Tuesday, April 14, 1998
Nista in the outfield
BASEBALL: Brett Nista has experienced injuries, an offer from
the Mets, switches in position … and he’s the kind of kid ‘you
want your daughter to marry’
By Vytas Mazeika
Daily Bruin Staff
Brett Nista has made many changes in his baseball career, but
none quite as drastic as his move to left field at the beginning of
the season.
An infielder his first three years with the UCLA baseball team,
Nista was expected to compete for the first base job. Nista,
though, didn’t mind the switch to the outfield, considering the
fact he has started all but five of the Bruins’ 40 games this
year.
"Honestly, I had no idea where I was going to play," Nista said.
"I just wanted to play. It didn’t really matter where. I’ve played
everywhere – first, second, short, third, DH and left. I like left
field though."
Nista, who is listed as an infielder in the media guide, is seen
as a great hitter by his coaches and scouts – especially by the New
York Mets who drafted him in the 7th round out of high school.
During his first three years, Nista showed glimpses of
greatness, but either injuries or prolonged slumps hurt his
performance. Except for a recent drought at the plate, Nista has
thrived in left with a career-high seven homers this season.
"Part of (moving Nista around) is trying to find out where he is
most comfortable playing the game from the offensive and defensive
stand points," UCLA head coach Gary Adams said. "Sometimes, in his
younger days, offense would affect his defense and defense would
affect his offense. In left field, he can mainly think about
hitting."
Good defense from Nista has been a nice surprise for the Bruins.
Left field is hard because of the slicing line drives from
left-handed hitters.
Nista remembers how on their trip to Arizona the first lefty hit
a missile that was headed over his head. He turned around to chase
the ball and the slice carried the ball behind Nista – basically
turning him around.
But those instances have been few and far between as Nista has
only committed two errors in 66 chances, giving him his best
defensive numbers of his career.
Hitting-wise, Nista has also been moved up and down the lineup
because of injuries to other players. When senior second baseman
Nick Theodorou was hurt, Nista batted second most of the time and
was a fixture on the base path. Now with everyone healthy, his sees
most of his action between sixth and eighth in the lineup.
"I don’t think my role really changes (by being moved around),"
Nista said. "We’re not a really a team that hits by order in the
lineup. Like for example, your No. 2 hitter would usually bunt guys
over and get things going, but when I was in the two spot I maybe
bunted one time. I think now my role will still be the same."
Adams sees Nista as a future major league third baseman – or at
least that’s the position Nista is most likely to succeed in.
Todd Zeile is the name that comes up in comparison to Nista
because of the similar quick bats, and the fact Zeile is a third
baseman who graduated from UCLA.
Nista is much bigger now than when he was a freshman, and the
added size makes it more viable for him to play third base instead
of second base or shortstop.
According to Adams, both Zeile and Nista never get jammed
because of their quick bats, and their hitting approach is hitting
line drives – some that turn into home runs.
The only thing Adams notices Zeile did better than Nista is how
Zeile never changed his approach at the plate. Adams told Nista
recently how he should trust his swing every time he comes to the
plate.
"I think (Nista) has a tendency to give too much credit to the
pitchers," Adams said. "It seems to me that he comes back thinking
‘That’s the best pitcher I’ve ever seen. That’s the best curveball
I’ve ever seen. That’s the best fastball I’ve ever seen. That’s the
best split I’ve ever seen.’ Well, hit him anyway. Don’t change your
swing because they’re good. Stick with your swing. Your swing can
beat them."
But even with Nista’s recent struggles, all the people who know
him expect Nista to succeed.
From age three Nista’s father, Jerry Nista, knew his son had a
gift. Jerry Nista, a past roller skating champion, moved from
Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1957 to open a skating rink; that same
year the Brooklyn Dodgers left Ebbets Field, and a love of baseball
continued.
So when his son showed an uncanny ability to play baseball,
Jerry Nista did everything possible to give his son the opportunity
to succeed. He enrolled him in private classes and constantly
follows him to every game.
The elder Nista remembers one event that epitomized his son’s
will to succeed in baseball and life.
"On TV he broke the Orange County hit record, and when he was
interviewed he said ‘I will never let myself down,’" Jerry Nista
said."I remember that … I would be shocked if he didn’t
succeed."
Since coming to UCLA, Nista has had his share of difficulties to
overcome.
Out of high school he needed surgery on his right shoulder
because of strain from being overused as a pitcher. Then last
season he dislocated his shoulder twice – once against USC and
another time in the NCAA regionals against Tennessee.
The first time he dislocated his shoulder was after UCLA’s Aldo
Pinto hit a double off USC pitcher Seth Etherton. When Nista slid
into home feet first, USC catcher Eric Munson fell on top of Nista
and the shoulder just popped out. Nista was out for 45 minutes and
was taken to the emergency room.
After some rehabilitation, Nista came back to the contribute to
the team’s run to the College World Series. But after a swing
against Tennessee, Nista once again felt the shoulder pop.
He had reconstructive surgery in June on his right shoulder and
didn’t start playing again until December – scaring away major
league teams from drafting him after his junior season.
Nista feels no lingering effects from his injuries, and the
whole ordeal has actually helped him by strengthening him
mentally.
Adams and Jerry Nista see in Nista the determination and
confidence that he has gained during his years at UCLA. Most of
all, though, they see how he has a developed not only physically –
Nista is, according to Adams, one of the strongest players on the
team – but also mentally.
"I never have to worry about him in the classroom," Adams said.
"Brett loves to talk about how he’s doing better than Eric Byrnes
in his classes this year because Eric has beaten him for the most
outstanding student award every year since they’ve been here.
"I think Brett enjoys college baseball, college life and going
to classes. I like to see that. He’s a whole human being. He’s not
just a baseball player. He’s a wonderful kid. The kind you want
your daughter to marry – and I have five of them."
Nista was recruited by LSU, Miami, USC, Arizona and Long Beach
State out of high school. But no figure from the Mets could make
him skip out on the college experience, and no institution outside
of UCLA had the balance of athletics, weather and academics.
"I just looked at location and academic status and it was an
easy choice," Nista said."I’d give up going to LSU to win two
national championships, which they’ve won since I’ve been here, for
the education I’m going to have when I graduate from here."
Nista has no idea what he’s going to do after he receives his
history degree and – make no mistake- he will get his degree.
He hopes to be drafted. Preferably by the Dodgers, but by any
team in reality.
At this point in his life, Nista doesn’t care where he goes or
how he gets there – he has experienced enough shuffling and
adversity while at UCLA to know that in the end everything will
work itself out.
All Nista wants to be is in the lineup.