Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Former Blue Wave Players Solidify Smokies Staff
7/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 8, 2004
With the addition of Todd Moser to the Tennessee Smokies, the AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, the pitching staff has a Florida Atlantic University flare. Moser, joined by closer Carmen Cali, picked up a victory and a save against the Diamond Jaxx, Tuesday night. The duo formerly played together at FAU in 1998-99 as starters on the Blue Wave staff.
Moser picked up his first win with the club after working six innings and striking out four. Moser, who was a 14th-round pick of the Marlins in 1999, is fourth in FAU history with 232 career strikeouts.
Cali has been perfect in the closer role for Tennessee. He took over the spot in early June and is 8-for-8 in save opportunities as the team claimed the Eastern Division first-half championship.
The following articles ran in the Knoxville News Sentinel
BY NICK GATES
SEVIERVILLE - One way to impress the St. Louis Cardinals is to save nine consecutive games like Tennessee Smokies Southern League All-Star closer Carmen Cali.
The 25-year-old pitcher from Naples, Fla., inherited the pressure-cooker role from Evan Rust in early June and was 8-for-8 to help the Smokies win the Eastern Division first-half championship. Cali (1-1, 2.95 ERA) elevated his prospect status.
"He was throwing better than anybody else," St. Louis director of player personnel Bruce Manno said in explaining the midseason decision to make Cali a closer. "A lot of times when guys start to struggle and it becomes a contagious thing, you take the guy who hasn't been caught up in that."
Manno commented before Tennessee's game with West Tenn was rained out at Smokies Park on Monday night. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader tonight. Game one begins at 6:15. Cali, whose fastball has been clocked at 96 mph, hasn't skipped a beat. "He's one of the most improved players here and he's made tremendous progress," Manno said.
Consistency is what the Cardinals are now looking for from Cali. "Just repeat what he's done," Manno said. "His arm strength has always been there. That's why he led the Florida State League in appearances (62) last year. He can pitch a lot. Outings where he struggles with location are becoming few and far between." Cali has yet to blow a save, but Manno is certain Cali will handle adversity when it arrives.
"He'll be able to bounce back," he said. "He's pretty tough and he's been able to come back with clean innings." Cali has Manno's attention. "Being left-handed, he's positioned himself pretty well from an organization point of view," he said. "With his age and arm strength, he's positioned himself to really be noticed."
Nelson Update: Tennessee shortstop John Nelson's rehabilitation after sustaining an ankle injury is ahead of schedule. Nelson was placed on the disabled list after he strained ligaments rounding third base during a game against Carolina on June 3.
"We're guarded," Manno said. "He is coming along really well, but I think it's going to be some time before he is ready." The original plan was to have Nelson, who is hitting .310 and having a breakout season, back by early August.
"I'm not going to change that until we see where he is in two weeks," Manno said.
Rosters can be expanded by one to 24 next month. Manno isn't certain if catcher Brad Cresse will return from Triple-A Memphis.
"It all depends on how long (Cody) McKay (broken finger) is going to be out," he said. "A lot of things can happen between now and then." Manno said he will do what is best for the playoff-bound Smokies. "We'll look and see where we are as a club," he said. "Do we need the extra pitching or do we need the extra player? We'll have to wait and see."
Roster Move: St. Louis assigned versatile Chad Ehrnsberger to the Smokies.
Ehrnsberger can play first, second and third base as well as the outfield.
He was hitting .244 with four home runs and 32 RBIs in 71 games with Palm Beach, the Cardinals' Class A affiliate in the Florida State League.
SEVIERVILLE - Todd Moser fits the term "crafty left-hander" to the letter. The 27-year-old's fastball rarely tops 85 mph and he hardly strikes fear in the hearts of Southern League hitters. Nevertheless Moser's stuff baffled West Tenn for six innings and the Tennessee Smokies survived a late scare to beat the Diamond Jaxx 5-3 in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday night at Smokies Park. The Diamond Jaxx (7-6) won the second game 9-8 in nine innings.
"I change speeds and move the ball in and out," said Moser (1-0), who allowed only a single by Geovany Soto until he fatigued in the seventh. "That's my game. I don't light up the radar gun. I throw it up there 81 miles per hour and say 'hit it.' "
West Tenn did in the final inning. The Chicago Cubs' Class AA farmhands scored three times and had runners on second and third base with one out. All-Star close Carmen Cali extinguished the threat for his 10th save without a blemish.
Papo Bolivar, Gabe Johnson and Milko Jaramillo homered for the Smokies. Ironically, Moser's longest stint of the season previously was four innings without allowing a run in relief against Tennessee on June 11 when he pitched for the Carolina Mudcats.
"Knowing I was on a limited pitch count, I was just trying to hit my spots," he said. "I was already up to 76 before I went out for the seventh."
Tennessee manager Mark DeJohn asked Moser how he felt. "I told him I was tired, but I had a chance for a one-hit shutout," he said.
"I wanted it."
A triple by Aron Weston, and run-scoring doubles by Matt Creighton and Mike Dzurilla finished Moser.
"They basically made the adjustments in the seventh inning they should have made earlier in the game," he said.
Moser first start of the season would have made Tommy John envious. "I felt rusty. I was hoping to go four (innings) and, if we had a lead, go out for the fifth and maybe get a win," he said. "I was very surprised by how well I did."
Moser made 20 relief appearances with the Mudcats, but pitched only an inning for the Smokies at Birmingham last Thursday since he was let go by the Florida Marlins on June 22 and signed by the St. Louis Cardinals.
He was staked to a 3-0 cushion in the first inning. Bolivar drove a 2-1 pitch 390 feet to left-center for his 10th home run off Ryan O'Malley (1-1). Nate Espy singled an out later and trotted home on Johnson's homer. His team-high 13th was an opposite-field shot onto the berm in right field.
Jaramillo, who saw center fielder Mike Mallory chase down his 385-foot drive in his first at-bat, went deep the next time. His second homer of the season caromed off the fa?ade of Slugger's Landing in the fourth inning.
Moser, who walked one and struck out four, prefers to start. "I've been a starter all my career," he said. "I was a reliever at Carolina and it didn't work out too well."
The Smokies (4-9), who one the Eastern Division first-half title, squandered a 6-0 lead and reverted to their sub-.500 club ways in the nightcap. Richard Lewis' run-scoring single off reliever Wilson Ciprian (0-1) broke an 8-8 deadlock. Bolivar's two-run homer in the seventh forced extra innings.
