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@@@ CINCINNATI 鈥?If there was a sweeter sound Cardinals prospect Sam Tuivailala heard in the past few days than the news he was going to vault to the majors as a September call-up, it was the reaction he got when he told his mother.The other end of the call went silent.鈥淛ust to hear the awkward pause for about five minutes,鈥?Tuivailala described Monday standing <a href=http://www.museosangennaro.com/Public/wdluk.php>Cheap Christian Louboutin</a> in front of his first big-league locker in his first hour inside a big-league clubhouse. 鈥淚 knew she was crying. I got a little teary-eyed, too. It was a good moment.鈥漈he power-armed righty, who started the year in Class A, was one of three players promoted to the majors Monday by the Cardinals to complete their call-ups for September鈥檚 expanded roster. Tuivailala, a reliever, was joined on the flight from Class AAA Memphis by utility infielder Greg Garcia and outfielder Tommy Pham.For Tuivailala and Pham, Monday was their first day on the 40-man roster and their first glimpse of the majors after very different climbs. Speed has defined Tuivailala鈥檚 move through the minors. The 21-year-old pitcher is two years removed from playing shortstop, and the majors will be his fourth different level this season. Things move fast for a reliever with a 100 mph fastball.Pham鈥檚 move through the organization has been slower, impeded often by injury. After playing 106 games at two levels in 2010, Pham was limited to 127 games total over the next three years. His early years were complicated by reduced vision caused by a football-shaped cornea, a condition he was prescribed contacts to correct.He was moved by the promotion eight years after he was drafted.鈥淲ords don鈥檛 even really begin to describe it,鈥?said Pham, 26, the club鈥檚 16th-round pick in 2006. 鈥淏ecause I missed so many games over the past few years I feel like I鈥檓 still learning.鈥漈o make room on the 40-man roster for Pham and Tuivailala, the Cardinals designated for assignment catcher Audry Perez and outfielder Rafael Ortega. The Cardinals did not promote rising prospect Stephen Piscotty this September because he does not have to be protected from this winter鈥檚 Rule 5 draft. Pham and Tuivailala do. Adding Piscotty to the 40-man roster at this time would mean losing another player that the Cardinals could protect and also burning one of Piscotty鈥檚 option years if he does not make the major-league team out of spring training.The need to protect Pham and Tuivailala eased the paperwork for their promotions, but their performances merited it. Pham hit .324 with a .491 slugging percentage and 20 steals for Class AAA Memphis. He played all three spots in the outfield well to ready himself as a defensive replacement for the big-league team.Tuivailala struck out 97 batters in 60 innings at three levels in the minors this season, and he has 170 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings since converting to pitcher. A third-round pick in 2010, Tuivailala hit 100 mph several times, according to the Cardinals鈥?internal measurements. He averaged 97 mph on his fastball. He has drawn comparisons to closer Trevor Rosenthal for his meteoric rise, his athletic ability, his power, and the freshness of his arm <a href=http://www.alportico.net/prodotti/christianlouboutin-sale.jkmsw.php>Christian Louboutin Shoes</a> because he spent most of his youth as a position player.鈥淭hrowing 100 doesn鈥檛 hurt,鈥?manager Mike Matheny said.The Cardinals鈥?Class AA staff used Tuivailala in late-game situations but were certain to prepare <a href=http://www.alportico.net/prodotti/christianlouboutin-sale.jkmsw.php>Christian Louboutin</a> him for appearances on back-to-back days and for multiple innings. Both of those are roles he could see during his major-league cameo. Tuivailala said he expects to report to the Arizona Fall League after his turn in the majors. The Cardinals, who started preparing him and his stuff for a possible promotion late in the Class AA season, are willing to give him some innings to make some noise and see where that takes him.鈥淭rying to put him in a situation that is good for his development 鈥?that comes way below what we鈥檙e trying to do as a club,鈥?Matheny said. 鈥淵ou do have more room for error with the higher velocity if you can learn the rest. You鈥檙e looking at a kid who hasn鈥檛 pitched that much, so you see a lot of upside in my opinion.鈥滶XTRA BASESThe Cardinals final home game of the regular season, Sept. 21 against Cincinnati, has been selected by ESPN for the national telecast that night. Sunday Night Baseball will move the start time to 7:07 p.m. 鈥?Matt Holliday (sore back) returned to the lineup and his No. 3 spot in the order after missing Sunday鈥檚 win in Milwaukee. 鈥?Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy鈥檚 comment Sunday that he believes the third-place Brewers are better than the Cardinals, who won three of four this past weekend at Miller Park, drew the attention of Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle. The second-place Pirates manager responded, bluntly: 鈥淔eelings aren鈥檛 facts.鈥?
