T-Bones Jim Fasano Named Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 Playoffs
September 19, 2008 - Northern League (NL) News Release
The Northern League announced that Kansas City T-Bones designated hitter Jim Fasano was selected as the Most Outstanding Player in the 2008 Northern League Playoffs. Fasano, who batted .571 in the Championship Series, helped lead Kansas City to a 6-1 post-season record and their first-ever Northern League Championship. Managed by skipper Andy McCauley, the T-Bones defeated the defending Champion Gary SouthShore RailCats three games to one in the Championship Series.
Overall in the playoffs, Fasano batted .462 (12-for-26) with three home runs and 10 RBI's while accumulating an on-base percentage of .533 and a slugging percentage of .846. The 6'5", 230-pound power hitter led all players in post-season hits (12) and RBI (10). Taking his game to a higher level in the finals, he connected all three of his home runs during the Northern League Championship Series.
Having just turned 25-years-old in July, he was also voted onto the 2008 Post-Season Northern League All-Star Team as the designated hitter. It capped a tremendous season in which he led the circuit in home runs (20), RBI's (84/tied with Gary third baseman Tanner Townsend) while also pounding-out 29 doubles (tied for second in the league) on his way to leading the league with 49 extra-base hits while hitting .292. He was also a starter for the I-29 team at the July 8th All-Star Game, which was held at Canwest Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The 2008 season marked his first in the Northern League. He was originally drafted in the ninth round by the Texas Rangers in 2004 and was sent to their Class-A affiliate in Spokane, WA (Northwest League). In his first year of pro ball, he hit eight home runs and drove-in 45 runs in only 274 at-bats. The next season at Clinton, IA (Midwest League), he hit .302 with 10 home runs, 21 doubles, and 74 RBI's.
His Rangers career topped-out at Class-AA in Frisco, TX (Texas League) in 2007. In 69 games, he hit .284 and socked nine home runs and 14 doubles before being released at the end of the season. He has a career batting average in affiliated baseball of .275 with 385 hits, 90 doubles, 41 home runs and 232 RBI's. He bats left and throws right-handed. He was born in Evansville, IN on July 20, 1983.
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