A regular feature to our team website is being instituted with a visit with former Pirates who had (or have) had a major impact with playing at the next level.  The first in our series is Nic Crosta, class of 2001.  Nic was a first team all-league selection for three years and earned All-State and All-American honors as a senior.  He won the Seamount League Triple Crown as a junior and was heavily recruited by virtually every D-1 Major college in the Fall of his senior year.  Nic signed with the University of Texas Longhorns in November of his senior year and then was pounded by professional scouts that Spring.  It was not uncommon to see 4-5 scouts hanging out at Moshier on game day and sometimes even at our practices. Nic played two seasons at Texas and has a National Championship ring to his credit.  He transfered to Santa Clara University to finish his college career and then played two years of professional baseball in the San Diego Padres organization before returning to Santa Clara to earn his Business Degree.  Nic  now resides in San  Jose, California with his wife Quinn and works for Practice Pulse  an On-line Medical Data Back-up solutions provider, as a regional sales manager.   Nic recently agreed to an interview and provided an interesting perspective on his post-Highline baseball career.

HARDBALL: We're you prepared for all of the recruiting attention you received during your senior year?

NIC:  I didn't feel prepared at all. Actually I don't think any of us involved in the process at the time anticipated the level of attention or interest I was to receive before graduating. I had a great support system of family and coaches who helped navigate through the process. We learned a lot and hopefully my experience has and will help others who find themselves in similar situations.

HARDBALL:  Was it fun, stressful, rewarding, painful, interesting...?

NIC:  All of the above at certain points. It was an entirely new frontier.  Everyone wanted to look out for my best interests including those on the college and professional side. The amount of attention I received was a surprise to us all and we simply didn't know how it all worked. When I began receiving mail from pro and college programs on a daily basis the picture actually became more and more cloudy. However, the entire process was a blast, extremely rewarding and fun.

HARDBALL:  Since your college choice was "put to bed" fairly early, was the "Professional" interest exciting?

NIC:  It was tremendously exciting. After signing with the Longhorns in November I could concentrate solely on the professional side. Since my college choice was done I felt that the professional courtship was a bonus.  It was definitely a learning experience leading up to the June draft. Coach Larson was instrumental in working with the pro scouts. He must have put in hundreds of hours on the phone as well as scheduling and throwing batting practice for the visiting scouts

HARDBALL:  You were drafted in the 37th round but actually had received a verbal offer much earlier on draft day. Can you expand upon that?

NIC:  Before the draft I received a verbal offer from a high ranking official with the Oakland A's. They made an offer to me to be taken in the third round along with a mid six figure contract. The condition of the offer was that I needed to give them my word that I would in fact, accept their offer. Pro baseball is a business and they were not going to make that kind of offer to a player that was not "signable." After consulting with my family I informed the A's that I was grateful for the offer but it was not enough for me to give up my college experience and the Longhorns scholarship offer.  I received a number of similar phone calls on draft day but respectfully declined and once the calls stopped, I was taken in the 37th round.

HARDBALL:  How tough was that choice to make?

NIC;  It was excruciating.  I really wanted to sign and get my pro career going. When you're 18 years old, that's a lot of money and sounds like a heck of a deal.  Looking back from where I am now, it was the right decision. I wouldn't trade my college experience for anything. I sometimes look back and wonder "what if" but, don't we all at one time or another?

HARDBALL:  Aftet two years at Texas, you transferred to Santa Clara. What were the circumstances of that decision?

NIC:  The short answer is that I simply wasn't getting enough playing time at Texas. I needed to be certain that I would get playing time during my Junior year since that is when you become draft eligible. An upper classman who was drafted in the third round decided to return for his senior year. He was the guy who's place I was slated to take my Junior year so I was forced to reassess my situation. I had a desire to play on the West Coast and Santa Clara made me an amazing offer. I took the recruiting trip and met the coaching staff and everything was wonderful so I accepted their offer.

HARDBALL:  After your senior year, you were signed by San Diego. How did that happen?

NIC:  I took some time off after finishing at Santa Clara but knew I wanted to get back into baseball. I called the Scouting Director, Grady Fuson who had drafted me twice already and who was now with the Padres. I told him I wanted to play professional baseball and asked if he had a spot for me. We spoke for about an hour and he invited me to Spring Training with an opportunity to make the team.

HARDBALL: How did you progress through the Padres system?

NIC;  My first year of pro ball was amazing. I was assigned to "A" ball in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was shortly promoted to "High A" in Lake Elsinore, California where I finished, what I thought, was a pretty good start to my pro career. My second year I was assigned back to Lake Elsinore where things started off well until I found myself in the emergency room in the middle of the night with horrible chest pains.  I was diagnosed with Celiac disease and lost 30 pounds in about a months time. I was never able to fully recover and that was the beginning of the end of my career.

HARDBALL:  Was minor league baseball a "blast" or did it seem more like a "job" after awhile?

NIC:  The first months were some of the best times of my life.  Spring Training was a great experience and getting paid to play a game you love was something not too many people ever experience.  After settling in, it really did become a "job" but a "job" you love.  Professional baseball is a big business and athletes become a cog in the product they produce and sell.  Every day was fun but filled with hard and exhausting work. Playing 150 games in 165 days can get a little old, but that's where becoming a professional athlete comes in and you learn to handle the daily grind.

HARDBALL:  Do you miss it?

NIC:  "Yes" and "No," to be honest. Sometimes I wish I was still playing and possibly in the big leagues and all of that.  But, I always told myself that I wouldn't be one of those guys who just won't let go. I truly believe that things happen for a reason.  I still love going to games and enjoy watching them on TV.  I have made some good friends through my years in baseball, some of whom are now in the Majors and we stay in touch.

HARDBALL:  Any words of wisdom for the current HHS crew?

NIC:  Above all else...enjoy the game every day. You never know when someone is going to tell you that you can't play anymore. Baseball is one of the greatest things most of us will ever be a part of and you will forever have those memories of high school baseball. But, at the same time, don't make baseball your soul identity because some day it will end.  Prepare yourself for life with or without baseball.  Work hard.  If you are not good at hitting change-ups then hit nothing but change-ups for an hour at a time and you will get better.  We all like practicing doing things we are good at but, the great ones spend more time doing what they need to get better at.  Have fun and always, always,always...BEAT MT. RAINIER AND KENNEDY!!!