A few days before the start into the 2012 season in the Italian Baseball League Novara United has to replace one of the best offensive players in the IBL last year. Rodney Medina has to stay in Venezuela due to a serious family problem according to Baseball.it. They already have found a replacement with the 28-year-old New Jersey native Jim Fassano. After four years with the Texas Rangers organization, the first baseman had entered the independent league circuit, where he played until 2011. He batted a combined .284/.366/.438 with 11 homeruns, 60 runs and 49 RBI in the American Association playing for Fargo-Moorhead and Kansas City.