Moler Remains Upbeat Despite Series of Bad Breaks : Baseball: Former Esperanza and Cal State Fullerton standout is taking some time off because of injuries.

No matter how Jason Moler looks at it, this hasn’t been a good year.

A year ago in July, his parents, who live in Yorba Linda, made the trip to spend some time with him in Reading, Pa., where he was playing for the Philadelphia Phillies’ double-A franchise in the Eastern League.

When they returned home a week later, Moler sent his two Labrador retrievers on the plane with them. But Moler said the pilot had to make an emergency landing, and the dogs were left unattended for an extended period afterward in the cargo section. The older dog died, apparently because of the heat.

Things continued to go downhill from there.

With about two weeks to go in the season, a tendon in Moler’s wrist snapped on a check swing, and he was on the sidelines the rest of the way.

Although that was disappointing, it didn’t compare with another injury early this season, and an even more frustrating aftermath.

Only 22 games into this season with Reading, he slid into second base hard trying to break up a double play. “I tried to leg whip the guy and my left shin just snapped,” said Moler, who played at Esperanza and Cal State Fullerton.

Moler had surgery immediately afterward in New Jersey, then returned to Yorba Linda. “They told me I’d probably be back playing in about three months,” he said.

But continued examinations showed the leg wasn’t healing properly. “The X-rays looked the same as they did the day after surgery,” Moler said. “There was a gap left between the top and bottom part of the bone, and the gap was too big for it to heal on its own.”

In the meantime, an infection developed, Moler said.

“They were able to clear that up, and then I had to have surgery all over again recently,” Moler said. “They took a bone graft from my hip and redid the surgery. I wish now I’d waited and had the surgery back here in California, but I was in so much pain at the time right after it happened, I didn’t feel I could wait that long.”

Moler apparently is about three months away from being able to play again, and that’s if everything goes well.

“If the surgery had gone all right the first time, I probably could have played in the fall league in Arizona, but now there’s no chance for that,” Moler said. “I’d like to find some place to play this winter, but I don’t know if that will be possible.”

As far as Moler is concerned, the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“I’m 25 years old now, and this is the time I need to be getting into position for a move toward the majors,” Moler said. “Losing a whole year makes it tough.”

Moler was off to a good start when he was hurt. He had two home runs and 14 runs batted in in 83 at-bats and was hitting .265. “I normally start pretty slow, but I felt I was really going to have a good year,” Moler said. “I thought I was ready to move up to triple-A again fairly quickly if I had kept going the way I was.”

Moler started the 1994 season with Reading, but spent part of the season with Scranton, the Phils’ triple-A franchise in the International League, before returning to Reading late in the season. He hit .284 in double-A, .243 in triple-A that year.

The most recent mishap is the second bad-luck injury for Moler. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament while playing with Team USA before the Olympics and missed the 1992 summer games.

Moler and teammate Phil Nevin were picked for the U.S. team after leading Fullerton to the runner-up spot in the 1992 College World Series. Nevin was the first player picked in the amateur draft, and Moler was taken in the fourth round by the Phillies after hitting .363 and driving in 62 runs in 1992 as the Titan catcher.

Moler bounced back from that, and quickly moved to double-A in his first full year in professional baseball after starting the season with Clearwater, Fla., in 1993. “I only know one way to play the game, and that’s all-out,” Moler said. “I don’t think I could be more careful and be half the player I am. I think I’ll be fine if I come back from this health-wise.”

Moler can play any one of three positions: catcher, first base or third base, although he’s played primarily at third in the Phillies’ organization. That gives him added value as a potential utility player. Del Unser, the Phillies’ director of player development, also is hopeful Moler can bounce back.

“We like his intensity and the way he plays the game,” said Unser. “I was at the game that night he was hurt, and it was awful, but hopefully the leg will be as solid as it ever was when it’s healed. Reading really missed him after the injury. They missed his leadership.”

Moler started his pro career as a catcher, but the Phils moved him to third. “His range has improved the more he’s played third, and we feel he’s a good prospect if he doesn’t lose anything physically when he comes back,” Unser said. “He just needs to be as mobile as he can be when it’s time for spring training.”

In the meantime, Moler can only bide his time and wait.

He’s also been involved this summer in a suit involving his dog’s death. Moler said a small claims court judge awarded him $4,100, but the airline is appealing the judgment. A spokesman for the airline said it would have no further comment at this time.

Moler has spent a lot of time lately watching baseball.

He watched Cal State Fullerton in the Big West tournament and the College World Series. “They were really great,” Moler said. “For a Southern California team to only lose nine games all season is really something.”

And Moler has been watching a lot of Angel games lately. “They’ve been fun too,” he said.

But it’s been a restless recovery. “Just watching is tough when you want to be back playing as badly as I do,” he said.