Sal Fasano

Salvatore Frank Fasano (born August 10, 1971) is an American former professional baseball catcher, who played for nine different Major League Baseball (MLB) teams over his 11-year big league career.

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 Ramón Hernández.

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 seven home runs and 19 RBI.

On May 22, 2001, the Royals purchased Fasano from the Athletics.

He appeared in only three games for the Royals, and went hitless in his lone at-bat before being traded to Colorado.

On June 24, 2001, Fasano and Mac Suzuki were traded to the Colorado Rockies for Brent Mayne.

In 25 games for the Rockies, Fasano hit .254 with three home runs and nine RBI.

On January 11, 2002, Fasano signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and was released on June 1.

On June 6, he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

On July 31, Fasano and Alex Ochoa were traded to the Anaheim Angels for Jorge Fabregas and a player to be named later.

Fasano played in only two games for the Angels, going 0–1 at the plate with a strikeout.

On November 5, 2002, he was released by the Angels.

He did not play baseball at any level in 2003, and on January 14, 2004, signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees.

Fasano appeared in 76 games for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 2004, and hit .229 with 10 home runs and 34 RBI.

Fasano was released by the Yankees organization on October 15, 2004.

On December 16, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles and appeared in 64 games for them during the 2005 season.

Fasano had arguably the best season of his Major League career with Baltimore, hitting .250 with 11 home runs and 20 RBI.

He became a free agent on October 15, 2005.

Fasano began 2006 for the Philadelphia Phillies as a backup to Mike Lieberthal.

His distinctive Fu Manchu mustache earned him the cult admiration of Phillies fans, who began a Phan Phavorites fan club called Sal's Pals.

Fasano showed his gratitude by buying the group pizza.

Fasano began to see more playing time as Lieberthal got injured, eventually taking over the starting role.

His light hitting though cost him his job as rookie backstop Chris Coste emerged in Lieberthal's absence.

When Lieberthal returned, there was no spot for Fasano.

He was designated for assignment and acquired by the New York Yankees in exchange for minor league infielder Hector Made.

In 50 games for the Phillies, Fasano hit .243 with four home runs and 10 RBI.

One of Fasano's first acts as a Yankee was to trim his facial hair in accordance with the Yankees' personal appearance policy.

He spent the late summer and September as a back-up to Jorge Posada and did not appear in the Yankees' four-game loss to the Detroit Tigers in the Division Series.

On August 19, 2006, Fasano made his first career pinch-running appearance, taking the place of fellow catcher Jorge Posada during a 13–5 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

During that game, Fasano nearly picked off Manny Ramirez after blocking the plate and denying the Red Sox another run.

Upon retiring as a player, he became a coach within the Toronto Blue Jays organization between 2010 and 2016.

After coaching for a single season within the Los Angeles Angels minor league system, Fasano joined the major league coaching staff of the Atlanta Braves.

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."