Author: Travis Heiser

Caleb Thielbar Added to Twins Roster

The Minnesota Twins have added relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar (Little Falls 2007) to their current 40-man roster. Thielbar was one of eight players the Twins recalled on November 20.

Thielbar, 25, is the first player from the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs organization to make a Major League Baseball roster. Thielbar pitched for the franchise in 2007 when it was known as the Little Falls Miners. He was a 2007 New York Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game selection and struck out 52 batters in 52 innings pitched.

Featured Player of Week: Ryan Bull – University of Notre Dame

AT NOTRE DAME: Started 52 games in 2012 for the Fighting Irish as a sophomore outfielder. He is a power bat from both sides of the plate and is rated as the No. 38 MLB prospect in the BIG EAST by Perfect Game.

HIGH SCHOOL: Named 2011 Perfect Game Central Region All-American at Eden Prairie H.S. in Eden Prairie, Minn. … 2011 Perfect Game nationally ranked top 500 … 2011 Rawlings Pre-Season All-American top 400 players … 2010 Perfect Game nationally ranked No. 328 overall and No. 3 in Minnesota … 2010 Power Showcase All-American Team (representing the state of Minnesota) … helped Eden Prairie to conference, sectional and state championship in 2010 … helped Eden Prairie to conference and sectional championship in 2009 .

Our Players In Professional Baseball

The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League just completed its second season in 2012. However, here is a list of players from that have played in our organization and are currently in professional baseball.

Former Player one step away from the Show

Caleb Thielbar is just one step away from Major League Baseball. Thielbar wrapped up the 2012 season with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings of the International League. Rochester is the top minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. The 2012 season was a whirlwind for Thielbar as he pitched for three different teams at three different levels. The South Dakota State University product worked briefly for the Florida State League’s Fort Myers Miracle. He did not allow an earned run and held opponents to four hits in seven total appearances before being promoted to Double-A New Britain. Thielbar pitched in 16 games for the Rock Cats and went 2-0 with four saves and a 1.80 earned run average. He struck out 26 and walked three in 25.0 innings. Caleb was called up to Rochester in June to pitch for the Triple-A Red Wings. Thielbar was 3-1 with one save and a 3.57 ERA for the Wings in 25 overall appearances. He struck out 32 in 40.1 innings. Overall in 2012, Caleb earned six victories, six saves and he pitched in 48 games.

The Milwaukee Brewers chose Thielbar in the 18th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Thielbar spent two seasons in the Brewers farm system and then pitched briefly for the independent St. Paul Saints in 2011 before signing as a free agent with the Twins. Thielbar pitched for the Little Falls in 2007. He was an league all-star and helped the team earn a slot in the league playoffs.

Former DiamondDawgs Appear on Silver Screen

Former 2012 Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs Jack Morrow (Young Harris) and Tom Valichka (Young Harris) were part of a group of 20 Young Harris College baseball players to participate in the filming of the movie “Trouble with the Curve.”

Jack Morrow, a first baseman for the Dawgs, was a second team All-PGCBL selection in 2012. He tied for the league lead with eight home runs and finished fourth overall in runs batted in (39). Morrow hit .305 over 45 regular season games.

Tom Valichka, a middle infielder, appeared in 30 games and drove in 11 runs.

Academy Award® winner Clint Eastwood, Oscar® nominee Amy Adams, and Justin Timberlake star in “Trouble with the Curve,” which marks the feature film directorial debut of Eastwood’s longtime producing partner Robert Lorenz. Several scenes were filmed on the YHC campus and around north Georgia.

Wall Street Journal Article on DiamondDawgs -A Dawgs Day Afternoon at the Ballpark

Wall Street Journal – August 22, 2012
By LARRY MCCOY

At Veterans Memorial Park in Little Falls, N.Y., the top ticket cost $3 and fans watched the game, not their smartphones.

I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun at a ballpark as I did a few Sundays ago. Although I was lucky enough to be at Yankee Stadium last season when Derek Jeter got his 3,000th hit and again when the Yankees hit three grand slams in one game, nothing compares with the pure entertainment of being at a game between the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs and the Amsterdam Mohawks.

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