MSL to MLB: Sal Fasano Catches His Big Break

Learns What it Takes to Make it in the Major Leagues

NOTE: This story appeared in the Daily Herald on July 18, 1996. Sal Fasano joined Prospect’s Tom Lundstedt, Barrington’s Dan Wilson and Fremd’s Todd Hundley as catchers from the MSL who made it to the big leagues so it was a big story locally. Even made it on the front page of the sports section. This was also before this thing called the Internet was readily accessible to everyone 24/7 and when we first moved into our new offices at the Daily Herald around this time there were only one or two computers that had Internet access and everyone in the newsroom had to share them.

So what does that have to do with this story? Well, right before Fasano was supposed to have his rookie homecoming, he was sent down to Triple-A Omaha by Royals manager Bob Boone. Fasano got his initial taste of how tough a business pro sports can be and we didn’t find out until the Royals got to town and the story was in the paper. Today the news would be all over the place minutes after it happened. In 1996, the move didn’t even appear in the Herald’s “Transactions” section, which chronicled different moves in all sports, after what turned out to be his final MLB game of his rookie season on July 13. Ironically that was against the White Sox in Kansas City. Fortunately one of the game’s “good guys” would make it back in what’s been a long playing and managing/coaching career in professional baseball.

Only 180 miles separate Kansas City and Omaha, Neb. However, Sal Fasano understands that in baseball distance they are worlds apart.

After 2½ seasons in the minor leagues, the Hanover Park native and 1989 Hoffman Estates High School graduate figured to start this year as a Class AAA catcher.

Instead, Fasano bypassed that stop and went directly to the Royals. It made for an earlier-than-expected homecoming that starts tonight when the Royals visit the White Sox at Comiskey Park.

Not that leapfrogging from Class AA Wichita to the big-time is a blueprint for immediate success. Fasano, who turns 25 on Aug. 10, already has been through some difficult times.

“It’s been kind of rough,” Fasano said. “It’s not a real easy road. It’s a really big jump from AA to the big leagues.

“You miss out on a lot of talent jumping right over. You have to have a lot of patience being up here and knowing you’re going to fail.”

Going into Wednesday’s game with Cleveland, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Fasano was hitting .203 with 6 homers and 19 RBI in 51 games.

Fasano hit 54 homers in his last two minor-league seasons and probably would have been a starter in Triple-A. Instead, he’s playing a couple of games a week behind nine-year veteran Mike MacFarlane.

It’s just one of the many adjustments for Fasano in his first four months with the Royals.

“Like anything, when you’re not working at your trade every day you’re not going to be as sharp at it,” Fasano said. “But I’m not complaining about my situation.”

One of the benefits for Fasano starts with the manager. After all, Bob Boone was a seven-time Gold Glove winner who finished a 19-year career just 1 game short (behind Carlton Fisk) of the all-time record for games caught.

So Fasano is making sure his time off is well spent.

“Usually days off for me were DHing and playing first base,” Fasano said. “Now days off are days off. I’m trying to learn about the game itself and a lot of the idiosyncrasies of the game. Having Boonie as a manager - he knows every aspect of the game.”

Fasano said it was his defense that impressed Boone enough in spring training to merit a promotion. 

But there’s more to it in a league that features the likes of Frank Thomas, Mark McGwire, Albert Belle and Ken Griffey Jr.

“(Boone) is really pleased with the way I catch,” Fasano said. “The biggest thing we talk about is calling pitches - and I’ve improved my game there 100 percent.

“I talk to Boonie, (bench coach and former major-league catcher Jamie) Quirk and MacFarlane. We learn together and we feed off each other.”

Hitting also has been a learning process for Fasano as he has seen a regular diet of unfamiliar faces on the mound. He’s still trying to put together the right approach with help from hitting coach Greg Luzinski and teammates such as MacFarlane and Bip Roberts.

And hitting 32 homers - as he did in 1994 at Rockford and Wilmington - rarely happens immediately in the big leagues.

“Now I’m trying to get the hits to fall,” Fasano said. “In the minors you could always find holes. You don’t here because these are the best defenses in the world.

“It’s tough going from a minor-league hitter to a big-league hitter. I don’t know exactly what it takes because I haven’t succeeded as much as I want to yet.”

Fasano has been given a closeup look at some of the most successful hitters that he grew up admiring.

“You’re in awe when you see McGwire up there for the first time,” Fasano said. “Frank Thomas, you’re scared to throw him a pitch. It’s a fun experience.”

Fasano said it also has been fun to play for an aggressive manager in Boone. He gave Fasano a chance to do something he’d never done before at any level of baseball.

In a game with Minnesota, Fasano stole home on a double steal with Tom Goodwin. It was his first major-league steal.

“It was weird - I didn’t even have to slide,” Fasano said with a laugh. “I’m not the fastest guy in the world but I tried to get a good walking lead.”

Moments like that have Fasano keeping the struggles of a budding big-league career in perspective.

“When you see you’re average at .200, you can get pretty upset,” Fasano said. “You think you should be playing a lot better than you’re doing.

“At the same time I’m young and learning what adjustments to make and making sure they’re the right ones.”

The best part right now for Sal Fasano is he’s being taught in places like Kansas City and Comiskey Park instead of Omaha.