Senior pitcher Jerry Mancuso ran out to pitch against St. Joseph’s, but unlike his previous pitching appearances, he had a clear advantage. Jerry was pitching to his younger brother, freshman catcher Joey Mancuso.
The brothers have a connection by blood and by the baseball diamond. The brothers have been a pitcher-catcher duo since high school and have rejoined for one year in college.
Now, the Mancuso brothers are going on different paths. His brother Joey is beginning a bright career as a catcher for the Billikens this year, while Jerry is ending his career with the Billikens as an outfielder and pitcher. Jerry is reflective about his career winding down at SLU.
“It definitely brings a reality check, baseball has been my life since I can remember, and it has always been day in and day out thing for me. It will be different,” Jerry said.
Jerry and Joey have been playing together since high school. Joey occasionally joined his brother on the baseball field when he was still in middle school. They played together at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, MO for one year as a pitcher-catcher duo.
“We were on the same summer organization so we were always practicing together and for the most part we have always worked together with baseball,” Jerry said.
Jerry, in 2009, started to play for the Billikens and then three years later his brother Joey continued the tradition of playing together in college. Joey said that it does have its “advantages” to have an older brother on the baseball team.
“It’s nice having an older brother there to keep you under control, to keep you calm, to keep you going if things aren’t working, to tell you ‘keep working it is going to be alright,’ so it is nice to have family within baseball,” Joey said.
Since they have been playing together for so long, Jerry said there is a “natural connection” between the two of them since they have been playing together for so long, but there is also a time to make sure they get some outs.
“Business is business… I’m a realist, I’m going to tell him how it is and I know that he would do the same for me,” Jerry said.
Jerry had some great offensive production his freshman and sophomore years. Jerry’s freshman year, he hit three home runs, 31 RBIs, and collected six stolen bases that year. Jerry also had an 11-game hitting streak his freshman year.
His sophomore year, Jerry had three home runs again and was a part of the team that won the Atlantic 10 tournament that year.
Jerry has pitched all three years while at SLU and his ERA has gone down every year since his freshman year. His has mainly been a reliever, but has started a few games during his career at SLU.
Jerry hopes there is a chance that he can play baseball after this season, but recognizes that you can’t think about that on a daily basis and is appreciating the time that he has his senior year and the opportunity to play with his brother, maybe for the last time in such a capacity.
Joey acknowledges that he will miss his brother, but recognizes the fellowship that he has made with his fellow players.
“You grow close with everyone and they turn into your brothers on and off the field, even though he [Jerry] is gone it will still be like having a family around,”
With the baseball season winding down for the team, the Mancuso brothers have have fewer opportunites to be the pitch and catch for one another.
Even though Joey will have his new-found family around, it will be different not having his brother with him.
It seems, however, that Jerry has had a lasting influence on Joey; from his baseball career throughout high school and at the beginning of his college career, Jerry has exhibited the calming influence only an older brother can have.
