I haven’t been this excited for a Twins rookie since … OK so I’d be lying if I said that I expected anything like this out of Chris Colabello this season. At 30 years old and after showing zero flash as a major leaguer last year in his debut I didn’t expect him or want him to make the team’s 25 man Opening Day Roster. Through April 19th I am a fool for thinking so.
Cowbell entered the day leading the American League in doubles and RBI. He is far from a finished project as a RF, but Twins management has handed first base to “Joltless” Joe Mauer, which forces the lesser athlete to play in the outfield to protect Joe from a hangnail or possibly breaking a sweat running for a fly ball.
To say that Colabello been clutch is almost an understatement for a team that is near the bottom of the league in batting average this year and that has been terrible over the previous three seasons at driving in runs with timely hitting.
I am not saying that this is something that is going to last. Watching his swing gives me pause because he has flailed at some pretty awful pitches. With the advanced scouting and metrics used these days it’s quite likely that by June he’s been nullified and reduced to roster filler. However, when he makes contact he puts the ball in right center, left center, and can pull the ball when needed so if his amazing April is not just a flash in the pan hot start his story could be that of a Disney movie.
In 2010 he was playing Independent League ball. The Twins signed him as a “Crash Davis” kind of mentor for the young up-and-comers, to solidify a weak spot in the lineup and give the AA team a first baseman.
Last year he won the AAA International League MVP, an honor that could have earned him $1 million in Korea. He had the offer and he talked to his agent about asking for his release from the Twins. At 30-years-old it would have made perfect financial sense to go overseas and cash a bigger paycheck than he’s ever seen. He didn’t. He believed that he could be a Major Leaguer, and he made the team out of spring training. Chris hasn’t let up at all for the Major League club so far. He is at 26 RBI, which ties the April record in Minnesota – held by Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett.
And he hit a homerun on his mother’s birthday – while mom was being interviewed on the local television broadcast. I’m definitely cheering for MORE COWBELL!
For what it’s worth Colabello will make a little over $500,000 this season. Joltless Joe makes $143,000 per game.
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My poor writing skills make it look like the Twins signed him before the 2011 season, and I believe he was signed prior to the 2012 season serving in AA as a “crash davis” type.
My apologies to anyone I may have mislead with my poor skills. I feel like Mauer with runners I scoring position.
I just own up to it. He will blame his kids, his bilateral weakness, his sideburns being uneven or you. It’s your fault! Never his
Well, momma isn’t traveling to South Korea to watch her son play even on her birthday. Afew of us who really follow baseball know about Cola Can from seeing him play this year in Spring Training. He was working hard to make the team. He wasn’t there to take a vacation unlike some others. Dozier, Plouffe, Arcia, Pinto, Suzuki, Romero and Hicks all were doing the same as if they were part of a different team. Bull Dozier is the leader of this pack and if you listened to his post game comments last night he makes you know he is. He reminds me of some old tyme players and he also is playing like the best 2nd baseman I have ever witnessed for the Twins. No clean uniforms when the game is done for him. … Cola should be the everyday 1st baseman, Plouffe’s bat has been incredible (but we saw that in ST), Pinto just blasts that ball to left like there is no fence there at all, Suzuki has been a fine surprise and about time we had a real catcher. Plouffe still working hard because he is making some of the same mistakes at 3rd (bad throws, and indecision) cost us a couple of times. Same with Pinto behind the plate. He has two throwing errors already, and they weren’t even close. Both were a good 3ft over the gloves of Plouffe, and Florimin in the first inning. Now Romero who didn’t make the team eats baseballs for breakfast. I think he could make plays at 3rd blindfolded. He can smack the ball too! Not sure what’s wrong with Hicks. I do know he was surprised by Gardenhire’s decision not to have him lead-off. He confronted Gardenhire and asked what was up with that. I believe that Hicks wants to prove himself and he can’t do that batting 8th in the lineup. He actually deserves a shot leading off, with Bull Dozier batting 2nd. Arcia can probably break the limestone wall in right field. More concerned about his injury then Willing the Ham’s. I really don’t want to hear ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ being played unless it is a farewell song. He stinks in left field. Never can see a flyball. Almost crashed into Span several times which means he might be deaf or something too. Span let him know about it a couple of times. He has already come very close to hitting Hicks this year too. If you watch Kubel play left he backs-off quick when the CF calls him off. Kubel knows. Kubel should be in RF. This Fuld can play all OF positions. Either way it doesn’t leave room for ‘Roger Dorns’ on this team. …. I could make a list of reasons why Mauer the Great One should not be playing 1st base or batting 2nd in the lineup. To save time I will check the box that says ALL OF THE ABOVE. Wish he would do a ‘Ryne Sandeberg’ and apologize too. If your curious look at Morneau’s batting stats this year, his fielding %, and his salary. Heck, Mauer doesn’t even make a good DH!! Yeah for 23 million we could have had Kyle Lohse 4-0 for the BrewCrew and Matt Garza 1-2 (ERA is low). With them the Tigers would be chasing us right now in the standings, but we would have had to fire our manager because he is the reason both those pitchers left the team in the first place. Thanks for the article and I just proved that you are much better than you think at writing then you think! Took awhile though. Go Twins!