Sal Fasano | |||
---|---|---|---|
Catcher | |||
Born: Chicago, Illinois |
August 10, 1971 |||
|
|||
MLB debut | |||
April 3, 1996, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 14, 2008, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .221 | ||
Home runs | 47 | ||
Runs batted in | 140 | ||
Teams | |||
Salvatore Frank Fasano (/fəˈsɑːnoʊ/; born August 10, 1971) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Fasano played for 9 different teams over his 11-year career. In 2013, he became the Roving Catching Instructor for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Jeff Pearlman of ESPN.com said of Fasano: "When I think of Sal Fasano, however, I think of greatness. Not of Willie Mays or Ted Williams greatness, but of a uniquely excellent human being who, were class and decency the most valued standards of a career, would be the easiest Hall of Fame inductee of all time."
After three seasons in the minor leagues, Fasano made his Major League debut on April 3, 1996 for the Royals. He spent the next three seasons splitting catching duties with starter Mike Macfarlane and rising prospect Mike Sweeney. In 1998, he established career highs in at bats (216) and RBI (31). He also ranked second in the American League in HBPs with 16. In his first 4 seasons with the Royals, Fasano batted .219 with 20 home runs and 67 RBI.
The Oakland Athletics purchased Fasano's contract from the Royals in March of 2000 and handed him the team's back up duties behind starter Ramon Hernandez. Fasano helped the A's capture the A.L. West division crown that season, and made his, to date, only post season appearance as a defensive replacement. While with Oakland, Fasano says, he came to realize that many players around him were taking anabolic steroids, and briefly considered following suit, but he decided against it. In 63 total games with the Athletics, Fasano hit .190 with 7 home runs and 19 RBI.