OK, look, I'm sorry, but I cannot stand to read another blind bashing of Sal Fasano from an O's fan. To not appreciate the job Fasano has done in Javy Lopez's absence is entirely foolish; to consider him a detriment to the offense, as odd as it sounds, is foolish as well.
It is very small sample size and nothing on earth would indicate that Fasano can hit like this for more than the time he's done it this season, but let's get one thing very clear: Fasano has put up an .859 OPS in 61 at-bats. Lopez's OPS at the time of his injury was .798. His OPS last season was .873. Forget 2003 because it was a total fluke year. The year before that, Lopez's OPS was a dismal .670, and the year before that, it was .747.
Am I saying Sal Fasano is better than Javy Lopez? Of course I'm not, I've not gone completely mad with Fasano Fever. But it's worth giving the man his due.
So, seriously, I know Fasano swings and misses and it's really ugly, but he's also done a fantastic job for a guy that wasn't on the entire sport's radar until the Orioles gave him an invitation to spring training for whatever reason they had to do so. The fact that he's turned out to be a legitimately valuable injury replacement is something of an amazing happening, and I really think you're missing out on a fun story. It'll be nice when Javy comes back, but jeez louise, people, back off Big Sal. He's done more than should be reasonably expected.
I salute Sal Fasano, one of my favorite 2005 Orioles.