FanHouse SalFasano

I covered Randy Johnson as a beat writer for eight seasons: 1999-2004 with the Diamondbacks and then 2005-06 with the Yankees. (We both moved East the same winter, by coincidence.)

So I figure I saw about 230 of Johnson's starts – hey, I deserved a day off once in a while – and more than 100 of his 300 wins. Off the top of my head, here are the top 10 Randy Johnson moments I witnessed in those eight years:

1. Perfection (May 18, 2004)
Twenty-seven up, 27 down at Atlanta. And after this game, Johnson even smiled. His 117th and final pitch, a called strike to Eddie Perez, was 98 mph. His 14 strikeouts were second-most ever in a perfect game, and at 40, he was the oldest ever to be perfect. "I don't think my stuff has been any better than it was today," Johnson said.

FanHouse continues its 2009 MLB Preview with a look at the Cleveland Indians.

Coming off a 96-win season in 2007, the Indians were expected to be one of the stronger teams in the AL last year. Cleveland looked like it was going to compete with the Tigers all year for the division crown. They had Victor Martinez, one of the best catchers in the league, along with a 1-2 punch of CC Sabathia and Fausto Carmona atop the rotation. As always, there were some concerns, including fifth starter Cliff Lee, whose 2007 ERA was 6.29. But on the whole, it looked like it was going to be a pretty good year.

With baseball set to start using instant replay on Thursday, there are a lot of different opinions floating around as to whether or not baseball should be doing this. Some are perfectly fine with the whole thing, thinking that it's about time the game finally adapted to this new-fangled technology, and then there are those who are whole-heartedly against it.

Hell, Sal Fasano actually compared the use of replay to armageddon (Note to Sal: Shaving your mustache? That would be armageddon). On the opposite end of the spectrum from Sal, there's Twins lumberjack Justin Morneau. Justin is happy baseball has finally decided to join the 20th century, though he wishes they weren't just using replay on home run calls.

... the Twins first baseman said Tuesday he wishes MLB would go even further and have instant replay available to decide whether any batted ball is fair or foul.

"I don't know why they didn't go all the way," Morneau said. "That could be just as big.

"Everybody's human, everybody's going to make mistakes. Why not take advantage of all the technology to make sure those [fair or foul] calls are right?"

While I don't want to go out of my way to help a Minnesota Twin feel better, I don't think Justin will have to wait too long to get his wish.

Sure, we here at FanHouse love to laugh at the foibles of overpaid athletes as much as the next guy. But we also have a serious side -- one that was moved by a recent story concerning one of our favorite ballplayers, the Blue Jays' Sal "The Stache" Fasano.

Sal's wife, Kerri, is carrying their third son who was recently diagnosed with a rare heart ailment that restricts circulation. Doctors plan to induce Kerri later this month and then perform open heart surgery on the newborn, as Sal explained to the National Post.

"They have to retool the highway system of the heart to recycle through the heart and then back out to the lungs. That's the part that's scary, because at four days old, our baby's going to have open-heart surgery. And that's the part that's a little bit sad. How does a baby have to have open-heart surgery? But it happened, what are you going to do?"

"It isn't just a little thing, it's major," he said. "I don't know how else to explain it. It touches you in your heart. It makes you sad. It makes you just happy and thankful that the kids you do have are healthy."

Yeah, it's a lot for any expectant dad to carry, let alone a guy who has to be on the road with his team and continue to perform whenever called upon. Not to mention the fact that for Fasano, a journeyman who's respected throughout baseball as a stand-up guy but never made the big bucks, the ability to keep a career rolling and bringing in a paycheck is essential. But, obviously, family comes first.

"If I have to be away for an extended period of time while my son is going through these things, I don't know if want to do that," Fasano said. "I don't think making money or collecting service time is that important in relation to the life of a child. You can't put any type of number on what the time is worth or how much money you can make in this game."

Our best vibes and good wishes to Sal and his family.

Back in March, the 2007 Blue Jays looked like a team ready to build upon its second-place finish in the 2006 AL East race. But through an absurd rash of injuries (not to mention angering the Gods of Baseball by demoting Sal "the Stache" Fasano), the team's hopes dissolved like a cake in the rain.

Of course, mathematically, the Jays can still contend. But recent comments by G.M. J.P. Ricciardi seem to indicate that he's already focusing on 2008.

"There's optimism, there's pessimism and there's realism," said Ricciardi. "We're being realistic, we've got two teams in front of us, one the Yankees and one the Red Sox, that have pretty much staked the claim, 'Hey we're going to be tough to catch.' The wild card is pretty tough for us right now. I'm not saying we can't go out on a prolific run right now and get ourselves back into it but barring that we've got to try to finish as strong as we can and close the gap and play good baseball."

Ricciardi's already made one move with an eye toward the future, cutting ties with backup catcher Jason Philips to give catching prospect Curtis Thigpen some time behind the plate. But he claims that's the only move on the radar.

"We've got a good team, I strongly believe that. If I didn't believe that we would be making wholesale changes. But I like our team a lot. We're not going to use the injuries as an excuse - it's a reality though."

The team might have actually overcome some key injuries if the handsomely-paid Vernon Wells or last year's comeback story Frank Thomas came through at the plate. If these two can't find a torrid pace over the next couple weeks, August might look like Community Auditions at the Rogers Centre.

There are people Americans root for. A.C. Slater. Steve, the security guard from "Jerry Springer." Bear Grylls.

But above all, one man stands alone. His name is Sal Fasano. His moustache stands for freedom. And boy, do we love freedom in this here land. Back in April, the Blue Jays brought Fasano up from Triple-A Syracuse to fill in for injured catcher Gregg Zaun. But now, only a month and half later, Sal has been designated for assignment. In 10 days, Sal could be out of our collective baseball consciousness for good. Maybe he'll hook on with another team. Maybe.

We can only hope.

For a man that made our lives a little more complete, I salute you Sal Fasano. If things don't work out, you will surely be missed.

Seen at: The 700 Level, Drunk Jays Fans

Previously At FanHouse:
Return of the 'Stache! Sal Fasano Comes to Blue Jays' Rescue

Every baseball team needs its cult hero, and the Blue Jays have a damn fine one in Sal Fasano, renowned for his otherwordly 'stache, old school baseball smarts, and his... did I mention the moustache? That thing's friggin' awesome.

Anyway, when catcher Gregg Zaun went down with an injury, classy Sal was called in to take over behind the plate for most of May. And while his batting average -- currently at about a buck twenty-five -- didn't exactly set fans' tongues wagging, his gregarious nature and offbeat charm made him a clubhouse favorite.

Sadly, all things must end. And with a healthy Zaun set to return, Salvatore Frank Fasano seems all but destined for a trip back to the minor leagues, according to the Globe and Mail's baseball blog.

Speaking of Fasano, who enjoyed an outstanding night behind the plate during last night's 2-0 win over the White Sox, his days with the big league club appear to be numbered. With No.1 catcher Gregg Zaun close to returning to the team after a long injury hiatus, the Jays will have to send either Fasano or Jason Phillips back to Triple-A in Syracuse. While the Jays will not say right now who they will demote, it will undoubtedly be the good-natured Fasano.

Nothing against Zaun -- a real catalyst at the plate who could truly help the Jays reverse their recent fortunes -- but The Stache will be missed. Sal's Pals... please join me in a moment of silence.

Photo credit: Getty Images.