Don't Sal Yourself Short: Fasano and the Toronto Blue Jays' Catching Quandary

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The Toronto Blue Jays can't catch a break this season. And hackneyed sayings aside, this brings me to my point.

(A special thanks to www.drunkjaysfans.com. Yes, Geoff Zochodne is my real name, and yes, I may be insane but it's mostly the Blue Jays' fault)

We are now entering a Highlander-type quandary (Can I set the record for most times using quandary in an article? Does it really matter?), except -SPOILER ALERT- pretend like Sean Connery didn't get killed and that there can be two in the end.

This issue has been beaten to death by now, but consider me Dr. Frankenstein of Mary Shelley's classic Young Frankenstein. I'm digging it up and slapping a new brain inside it, that may or may not be that of a deranged mental patient.

There's Ol' Hot Rod, Ol' Raul "Chevy" Chavez, and Ol' J.P. Arencibia waiting in the minors; Arencibia holding claim to the most adept J.P. in the organization. Two of them will be around next year, one will be figuratively beheaded by a figurative, centuries-old, Scottish clansman.

So who will stay and who will go?

There's a lot of pressure to bring up Arencibia as he is one of the crown jewels in Toronto's prospect scepter. Or prospecepter if you will.

Arencibia is currently hitting .227 with 13 HR and 56 RBI at Triple-A Las Vegas. Not spectacular but he's a lifetime .264 hitter in the minors, having hit over .300 as recently as last year.

And frankly, whether or not fans like it, he's coming. Arencibia will arrive in Toronto soon, whether it be this season or Opening Day next year. The Blue Jays are a team looking to the future and Arencibia is it.

So that leaves Barajas and Chavez, 34 and 35 respectively, and both free agents next season. Personally, I think the difference between the two is negligible.

Barajas is making $1.2 million this season and Chavez $500,000. Chavez is hitting a shade better than Barajas with his .262 average to Barajas' .235. But Chavez is a career .230 hitter and at 35 things aren't likely to improve drastically (Also, baseball-reference.com has Chavez listed 175 pounds, a generous estimate by all accounts).

Who do the Jays re-sign then?

Here's where you realize the extent of my delirium.

Why do the Jays have to choose between either? Why not bring in someone else? Why not bring back...wait for it...

Keep waiting...

Wait, come back, I'll tell you who:

SAL FASANO.

Oh yeah, you heard me.

Bring back the moustachioed Fasano to pair with young Arencibia or Charajas (I don't really care which).

Now before you lambaste me with whatever tool is necessary for lambasting, listen to my sensibly naive argument.

Fasano is 38 years old and is currently residing in the Colorado Rockies' minor league system. He's hitting a paltry .230 with 3 HR and 18 RBI in 54 games. He's splitting time with two other catchers though, but is still a career .221 hitter at the major league level.

Sal is also due for knee surgery in the offseason.

I know what you're thinking, and yes this is not exactly a compelling argument. I'm like Neville Chamberlain trying to explain why Czechoslovakia would be better off under Nazi leadership.

But there is no better person to teach Arencibia the business of being a major league catcher. He's the Dalai Lama of catching; if the Lama used to have a drinking problem and ate cheesesteaks. 

When he was with Toronto in 2007 the other pitchers raved about how he called games and how he handled them while pitching.

Fasano also has a 31 percent average when throwing out baserunners, and he's tossing out 34 percent of runners at Triple-A.

Fasano would be exactly the kind of catcher for Toronto's patchwork rotation to learn from as well. Roy Halladay loved the guy when he was in Toronto, and if there's one thing Toronto should strive for it's keeping Roy Halladay happy. Just read this article for an example of the benefits of having Fasano catching your pitchers.

Fasano's shelf-life is probably another year or two as the end is rapidly approaching. But when it comes to a decision between Chavez and Barajas, I'd prefer a third option. I'd rather see Fasano limping around and being a world-class human being than the alternative.

Both Chavez and Barajas are scrambling for what will probably be their last contract. Fasano just wants another kick at the can and is a team player above all things. I say let the man kick and pray that his leg doesn't come flying off.

This article by Jeff Pearlman states better than I ever could, the intangibles of Sal Fasano.

Here's my dream scenario:

Arencibia is promoted, Chavez is contracted for another year, and Fasano is given a minor league deal. This way the Jays can shuffle Fasano and Chavez from Las Vegas at their whim, and the younger Jays are exposed to the greatness of Fasano at some level.

And yes, I am clutching at straws here.

Just check the 'stache people. In 'stache the Jays should trust.

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