Pitch Line Of The Day

Hi Daniel,

I thought you might be interested in using former Philly Sal Fasano’s mustache as a way to get men in Pennsylvania involved in a fundraiser that supports prostate cancer research.

Hot diggity dog, of course I’d like to use Sal Fasano’s mustache to get men in Pennsylvania involved in a fundraiser that supports prostate cancer research! Geeze, why didn’t I think of this before?

I know I’m pretty sold already, but is there any way you can get alcohol involved in this somehow, too?

I know you don’t often write about health issues, but Canadian Club whiskey is one of the sponsors for “Movember,” an event where men grow mustaches ( “mos”) in the month of November to raise money for prostate cancer research.

Canadian Club whiskey? Mos?! Movember?! This is all too much. A press release for the big event — featuring something called a “hairy ribbon” — can be found here. More »

Sal Fasano Is Not Happy With Himself

“A disappointment,” he says glumly. “My career has been a really big disappointment.”

Back when Sal Fasano played in Philadelphia, the career .220 hitter had his own fan club, was cheered for being Italian and having a mustache and eventually got traded to the freaking Yankees. Apparently he’s still not content with that success; this over-dramatic Reader’s Digest article details how sad Sal Fasano is!

Despite steroids not being against the rules of major league baseball until like 2005 — and probably somewhat legally obtainable with a helpful doctor — Sal Fasano decided not to do them. Whoops! He never got any big free agent deals and now he still has to play baseball for a living at 36. Also, check our how this article ends:

Those who opted to turn to performance-enhancing drugs may well drive Mercedeses and BMWs, may well live in luxurious homes, may well boast gaudy career statistics that elicit oohs and aahs from adoring fans.

But Sal Fasano, 36 and tired, is blessed with something a thousand times greater. He is a ballplayer. A real ballplayer.

That ending was so annoying it made me want to do some steroids.

A Baseball Career Without Steroids [Reader's Digest via Walkoff Walk]

Toronto’s Little Italy Preps For Sal Fasano

The most popular .221 lilfetime hitter in all of baseball is going north of the border.

But, more importantly, he’s giving his Fu Manchu another shot.

Yesterday, Sal Fasano signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. As you remember, Fasano was the Phillies’ backup catcher last year, loved for his hustle, his long hair and his mustache. When he was traded to the New York Yankees in the summer, he was forced to cut his hair and shave his mustache below the lip.

Fasano is, of course, getting ready for the season. “I was able to keep a small mustache, but I think it made me look like Borat,” Fasano told The Globe & Mail. “I’m going to go back to the Fu Manchu. That’s my standard look anyways. I’m growing it out now, getting it ready for the season.”

Although he probably won’t attract the same kind of attention and fan club he did in Philadelphia, who knows. After all, Fasano says, Toronto has a lot of his people: “Being an Italian guy has helped, which is why I’m excited about Toronto. I know that there’s more Italians per capita living in Toronto than just about anywhere.” Even Italy.

Good luck, Sal.

Manchu dynasty in Toronto? Stay tuned [The Globe & Mail]

Philadelphia Will Do Person Of The Year

The final announcement is close at hand, but I’m going to hold you in suspense until after the jump. While some favorites — say, Terrell Owens — did not make the list, I hope you are happy with the selections. Anyone you thought should have made the list was simply left off because I didn’t feel like typing up what he or she had done throughout the year.

Okay, it’s time to announce the Person of the Year. This person came to Philadelphia in 2006 with a track record that was a bit less than stellar.

Nonetheless, his 2006 arrival was greeted with cheers. He had devotees! He was beloved perhaps more than he had been in any other city. Then, mid-year, he packed his bags and left for a better job in New York. Is there anything that defines Philadelphia 2006 better?

Your 2006 Person of the Year is…

More »

Ladies Love Cool Sal

The New York Times today writes about the possibility of a Mets-Yankees Subway Series, and, more specifically, who New Yorkers root for.

Mostly, it’s the Yankees (duh), especially among the women:

Among women, there is little Yankees trepidation. The Times/CBS poll found that among those who said they wanted the Yankees to win a Subway Series, 63 percent were women. Maybe the Derek Jeter factor is the reason behind the finding, or perhaps David Wright’s appeal hasn’t had time to ripen. Then again, it may be all about Sal Fasano.

