Crockett, a preseason third-team All-American selection by Baseball America, returns to the club after declining to sign with the Boston Red Sox, who selected him in the 10th round of June’s amateur draft.

Hampered by a shoulder injury at the beginning of last season, Crockett posted a respectable 4-4 record and a 4.04 ERA. Once healthy, though, Crockett returned to his dominant form. The Crimson captain followed up a no-hitter in the season finale against Dartmouth by posting a 1.67 ERA in 59 innings for the Cape Cod League champion Wareham Gateman over the summer.

Crockett feels no lingering effects of the injury.

“My arm feels great, actually,” said Crockett after throwing 119 pitches in his first outing of the season, a 2-1 loss to No.4 Rice. “I felt pretty comfortable in that range.”

Though Crockett and All-Ivy hurler John Birtwell ’01 headlined the staff last season, it was Nyweide that led the Crimson with a 2.70 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .231 batting average. Similar production this season should see Nyweide improve on his 2-4 record from 2001.

“I certainly hope to improve my won-loss record, but really I want to keep us in games,” Nyweide said. “I want to beat the Ivy League teams and stay close against the top teams we play.”

Emerging as the Crimson’s third starter could be any of thee juniors—Barry Wahlberg, Madhu Satyanarayana and Kenon Ronz. Wahlberg appeared in a team high 13 games last season while posting a 3.99 ERA, Satyanarayana was 0-2 with a 3.32 ERA and Ronz, the lone left-hander of the group, was 3-3 with a 3.66 ERA in 10 appearances.

Wahlberg, a former Crimson quarterback that can light up the radar gun with a 90-plus fastball, got the early nod as the third starter in Harvard’s opening series.

Around the Horn

No matter who is on the mound, he will be pitching in front of the most experienced Crimson infield in years, which boasts a returning senior starter at every position.

First baseman Josh San Salvador, second baseman Faiz Shakir, third baseman Nick Carter and Mager each started at least 30 games last season.

“Having our infield back is a huge thing for all the pitchers,” Crockett said. “A lot of the senior guys have been pitching with this infield for a couple of years. The pitchers have confidence in the infield to make plays.”

The left side features a pair of returning honorable mention all-Ivy players in Carter and Mager, the only Crimson players to appear in every game last season.

Carter led Harvard in virtually every offensive category in 2001, including batting average (.380), hits (60), runs (41) and homeruns (8). Mager, who spent the summer with Crockett winning a Cape League title, posted a .343 average and a team-high 33 RBI.