Tornadoes Place Four On Can-Am League Postseason All-Star Team

September 3, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release


Worcester, MA -- The Can-Am League has announced the 2008 Postseason All-Star Team as voted upon by the eight field managers and media representatives, and the Worcester Tornadoes were very well represented, comprising one-third of the team. The Tornadoes placed four players on the 12-man team, 1B Chris Colabello, OF Francisco Caraballo, OF Scott Grimes and LHP Tom Cochran.

Colabello, 24, had an outstanding season for Worcester. The First Baseman led the league in RBIs (76), Doubles (34) and Extra-Base Hits (51). The 34 Doubles set a new Can-Am League record for two-baggers in a season and the 51 Extra-Base Hits tied a league record. Colabello also placed 3rd in the league in Slugging Percentage (.571), 4th in Runs Scored (71), 5th in Batting Average (.336) and 6th in Home Runs (16). His season also included a three home run game at Atlantic City on June 21st, the second straight year in which he has achieved that feat. Colabello is the all-time Tornadoes franchise leader in career Batting Average (.315), Games (282), At-Bats (1,050), Runs Scored (178), Hits (331), Doubles (84), Home Runs (36), RBIs (193) and Walks (122). This is his first Can-Am League Postseason All-Star selection.

Caraballo, 24, made quite the impact in his first season with the Tornadoes. He blasted 23 Home Runs to lead the league and set a new Tornadoes single-season record. Caraballo also finished 2nd in the league in RBIs (73) and Slugging Percentage (.594), tied for 2nd in Triples (5) and tied for 3rd in Extra-Base Hits (46). Caraballo was particularly strong down the stretch for Worcester, hitting .472 with 8 home runs and 18 RBIs in his final 14 games of the regular season. This is his first Can-Am League Postseason All-Star selection.

Grimes, 24, had one of the finest seasons in both Tornadoes and Can-Am League history, setting Tornadoes team records for Batting Average (.365), Runs Scored (87), Hits (133) and Total Bases (228). Grimes finished 2008 as the league-leader in Runs Scored (87), Triples (6), Total Bases (228) and Slugging Percentage (.626), 2nd in Batting Average (.365), Hits (133), Extra-Base Hits (47) and On-Base Percentage (.442) and was 3rd in Home Runs (21). His 87 Runs Scored set a new Can-Am League record. Grimes was also named the Can-Am League Player-of-the-Month for June, when he hit .407 with 7 Home Runs, 22 RBIs and 23 Runs Scored. His 40-game on-base streak to begin the season was the longest such streak in the league all season. Grimes also reached base in all 46 games he played at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field in 2008. This is his first Can-Am League Postseason All-Star selection.

Cochran, 25, put up gaudy numbers at the top of the Tornadoes starting rotation. The lefthander went a perfect 11-0 in his first 11 starts of the season, and set a new Tornadoes franchise record for most Wins (13) in a single season. His 13 victories tied for 1st in the league in 2008 and his 2.79 ERA placed 5th. Cochran's '08 season accolades include a Can-Am League Pitcher-of-the-Month honor for the month of June (5-0, 1.42 in 5 starts) and a complete game, five-hit shutout of Quebec on June 27th. Cochran was the only pitcher in the league to shut out the Capitales in '08. He was also the only pitcher to defeat Quebec three times on the season. He is the first Worcester Pitcher to ever be named to the Postseason All-Star Team. This is his first Can-Am League Postseason All-Star selection.

The four 2008 Postseason All-Star selections doubles the Tornadoes all-time total to eight. C Yohanny Valera and SS Omar Pena were named to the team in 2005, OF Josh Beauregard in 2006 and C Patrick Perry in 2007.

2008 POSTSEASON ALL-STAR TEAM (League leading statistics in parentheses):

CATCHER

Kyle Geiger, Ottawa Rapidz - Hit .319 (10th) with 8 HR, 48 RBI, 114 hits and 25 doubles.

1ST BASE

Chris Colabello, Worcester Tornadoes - Hit .336 (5th) with 16 HR, 76 RBI (1st) and 120 hits (5th).

2ND BASE

Melvin Falu, Brockton Rox - Hit .383(1st) with 140 hits (1st), 27 doubles (5th) and 62 runs scored.

SHORTSTOP

Anthony Granato, Atlantic City Surf - Hit .322 (9th) with 83 runs scored (2nd), 117 hits and 31 stolen bases (2nd).

3RD BASE

Pat Deschenes, Quebec Capitales - Hit .301 with 99 hits, 67 RBI (5th), 28 doubles (T-3rd) and 60 runs scored.

OUTFIELD

Francisco Caraballo, Worcester Tornadoes - Hit .313 with 23 HR (1st), 73 RBI (2nd), 108 hits and a .594 slugging percentage (2nd).

OUTFIELD

Scott Grimes, Worcester Tornadoes - Hit .365 (2nd) with 21 HR (3rd), .626 slugging percentage (1st), 133 hits (2nd) and 87 runs scored (1st).

OUTFIELD

Jud Thigpen, Brockton Rox - Hit .295 with 17 HR (T-4th), 70 RBI (3rd), 104 hits and 20 doubles.

DESIGNATED HITTER

Jabe Bergeron, Ottawa Rapidz - Hit .354 (3rd) with 124 hits (4th), 29 doubles (2nd), 69 RBI (4th) and a .560 slugging percentage (4th).

LHP

Tom Cochran, Worcester Tornadoes - 13-3 record (T-1st in wins) with a 2.79 ERA (5th) and 84 strikeouts in 119 1/3 innings pitched.

RHP

Michel Simard, Quebec Capitales - 13-2 record (T-1st in wins) with a 2.32 ERA (1st) and 16 walks in 124 innings pitched.

RELIEF PITCHER

Jerry Dunn, Brockton Rox (pictured) - 2-4 record with a 1.45 ERA in 43 games (2nd) and 24 saves (T-1st).



Canadian American League Stories from September 3, 2008


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