Hey, you leave Sal Fasano alone. The ladies love Sal.

Fans of Yankees and Mets Cast a Wary Eye at the Other Side [NYT]
Sal’s Pals [Myspace]

The Phils May Be Done, But Sal’s Shy Lives On

Ah, yes, the Fightins’ season was ended over the weekend, as the local nine finished 85-77 and out of the playoffs. The Phillies haven’t been since 1993.

We still have, though, this:

If you’re wondering, Sal Fasano will play in the postseason as the backup catcher for the New York Yankees.

Notes: Torre sets postseason roster [Yankees.com]
May 3: Sal’s Pals Are Surely Misguided

Blogicized: Goodbye, Fu Manchu

• Philebrity points out the thing we forgot about Sal Fasano’s impending move to the Yankees: He has to shave his mustache and cut his hair, per George Steinbrenner’s no-facial hair rule/no-long hair rule. Gasp! The implications of this on Sal’s Pals can not be overstated. [Philebrity]

• More Phillies news: Is the fans’ love affair with Aaron Rowand already waning? If balls keep flying over his head… maybe. [Swing and a Miss]

• That Olympics press conference is today at 4:30 p.m., where Philadelphians will learn if our Olympic bid is dead before it officially began. [Politics Philly]

• And Greenadelphia! is a new blog, apparently about, uh, Philly’s green environmental issues. [Greenadelphia]

Breaking: Sal Finds New Pals

So, get this, right? The Phillies were actually able to get something for Sal Fasano. And not just a bushel of baseballs, a tub of mustache wax or some yellow paint for the foul poles.

Yes, the Fightins traded the recently DFA’ed catcher to the Yankees (the Yankees?) for single-A second baseman Hector Made. There is much rejoicing on the Myspace page of Sal’s Pals, including this comment from Phillies Nation:

Yankee pinstripes will make Sal look skinny.

Indeed they will. Best of luck to Sal and all his pals.

Phillies trade Fasano to Yankees [Wilmington News-Journal]
Sal’s Pals [Myspace]
Monday: Farewell Sal, We Knew Thee Well

A Humble Suggestion For A New Phillies Fan Club

Now that Sal Fasano has been designated for assignment and will probably be released in the coming days, there’s going to be a hole in the right field stands.

Yes, the popular Sal’s Pals, the Sal Fasano fan club, no longer has a leader. And, yeah, the Wolf Pack should be back when Randy Wolf gets off the DL, but the second best fan club was Sal’s Pals, and it’ll be hard to replace it. (Chase Utley has “Chase’s Chicks” and “Utley’s Ugleys.”)

But there’s no logical replacement for Sal’s Pals than a fan club for the man responsible for Sal’s release, Chris Coste. The 33-year-old bounced around the minor leagues for several years, finally making his major league debut this May with the Phils. And after an 0-for-13 slump to start his career, Coste is now hitting .333 with two homers and 12 RBI in 54 at bats.

And, hey, while Sal was a fun story, so is Coste.

That being said, I think this will be an adequate replacement. It’s not the same, but it’ll do:

Eh? Eh?

Keeping Coste the right move [Camden Courier-Post]
Fasano surprised, angry after release [The News-Journal]
Earlier today: Farewell Sal, We Knew Thee Well

Farewell Sal, We Knew Thee Well

The members of Sal’s Pals are in mourning today after their hero, Sal Fasano, was designated for assignment on Saturday.

Fasano has been on the disabled list since July 4 with a knee injury. With 33-year-old rookie catcher Chris Coste on a tear — with more RBI than Fasano in 30 fewer games — the Phils decided to get rid of the guy whose .243 average this year was an improvement on his career numbers. The Phillies now have 10 days to trade, release or send Fasano to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Fasano stunk. But now that he’s gone, we miss his mustache and the fact that he was popular because of his mustache. And, hey, on a team with a bunch of players who nobody seems to like, it was nice that the fanbase could get behind a backup catcher whose numbers weren’t all that good.

With that, we bring you the play that, if there is any justice, will win Sal Fasano the MLB.com Blooper of the Year Award, which another Phillie won in 2004.

Godspeed, Sal. May all your throws be online — but if they’re not, may they be as funny as that one.

Sal’s Pals [Myspace]
Fasano Designated for Assignment [Comcast SportsNet]
Blooper of the Year 2004 [MLB.com]