Gabe Gross decides to retire from baseball

After some heavy soul searching, Gabe Gross has decided it’s time to hang up his cleats and retire from baseball.

“I just felt like my heart wasn’t into it,” Gross said Monday. “This and quitting football are the two hardest decisions I’ve ever made.”

Gross, a former Auburn University and Northview High baseball star, agreed late last week to sign a minor league contract with the Florida Marlins. He was scheduled to take a physical in Florida on Monday, but decided on Sunday after conversations with his wife, Kelly, the time had come to step away from the sport.

“I didn’t think it was right for me or my family if I couldn’t do it 100 percent, because it takes 100 percent,” Gross said. “Sometimes you’ve just got to move on.

“For 10 years I’ve been able to provide for my family through baseball. I’ve been extremely blessed.”

Gross , an outfielder, was granted his release from the Seattle Mariners last month after declining a minor league assignment. He initially had hopes of catching on with another MLB club.

Gross played for the Oakland Athletics last season and signed with the Mariners in February as a non-roster invitee. He struggled at the plate for the Mariners this spring, batting just .077 in Cactus League play in 26 at-bats.

Gross, 31, spent seven years in the majors, compiling 40 career homers and hitting for a .239 average.

“Two weeks ago I called my agent and told them to call off the search so to speak,” Gross said. “I had gone through in my brain the process of being through.”

Gross, who makes his home in Auburn, said last Thursday he was getting ready to inform some people he had decided to retire when his agent phoned and said Florida was interested.

Gross initially decided to take up the offer to sign a minor league contract with the Marlins.

“I had agreed to come, but they couldn’t get anyone to do the physical on Sunday,” Gross said.

It gave Gross an extra day to think about it, and ultimately decide he was ready to hang up his baseball career.

“Looking at the future, I’m going to enjoy being a husband and father – loving on my children (Allie 2 and Jake 6 months),” Gross said. “More than likely I’m going back to school and getting my degree in business.”

Gross was a No. 1 draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001- the 15 th pick overall – and made his debut in the major leagues for the team in August of 2004.

Gross later played for the Milwaukee Brewers (2006-2008), the Tampa Bay Rays (2008-2009) and Oakland last year before his spring training stint with Seattle.

At Auburn, Gross was an All-SEC baseball performer who also became the starting quarterback on the football team as a freshman in 1998, but stepped away from football midway through his sophomore season to concentrate his efforts on baseball.

Gross, a three-sport standout at Northview, said he truly appreciates all the support he’s received over the years from the people of the Wiregrass.

“There have been a countless number of people who have prayed for me,” Gross said. “The people of Dothan and Wiregrass are very special to me.”