH GAMES OF 4/28/2012


* first-half division winner

$ first-half Wild Card winner

@ clinched playoff

# clinched division

& clinched wildcard

Last 10 Games: (Current team only)
Date	OPP	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
Apr 18	@POR	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.250	.000	.250
Apr 19	NH	.500	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.600	.500	1.100
Apr 20	NH	.333	3	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	.500	.667	1.167
Apr 21	NH	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	.400	.000	.400
Apr 23	POR	.000	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Apr 24	POR	.250	4	0	1	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	.400	.250	.650
Apr 25	POR	.333	3	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	.500	.667	1.167
Apr 27	@RIC	.167	6	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.167	.167	.333
Apr 28	@RIC	.000	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Apr 29	@RIC	.333	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250	.333	.583

Last 10 Games: (Current team only)
Date	OPP	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
Apr 27	@RIC	.167	6	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.167	.167	.333
Apr 28	@RIC	.000	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Apr 29	@RIC	.333	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250	.333	.583
Apr 30	@HAR	.000	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.000	.000	.000
May 01	@HAR	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.250	.000	.250
May 02	@HAR	.400	5	1	2	0	0	1	3	0	1	0	0	.400	1.000	1.400
May 03	@HAR	.200	5	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	.200	.200	.400
May 04	POR	.250	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.250	.250	.500
May 05	POR	.250	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250	.500	.750
May 06	POR	.500	4	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.500	.750	1.250

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
NBR	EAS	.252	28	103	17	26	8	0	5	20	49	9	21	0	0	.325	.476	.801

2012 Eastern League Current Standings(Through games of 5/6/2012)
Current Standings | Playoff Procedures

▲	Club▲	W▲	L▲	PCT▼	GB	Home▲	Away▲	L 10▲	Streak▲
	Reading Phillies (PHI)	19	10	.655	-	10-5	9-5	6-4	L2
	New Britain Rock Cats (MIN)	18	12	.600	1.5	8-8	10-4	5-5	L1
	Trenton Thunder (NYY)	14	14	.500	4.5	6-9	8-5	5-5	W1
	Binghamton Mets (NYM)	14	15	.483	5.0	8-7	6-8	4-6	W1
	New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR)	13	16	.448	6.0	5-9	8-7	5-5	L1
	Portland Sea Dogs (BOS)	9	21	.300	10.5	4-9	5-12	4-6	W1

▲	Club▲	W▲	L▲	PCT▼	GB	Home▲	Away▲	L 10▲	Streak▲
	Akron Aeros (CLE)	19	8	.704	-	11-3	8-5	8-2	W2
	Harrisburg Senators (WSH)	17	13	.567	3.5	6-8	11-5	4-6	L1
	Erie SeaWolves (DET)	13	15	.464	6.5	5-9	8-6	5-5	W2
	Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF)	14	17	.452	7.0	8-6	6-11	4-6	L2
	Altoona Curve (PIT)	13	16	.448	7.0	9-6	4-10	5-5	W2
	Bowie Baysox (BAL)	12	18	.400	8.5	5-11	7-7	5-5	L2

* first-half division winner

$ first-half Wild Card winner

@ clinched playoff

# clinched division

& clinched wildcard

Last 10 Games: (Current team only)
Date	OPP	AVG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
May 02	@HAR	.400	5	1	2	0	0	1	3	0	1	0	0	.400	1.000	1.400
May 03	@HAR	.200	5	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	.200	.200	.400
May 04	POR	.250	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.250	.250	.500
May 05	POR	.250	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250	.500	.750
May 06	POR	.500	4	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.500	.750	1.250
May 08	@BIN	.667	3	1	2	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	.750	1.000	1.750
May 09	@BIN	.200	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.200	.200	.400
May 10	REA	.000	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.000	.000	.000
May 11	REA	.000	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.500	.000	.500
May 13	REA	.000	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.250	.000	.250
Totals		.256	39	5	10	3	0	1	5	3	7	0	0	.326	.410	.736

Standings(THROUGH GAMES OF 5/13/2012)

2012 Eastern League Current Standings
Current Standings | Playoff Procedures

▲	Club▲	W▲	L▲	PCT▼	GB	Home▲	Away▲	L 10▲	Streak▲
	Reading Phillies (PHI)	22	13	.629	-	11-6	11-7	5-5	W1
	New Britain Rock Cats (MIN)	22	14	.611	0.5	10-10	12-4	5-5	L1
	Trenton Thunder (NYY)	18	16	.529	3.5	9-10	9-6	6-4	W2
	Binghamton Mets (NYM)	17	18	.486	5.0	8-9	9-9	5-5	W1
	New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR)	14	21	.400	8.0	6-12	8-9	3-7	L1
	Portland Sea Dogs (BOS)	12	24	.333	10.5	6-9	6-15	5-5	L2

▲	Club▲	W▲	L▲	PCT▼	GB	Home▲	Away▲	L 10▲	Streak▲
	Akron Aeros (CLE)	22	12	.647	-	14-7	8-5	5-5	L3
	Harrisburg Senators (WSH)	20	16	.556	3.0	6-10	14-6	6-4	W3
	Erie SeaWolves (DET)	18	17	.514	4.5	9-9	9-8	7-3	W5
	Richmond Flying Squirrels (SF)	19	18	.514	4.5	11-7	8-11	6-4	W3
	Bowie Baysox (BAL)	15	21	.417	8.0	5-11	10-10	4-6	L3
	Altoona Curve (PIT)	13	22	.371	9.5	9-8	4-14	3-7	L6

* first-half division winner

$ first-half Wild Card winner

@ clinched playoff

# clinched division

& clinched wildcard

Thru New Brit All Star Break, the 28 yr olds numbers
81 gms .273/.338/.490 49runs 24doubles 1triple 13HR 61rbi (2nd in RBI in Eastern Lg to Evan Bigley) 56k 23bb

Since June 1
35gms .331/.380/.525 23runs 13doubles 1triple 4hr 26rbi 23k 10bb

At his age, shouldnt he be perfect for the ROC lineup???
Or do they want to continue to DH Brian Dinkelman & Sean Burroughs

Entering Sunday, Colabello in the Eastern Lg ranks
Tied for lead lg in doubles wit 26
2nd in RBI with 65 (to teammate Evan Bigleys 66)
Tied for 4th (w/Evan Bigley) in Total Bases w/153
7th in slugging @ .489
8th in runs scored with 51 (Chris Herrmann leads with 57..Hicks with 55)
13th in OPS w/ .826

Just saying that the 28 yr old is blocked @ AAA by 32 yr old Sean Burroughs. I realize you want organizational depth, but Sean is not even the next up at his possible positions. If youre playing poorly like Burroughs (only hitting for average....weak average at that), consiquences should be had.
Rochester should be able to have players playing for them that they deserve.
8th in HR w/13

Big slugger had a great July 30gm 113AB .336/.400/.487 17runs 11doubles 2HR 20rbi 21k 10bb
Leads the Eastern Lg in RBI w/76 (leads by 9)
3rd in Lg in total bases w/179
5th in slgg w/.481

Named the DH on the Eastern LG All Star team
nice accomplishment

since June 1st 80gms
100/309 .324/.389/.511 47runs 26doubles triple 10hr 60 rbi 58k 27bb