Goss: Fasano a godsend at Fuel Sports

• Reprints

Sal Fasano (right), former major league catcher and current minor league manager, delivers a pitch to Alex Voitik, 17 as Fasano trains members of Joliet Catholic's baseball team at Fuel Sports Performance Training. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media

Article Extras

Updated: March 1, 2012 8:13AM

Former major league catcher Sal Fasano, who has lived in Minooka the past seven years, was considering giving lessons, anyway.

When John Bylina, owner of Fuel Sports Performance Training in Crest Hill, approached him, the wheels began to turn.

“John talked about circuit-based training, and I thought I would try circuit-based hitting,” Fasano said. “We have a 300 club. It’s not about hitting .300, it’s 300 contacts, like a boxer hitting a heavy bag. The stronger you get, the more propensity you have to knock someone out.”

Fasano, a Chicago native, further described his mission as developing the correct muscle memory in players of all ages. “The greatest compliment any coach can get is to walk away to spring training, and I come back and kids have almost the exact same swing nine months later,” he said.

While Fasano’s 12-year major league playing career ended, he remains in pro ball. Last season, his first as manager of the league champion New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, he was named East League Manager of the Year.

He knows his stuff. He’s considered a major league manager in the making.

“Sal is fantastic with kids, he loves this area and he is doing affordable training,” Bylina said. “He and I just attended the World Coaches’ Convention in Connecticut. You can see within the baseball ranks the respect everyone has for Sal. We are blessed to have him.

“Here’s a guy who has caught (Roy) Halladay and (Mariano) Rivera. But he is the most genuine human being out there. From a local standpoint, to be able to share the knowledge he has allows us to raise our level of training. What he wants is to instill in local athletes what it takes to get to the highest level.”

Of course, the “highest level” is not the same for everyone.

“We have worked with 500 to 600 kids this offseason,” Fasano said. “Victory (Baseball) alone has 17 teams. We had the Crest Hill league kids here last year. This is not just for travel ball, but for any kid who wants to get better.

“It’s about executing correctly. We teach kids balance and how to hit the ball harder than they ever did before. We’re trying to develop athletes that swing the bats, and yes, it is rewarding when you see the light go on for somebody.”

Fasano is married to the former Kerri Kubinski, a friend of Bylina from their days at Joliet Catholic, Class of 1991. Kerri was a volleyball and softball player at the University of Evansville when she met Fasano, who was playing baseball there. They are parents of three boys.

While Fasano heads the baseball instruction, he also has significant input in the sports performance training and core strength development training at Fuel Sports.

When Fasano leaves soon for spring training with the Fisher Cats, former Plainfield South football and baseball player Ryan Kosack will continue the baseball instruction. The Joliet Slammers’ Chris Pack teaches pitching. Marilyn Tresenritter, a coach in the Romeoville Starzz program, instructs softball players. Hasan Stevenson is the head athletic trainer.

Fasano works with young kids but also high school teams, including Joliet Catholic, and with local products from the professional baseball.

Ryan Quigley, who broke the Frontier League saves record last season in helping the Slammers to the league title, has given lessons at Fuel Sports. He also has spent hours talking pitching with Fasano as he prepares to go to spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Ryan has a good, powerful arm and has found a niche in short relief,” Fasano said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do. With his arm, he can play at any level. It’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time, being lucky and being good. You never know when opportunity will be there.”

Brandon Sing, who has been in pro ball since 1999, stopped by when he was in town to work with Fasano. John Ruettiger, who was drafted in June by the Baltimore Orioles out of Arizona State, has visited as well.

“Our drills work for young and old alike,” Fasano said. “We do a conditioning circuit for catchers, too. The catcher is the backbone of any team. For the team to be good, the backbone has to be strong.”

With Fasano’s Chicago roots, he is well aware of Joliet’s baseball prowess. Last season in Double A, he managed against former Joliet JackHammers manager Wally Backman, who will manage Triple-A Buffalo for the Mets this season. And, his New Hampshire team faced New Britain and Joliet Catholic graduate Joe Benson several times.

“Wally Backman is an intense guy, fun to manage against,” Fasano said. “He was one manager I could talk to and he would give me good advice.

“And Joe Benson, the first time I saw him I saw he competed. He is a hard-nosed, blue-collar player, the embodiment of what this area brings. It’s a proud moment to play against a guy like that.”

Fasano says there are young players of that ilk coming up through the ranks. He knows. He has worked with them this offseason.