The Can-Am League announced today that the contract of Worcester Tornadoes INF Chris Colabello (pictured) has been sold to the Minnesota Twins. The 2011 Player of the Year has been invited to the Twins spring training.

Colabello batted .348 with 20 home runs, 79 RBI and 127 hits (including 52 for extra bases).

What a busy start to the day, especially for the morning after subscribers got this week's Independent Baseball Insider column, but that is the way it goes with breaking news.

Anyone who cares about Independent Baseball will want to follow the Caribbean Series for the next few days (especially if they can see the games on ESPN Deportes or ESPN3)since about 25 per cent of the players on the four teams are current or former Indy players. New Newark, NJ (Can-Am League) coach Ken Oberkfell (pictured) is even managing the Dominican Republic entry.

Add Barry Moss to the parade of Independent Baseball instructional people moving to the Miami Marlins.

Although some will know him as one of the scouts debating with Billy Beane (I know, it was Brad Pitt portraying Beane) in the award-winning movie Moneyball, Moss (pictured) has been putting together Indy teams for the last decade, first in St. Paul, MN and since 2003 for Brockton, MA (Can-Am) and Fort Worth, TX (American Association).

The Can-Am League currently has 32 current or former players that are participating in winter league baseball. The league is represented in seven different countries including Australia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. All of the winter leagues are currently in the postseason.

Stuart Pomeranz (New Jersey Jackals) – 4-0, 1.93 ERA, 23 1/3 Innings Pitched, 18 SO [La Guaira Tiburones - Pictured]

The Worcester Tornadoes announced that they have promoted their former manager, Ed Riley, to the front office as Special Advisor to the General Manager and promoted last season’s bench coach, Chip Plante (pictured), to field manager. In his first stint as a manager, Riley, compiled a 48-44 record.

“Chip is the consummate baseball professional and is deserving of this opportunity. He brings a passion for the game, a tremendous work ethic and our player’s truly connected with him last season,” added Bassiacos.

Philadelphia spring training invitee Raul Valdes (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH, Can-Am League - pictured) led a trio of outstanding pitching performances by former Independent players in winter league playoffs this week. The southpaw hurled a complete-game five-hitter (one run) in the Dominican Republic.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx (Victoria, Golden League), signed recently by Washington, allowed only one hit in seven shutout innings in Venezuela and Mike Loree (Long Island, NY, and Newark, NJ, Atlantic League) surrendered only one run in five innings to even the Puerto Rican League championship series.