One More Independent Star Gets Big Pact in Far East; Colabello Gets Fresh Start With Toronto

Add one more acclaimed Independent grad to those heading to the Far East for a nice payday.

Left-hander Ryan Feierabend (York, PA, Atlantic League) has signed with the Nexen Heroes in Korea for what The Korean Herald reports is $300,000, including a $30,000 signing bonus, with another $80,000 possible in options.

Like southpaw Kris Johnson and corner infielder Andy Marte (Japan and Korea, respectively), Feierabend has gotten only limited major league opportunities.  The 29-year-old has been in 31 major league games, including six (7.1 innings) for Texas last season.  He will be a teammate to another left-handed hurler, Andy Van Hekken, who is making a nice living in Korea, with his fourth season coming up after a 20-6 campaign which lifted him to 43-24 in that league.  Van Hekken pitched in three seasons (’06-08) under Sparky Lyle with the Atlantic League’s Somerset (NJ) Patriots.

Colabello ‘Excited’ for New Chance With Toronto

Chris Colabello was given a fresh start during the this week’s Winter Meetings when re-building Toronto grabbed the first baseman-outfielder off waivers from Minnesota, where he homered 13 times in 401 plate appearances in his first two partial major league seasons.  Indications are the 31-year-old will compete for playing time with Justin Smoak and possibly others at first base, although the right-handed hitter could return to Triple-A since he still has an option year.

“I’m excited that somebody else is happy to give me an opportunity, and I’m happy to contribute in any way I can,” Colabello told MLB.com.  The Can-Am League record-holder in several categories including hits, runs and runs batted in because of seven seasons of trying to get signed by a major league organization had been rumored as possibly heading to Korea.

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202 PLAYERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM INDY BASEBALL TO MAJORS

Complete List Available at www.WirzandAssociates.com

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Green, Godwin, DePaula Get Affiliated Calls

Two of the more intriguing recent signings of veteran Independent leaguers to major league organizations are those of right-handed starter Nick Green by Boston and fleet outfielder Adam Godwin by Pittsburgh.  Both are on Double-A rosters,  and neither has a single major league game to his credit.

Green, 30, has been in Indy leagues the last four summers, Southern Maryland and York, PA of the Atlantic League from 2011-13 and at Lincoln, NE of the American Association last season.  He has gone 27-26 in that span.  Godwin, who turns 32 on Saturday, will be getting his first affiliated opportunity since ’09, but he has stolen 156 bases in 205 attempts (.761) in that span, including 50 at Sugar Land, TX (Atlantic) two years ago.

Somewhat earlier, Julio DePaula, the right-hander who made the meteoric jump from York to the parent Baltimore Orioles in a matter of days this summer, was picked up as a free agent by Arizona, where it seems likely he will get some top-level exposure during spring training.

New Bosox Signee ‘Learned So Much’ in Three Indy Seasons

Playing in Australia after three seasons in Independent leagues has given Jorge Marban a new affiliated chance in the Boston farm system, and the 25-year-old knows how to spread praise.  “It is pretty crazy it took going halfway around the world to get an opportunity,” the right-hander told MiLB.com.  “I’ve learned so much throughout those three years in Independent ball (Southern Maryland, Atlantic League, after lengthy time at Florence, KY, Frontier League), and developed so much as a pitcher.”  Marban has given up only six hits and four earned runs while striking out in 18 innings spread over 11 outings although he continues to fight wildness (14 walks).

Pair Taken in Rule 5 Draft

This week’s Winter Meetings, which had lots of juicy offseason news for baseball-starved fans, produced a bit of Independent information during Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft when the Los Angeles farm systems selected two infielders at the Triple-A level.  The Dodgers tabbed shortstop Nate Samson, who played in the American Association (Sioux City, IA and Winnipeg), and the Angels picked up three-position infielder Chris Curley (Florence, KY, Frontier League) out of the Chicago White Sox farm system.  Samson hit .335 in 43 games with Sioux City this season and .274 in 46 contests for Arizona’s Double-A franchise.

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes on Independent Baseball.  Thirty-six columns are scheduled during 2014.  Fans may enjoy added stories on the blog www.IndyBaseballChatter.com, or comment to RWirz@aol.com.  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)