University of Maine Black Bears standout senior catcher, Joe Mercurio, will assist both, volunteer coach Matt Ferrari, first-year pitching coach Patrick Carroll, seven-year Glens Falls Golden Eagles head coach John Mayotte, in coaching duties during the 2010 summer season in the New York Collegiate Baseball League.
Carroll currently serves as the head coach for the Tompkins Cortland Community Panthers.
Certainly no stranger to the Glens Falls region or the NYCBL, Mercurio spent his first college summer playing catcher for the 2007 Golden Eagles, a team won 34-of-41 games during the regular season and set the NYCBL record for wins.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better beginning. I called two no-hitters that summer, which made it an unreal experience,” Mercurio said. “Returning to Glens Falls is going to be a big thrill for me. The atmosphere the fans created is something I could never forget.”
Mercurio’s family baseball roots run deep, with his younger brother Mike, a freshman starting at shortstop for High Point University. Joe’s father also runs an elite high school age summer travel team chuck-full of college prospects.
“Joe’s a student of the game who understands the nuances of the game and has great respect for this special sport.” Glens Falls Golden Eagles head coach John Mayotte said.
Mercurio may not have much collegiate coaching experience aside from learning how to call games as a Division-1 catcher, which is good preparation for a professional or amateur coaching career in baseball, he has mentored younger players, catchers especially, and been a role model for them his entire life.
Glens Falls Golden Eagles catcher Tyler Donovan (Winthrop) has known Joe since the two were kids and still maintains a family relationship. Everything Mercurio learned as a catcher, whether offensively or defensively, he taught to Donovan.
“In a way, playing for Joe this summer will be a lot like any other summer because we always end up working on catching and hitting nearly everyday,” Donovan said.
Friendships aside, Mercurio maintains the twos relationship will not effect the lineup.
“When we get on the field, there are no more friendships,” Mercurio said. “On the field, I will coach the way I’m supposed to. Off the field, it’s good to have a friend.”
“The best player will play,” Mercurio said. “If either catcher isn’t producing on both sides of the ball, the other one will play.”
Being a players’ coach and teaching younger players remain two of the central coaching tendencies Joe’s picked up throughout his collegiate career and is just another reason why Mercurio will work alongside other 2010 Glens Falls coaches and players during the Golden Eagles baseball camps this summer.
“As a young coach Joe will be enthusiastic and excited about initiating his role as a teacher and role model for our players in Glens Falls,” Mayotte said. ”He has played on extremely successful summer teams and brings a winning attitude to the ballpark.”
Whether it’s with the Black Bears, the Golden Eagles, or the University of Illinois Fighting Illini, who Joe played with during his freshman year before transferring, his high school coaches, his father, or his summer league coaches, Mercurio’s learned a little something from all of them.
“All my coaches loved having fun with their players while keeping a winning attitude,” Merucrio said. “They were always teaching. I really enjoy teaching players and helping my teammates.”
“The “learning curve” will be just starting for Joe but I feel sure he will accept the challenges and bring some fresh ideas to the Golden Eagles franchise.” Mayotte said.
Mercurio started half of the Golden Eagles eight playoff games, finishing second on the team with 39 putouts as the Glens Falls’ backstop. During the teams’ 4-3 win over against the Saratoga Phillies after 13 innings, the longest game in the 2007 NYCBL Playoffs, Mercurio caught at 13 innings and had six at-bats.
As for the other players, Mercurio doesn’t quite know personally yet, well they may be in for a treat according to Mercurio.
“I expect them to keep the regiments from school, at the same time anything I can add to help I will be more then willing to fix things,” Mercurio said. “I expect balls to be blocked; runners who should be thrown out to be thrown out and pitches to be called correctly. I will help them out as much as I can but they already know a lot being D-1 catchers.”
At the start of this March, Mercurio helped lead the Maine Black Bears to a five game win streak. During that win streak, Mercurio scored five runs, drove home nine RBI, and batted a whopping .352, including two homeruns, one double, and one walk.
“We have had ups and downs winning and losing games,” Mercurio said. “We’ve won some we shouldn’t have and lost some we shouldn’t have. We should win a lot of games in conference.”
Currently riding the Blacks Bears, Mercurio continues to put up impressive numbers. In his past three games, Mercurio holds a .333 batting average, with four hits, two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored.
“To be honest, I still don’t know what to expect. I don’t think any of us do,” Mercurio said about Maine’s early success, “We were picked to win the conference so hopefully we can play at that high of a level all season.”
So far this season, Mercurio is having one of his best years as a collegiate baseball player. Mercurio leads the team in doubles (9) and homeruns (3) and ranks second on the team in total bases (41). His 16 runs scored and .315 AVG stand third on the team, while his 23 hits and 14 RBI are good for fourth best on the Black Bears.