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Between AA and the Mexican Winter League, Colabello has something like 790 plate appearances, with 36 homers, 50 doubles and an OPS around .915 (didn't actually calculate it).
For AA-level competition, those numbers are not to be ignored. RH bench bat in the near future, please. Parmelee/Colabello platoon after Morneau is traded?
Colabello needs to get to the majors soon if he is going to be useful. He is too old to be in AAA.
As long as the Twins don't carry 13 pitchers at times, they can afford one corner bench bat.
Is Colabello the best bat for that role? Not sure. He bats right handed and that appears to be a need. However, he was slightly better against right handed pitching in AA last year. His walk rate doesn't have much room to drop without major league pitching taking advantage.
If the Twins do trade Morneau, he does seem like the best option.
Didn't someone make a comment about him playing some 3B? Now that could make him worth making the roster.
I hope that I am wrong, but I see Colabello suffering the Randy Ruiz and Anthony Slama blues in this organization... Slama aside, the similarities with Ruiz are astonishing (can really hit MiLB pitching, barely given a chance because he is better suited to DH.)
He actually seems to be pretty good defensively at first base.
And yes, Darin, he did play some third base here and there and it was pretty poor defense. Emergency option only, but the same can be said for Plouffe and shortstop!
Has played some 3B in the minors. 115 games 280 chances 41 errors for an .854 fielding percentage.Quote:
Originally Posted by darin617
Much better defensively at 1B- 556 games - 4955 chances 48 errors for a .990 fielding percentage
It should be stated that Ruiz was 30 years old and in his ninth organization by the time he arrived with the Twins. The Twins decided to go with a much younger Kubel at DH. Shame on the organization. They should have been so much smarter than his previous 8 organizations.Quote:
Originally Posted by thrylos98
Take a chance with Chris Colabello or go with Drew Butera?
Butera and Colabello are very different and have little to do with each other in terms of the roster. Yes, because if Mauer and Doumit are going to be in the lineup most days, Butera (or some backup catcher) is needed.
Also, I think too many people make a big deal about Colabello's age. Is he too old for his level of competition? That only really matters for top prospects, not for role players and I think we all know that he's a role player. It isn't his fault that organizations didn't give him a shot until he was 28, and then the Twins put him in AA. All he could do was perform, and he did. We're talking about a bench guy, part time 1B, part time DH, pinch hitter. His age isn't as important.
Colabello is there because if something happens to Morneau, you bring him up to backup whoever is playing first, for the period of time you need him. A permanent place on the Twins roster for a season. Sadly, think not. Those are highly valuable. Can he be there for a moment (think Matt Carson, for example)? yes. I do hope he gets his chance...with the Twins.....
I agree. We need a back up catcher.Quote:
Originally Posted by Seth Stohs
As for age, it only matters because he is at the end of the growth curve.
There aren't many major league bench jobs for right handed 1B/DH. Those left baseball when pitching staffs went from 10-11 to 12-13 man staffs.
Likely bench spot candidates are Butera, Ramirez/Boggs, Dozier/Florimon/Caroll, Escobar, and Colabello (I am throwing him in there, not to say that he is going to be considered that by the Twins). This would look to come down to Butera, Escobar, and Colabello for two spots. I am not sure, therefore, how Butera and Colabello wouldn't be said to be in competition unless one really wants to lock down a spot for the worst offensive player in baseball other than Chone Figgins.
In terms of his age being a factor, it is only a factor because he is at his prime right now and is likely going to start regressing soon.
Too bad he wasn't a better 3B. He might make the team as a backup. *If I were him, I think I'd find a college team somewhere in the next week or so, and practice at 3B... Practice, practice, practice...Then come to spring training with a little more skill at 3B.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane Wahl
*Six weeks of practice defending can't hurt. It might be the deciding factor.*
I'd love to see him make the team.