The Sunshine State Ready to Host Divisional Rival Charleston
October 14^th, 2011
Serenity Summers

The Florida red & blue are geared up for a rematch of last season’s IL Alliance Tournament with the Statesmen.  For the sake of fans of the team, the state of Florida is looking for a different outcome.  Boasting the IL’s best record (111-51), the Featherheads realize the difficult task at hand.  Last season, Florida had the IL’s best record but was far outclassed by Charleston in the playoffs.

Game one starter Cedric Mosley looks to reverse this trend.  Possessing a career 0.35 ERA in the playoffs, Mosley is no stranger to pressure situations.  A former closer, Mosley is used to having the game on the line when he steps onto the mound.  Striking out 12 Coal Sox batters in 8 innings in the Imperial League Division Series, Florida will need a similar performance from Mosley tonight. 

“Mosley is not much of a talker,” Kevin Lewis explained.  “He just lets his performance on the field speak for himself.  He leads by example.  He’s a bulldog on the mound and a gamer.  He just wants to win.  This is exactly why we had to get him from New Jersey.  When he shows his PEBA championship ring that he won with New Jersey, the players listen.”

While Florida will have Mosley on the field tonight, the same cannot be said about his battery-mate.  Manuel González will likely miss the rest of the playoffs with a strained quadriceps suffered while the running the bases last Sunday.  Acquired from Reno in early July, González was having one of his best seasons of his career.  The 31-year-old attributed his rebirth to playing with a bunch of loosey-goosey youngsters.  In exchange for the fountain of youth, González offered something that was severely lacking from last year’s playoff team – a veteran leadership presence. 

“When I heard I was traded to Florida, I was like a kid a candy store,” González recalled when asked about the Reno-Florida trade.  “I told my wife it’s time to pack up the kids because we’re heading to Disney World.  I came here for a chance to play for a ring.”

Charles Jeffries will start in his place.  The starting catcher for the Featherheads the last several seasons, Jeffries has been the ultimate team player.  Jeffries did not complain about his reduced role on the team after the acquisition of González.  Rather than see González as his competitor, Jeffries used González as a mentor.  With González injured, Jeffries looks to help his mentor achieve the goal of winning that elusive ring.

Catch all the festivities tonight.  First pitch is 8:05 PM.  NFL quarterback and Jacksonville native Tim Tebow will throw out the first pitch.  Another Jacksonville native, Shannon Wright, will be singing the National Anthem.

The series will continue on Saturday night at 8:05 PM with António Rivera looking to color away his previous bad outing.