Would-Be Titan Forced to Play a Waiting Game : Baseball: Jason Moler transferred to Fullerton last summer. But he can’t play until Illinois releases him from his scholarship.

Jason Moler, once the man for every infield position at Esperanza High School, is now the man with no position at Cal State Fullerton.

Moler, who played two seasons at Illinois before transferring to Fullerton last summer, has worked out with the Titans since last fall and takes pregame infield practice.

But once the games start, Moler is banished to the bleachers and is forced to watch, wait and wonder if he will get to play competitive baseball this season.

“I never knew what it was like to watch a game before,” said Moler, who spent a recent afternoon behind the backstop at Amerige Park, videotaping pitchers and hitters. “This is the first time I haven’t played. I miss the competition.”

How much more Moler misses depends on Illinois Athletic Director John Mackovic. When Moler transferred last summer--apparently following Coach Augie Garrido to Fullerton--Mackovic refused to release Moler from his scholarship.

Without the release, Moler, now a junior, would have to sit out this season and wait until 1992 to play with Fullerton. With a release, he could have played with the Titans this season.

Moler says he understands Mackovic’s reasons and doesn’t harbor any ill feelings toward him. Many athletic directors don’t release athletes in similar situations for fear of setting a bad precedent: Schools don’t want players following coaches.

Moler said several other players wanted to leave Illinois but decided to stay because Mackovic wouldn’t release them.

“Mackovic says I didn’t fulfill my commitment to the school, and they fulfilled their commitment to me,” Moler said. “He’s got some good arguments.”

But in recent weeks, Moler says he has submitted proof that he was planning to transfer well before Garrido left, and he says Mackovic is softening his stand.

“I was miserable last year and I actually started deciding to leave when we came out here (to play Fullerton in March) last season,” Moler said. “My grades were bad, and I had to go to summer school each year to stay eligible. I couldn’t handle being on my own. I wasn’t disciplined enough to go to class.”

Moler, who took summer courses at Fullerton College, said he was going to transfer to Cal State Long Beach until Garrido got his old job back at Fullerton in August.

“That made the decision easy,” he said.

Moler has since had friends and teammates--people who knew of his discontent and of his intentions to leave--write letters to Mackovic supporting his case. Moler and his parents have continued corresponding with Mackovic over the winter.

In a letter Moler received about two weeks ago, Mackovic said he would reconsider Moler’s case and make a ruling this month.

In the meantime, Moler is using the layoff from competition to hone his skills at yet another infield position--catcher.

Moler pitched and played first base, second, shortstop and third in his two varsity seasons (1987 and ‘88) at Esperanza.

He pitched and played third base for two seasons at Illinois. He relied mostly on junk--curveballs, sliders, changeups, palm balls--until a tired arm ended his pitching career after last season, so Moler decided to try the other end of the battery.

“Right now, everyone is having a hard time figuring out where to put him,” Esperanza Coach Mike Curran said. “I think his natural position is first base--he was a great first baseman here--but he’s convinced he’s a catcher.”

But until Moler is released by Illinois, the closest he will get to a college game is infield practice. As starting lineups are introduced, Moler changes into sweat pants in the dugout. By the first pitch, he’s in the bleachers.

“Everyone else is getting fired up for the game and I have to leave,” Moler said. “Watching games is the hardest part. I’ve never had to do this in my whole life.”