The loss of the catcher will not hurt the Rams as they have already been eliminated from the Baseball Victoria state league division one finals race.

"We'll lose him for the rest of the season but he sounded pretty keen to come back," Rams president Roland Stott said.

"We'll have to wait and see whether he does come back because once you get a professional contract they basically own you."

Moore, who came out to Australia after completing his college years with Alabama University, has been an outstanding acquisition for the Rams.

Rams coach Darren Malthouse continually sang the praises of the catcher for his ability to undertake a number of roles.

Stott said: "He was an integral part of the team."

While Moore was an important part of the Rams set-up, he too benefited from playing in the Australian summer.

"There was a gap in the rotation of one of the minor league teams," Stott explained about the premature exit.

"Because he'd been playing with us over the summer he was considered a shoo-in ahead of the other guys who had been sitting around all winter."

The Rams were thrashed 10-1 by the Waverley Wildcats at KC White Reserve on Sunday.

■Finals bound Williamstown Wolves enjoyed a narrow 10-8 escape over seventh-placed Moorabbin, while Footscray drowned 25-7 in a sea of runs against St Kilda.