In professional baseball history prior to this season, 88 sets of brothers have been teammates at some point in their careers, most notably Dizzy and Daffy Dean; Paul and Lloyd Waner; Phil and Joe Niekro; Roberto and Sandy Alomar; and Felipe, Jesus and Matty Alou.

This year, outfielders Justin and B.J. Upton of the Atlanta Braves became the 89th set of baseball brothers to suit up for the same team.

While a set of brothers as teammates is rare, it’s even more rare for the brother teammates to be a pitcher/catcher battery. In fact, the last time there was a set of brother battery mates on the same team was from 1959 to 1962 when Larry and Norm Sherry played for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But right here in the Diocese of Brooklyn, we have a modern day set of brother battery mates: Tim and Sean McQuail for the Cathedral Prep, Elmhurst, Crusaders.

The sons of Cathedral head varsity basketball coach Frank McQuail, Tim, 17, and Sean, 15, grew up in St. Margaret’s parish, Middle Village. The brothers are only 19 months apart, with Tim – the pitcher – being a junior and Sean – the catcher – a sophomore.

The duo played baseball together in Little League, but Tim began to focus more on basketball as he got older. In addition to baseball, Tim plays on the Cathedral Prep varsity basketball team and was a 2013 Tablet All-Star.

Both Tim and Sean played on the Crusaders’ baseball team last year, but it almost didn’t happen. Tim tried out for the team as an infielder, and head coach Rolando Lopez thought it would be tough for him to find playing time. However, Sean, who was just a freshman at the time, convinced Lopez to take a look at Tim as a pitcher, and sure enough, Lopez was impressed and carried Tim on the team as a starter.

Sean was the second-string catcher last season behind senior Chris West, but he saw some time at third base. Heading into this season, Sean knew the starting catching job was his for the taking.

“I think he’s (Sean) really put a lot of effort into it,” Tim said. “He’s been going to baseball practice every week since the winter. He’s worked on his throwing a lot because that is really key.”

With Sean’s increased role on the team this season, Tim has been instrumental in helping his younger brother adjust. Tim liked West’s catching style last season, so he showed Sean how West would frame pitches and transfer the ball from his glove on a throw down to second base.

“I definitely ask him (Tim) a lot of questions; I don’t know if that bothers him or not,” Sean said jokingly.

Chemistry on the Diamond

Tim and Sean naturally exhibit strong chemistry on the diamond when they work together as battery mates. The Cathedral Prep pitching staff is made up of four starting pitchers, but Sean has the added advantage of being able to work with Tim even after practice.

“I like playing with him (Tim) more than any pitcher,” Sean said. “He’s very relaxed all the time. We have a lot of catch in driveway.”

Tim’s best pitch is his change-up, so the brothers have worked together tirelessly to perfect this pitch. Sean said that Tim does a good job in concealing the pitch so that opposing hitters are kept off balance.

Lopez said that it is essential at the high school level for the pitcher and catcher to be on the same page. A coach from the dugout is only allowed to talk to his pitcher once per inning on the mound before having to make a pitching change during a second visit.

“The catcher is what I always call the ‘me’ on the field,” said Lopez, who had never coached a set of brother battery mates until this season. “He’s the coach on the field. He’s in perfect view to see the entire field just like I am from the dugout. So he needs to know exactly what I’m thinking so he can relay it to everyone else and especially to the pitcher.”

Sean has done an admirable job thus far of being the coach on the field, especially when catching Tim. He keeps everyone calm regardless of the game situation.

“Sean takes much more of a leadership role, and I find that interesting because he is the younger brother of the two,” Lopez said.

With the season underway, the McQuail brothers will continue to develop a strong chemistry. Lopez said that both players are willing to put in the work that will in turn yield positive results.

As far as being battery mates, the brothers both said that it’s pretty cool.

“It is pretty unique,” Tim said. “We do have a special connection. We talk about things to work on and things we can take advantage of. It definitely helps.”

The Crusaders hope that the connection between the McQuails will be a guiding factor to a successful season.