2007 December

Dec 23

HOORAY! HOORAY!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord…

Jordan Bastian, MLB.com:

TORONTO — Sal Fasano’s famous Fu-Manchu may be making a return trip to Rogers Centre. On Friday, the Blue Jays announced they have signed the veteran catcher to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
It’s the same type of contract that Fasano signed prior to last season with the Jays and it means the club isn’t done searching for a catcher to back up Gregg Zaun. Toronto has interest in free-agent catcher Miguel Olivo, who was non-tendered by the Marlins on Wednesday, and Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said he’s exploring other avenues as well.

“This just gives us a little bit of security,” Ricciardi said on Friday, discussing the Fasano signing. “I still think we’ll continue to try to address that area. I don’t know what we’ll be available. It might be via trade, and there are a few guys still out there who could fit our need via free agency. We’ll see. Right now, at least we have a comfort knowing that we have a guy there.”

Fasano spent most of last season at Triple-A, where he hit .262 with eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 47 games for Syracuse. The 36-year-old veteran did see time with the Blue Jays, posting a .178 average in 16 games. Fasano had season-ending surgery on his left knee in September, but he’s expected to be ready by Spring Training.

The Blue Jays have been hesitant to pursue a multiyear contract for a backup catcher, considering the club has catching prospects Robinzon Diaz and Curtis Thigpen close to being ready for the big leagues. There’s a chance that one of the young catchers could receive a call to the Jays at some point this season.

“Obviously, the kids will dictate that and Sal will dictate that,” Ricciardi said. “If the kids are really playing well, I think we’ll be put in a position where we may try to get them up here. I think this buys us enough time that we know we have a comfort in a guy that we like.”

Dec 11

Only a Matter of Days, Start Holding Your Breath

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As of yesterday, the Canadian Press reports, “Defensive specialist Sal Fasano, the popular veteran who calls a great game but offers little with the bat, continues to be the fallback plan as other candidates are considered. The Blue Jays are looking for someone on a one-year deal to not block the path of prospects Robinzon Diaz and Curtis Thigpen.
“We’re trying some other things,” Ricciardi said in an interview Monday. “Sal’s still strong in the mix. I think we’ll have our backup catcher by the end of the week.”"

These little dribs and drabs of information now officially constitute a tease. C’mon J.P., get on this. The people can only wait for so long. This is ridiculous.

Ok, time to hold breath….and…GO!

Dec 04

This Rumour is Getting Hot, Hot, Hot!

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Good news, good news. It seems like Sal might just be the most coveted backup catcher in the world (for the Blue Jays). Jordan Bastian (who really seems to have a thing for Sal) wrote this yesterday at MLB.com:

“Ricciardi also said he’s already talked to a couple of teams about trades that could potentially fill Toronto’s need for a backup catcher. The Jays have continued to talk to free-agent catcher Sal Fasano, and the club has some limited interest in Paul Bako.

The Jays are only looking for a one-year solution for the backup catcher job, considering the progression of catching prospects Robinzon Diaz and Curtis Thigpen. Ricciardi said that the Jays are interested in re-signing Fasano and seeing if Diaz is ready to make the jump to the Majors from Triple-A later in 2008.

“We’re talking to Sal right now,” Ricciardi said. “He gives us a little bit more of a catch-and-throw guy behind the plate against teams that run. Hopefully, Diaz is ready around June or July, and we’ll evaluate it at that point.”