University of San Francisco Athletics

For siblings, the only time they usually compete against each other is at the dinner table or in the backyard. For Matt and Jimmy Sinatro, they get to do it on the Division I. Not only that, they get to do it in the same conference.
 
Matt Sinatro is a freshman utility player for the Diamond Dons. Jimmy Sinatro is a sophomore catcher for Gonzaga. When the two teams met this weekend at Benedetti Diamond, it was the first time the two brothers had faced each other on the field.
 
They grew up in a baseball house. Their dad, Matt Sinatro, played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball. They played for the same high school, Skyline High School (Sammamish, Was.). They now both play in the West Coast Conference.
 
Here is what Jimmy and Matt had to say about what will now be an annual meeting between the Washington natives and, of course, it had to start with a bit of trash talk.
 
"It's nice seeing him and everything. A little trash talk but nothing too much," Matt said.
 
HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED AGAINST EACH OTHER?
 
Jimmy: "I think it's out first time playing against each other actually. It's a lot different than playing with him."
 
Matt: "Growing up, playing with each other for that long in high school. The only time we played each other was in backyard baseball. Even though were playing against each other, it's nice to see him. It's always a good time."
 
WHEN MATT WAS AT THE PLATE AND YOU WERE CATCHING, DID YOU SAY ANYTHING TO HIM?
 
Jimmy: "I had a few words. Told him to not think about drag bunting on me."
 
WHEN JIMMY HIT THAT DOUBLE ON FRIDAY, WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD?
 
Matt: "Obviously make my best effort to get the ball. He hit it hard, just over my reach. Just over Bradley [Zimmer]'s reach. Good placement for him but…"
 
Jimmy: "I thought he was going to catch it."
 
Matt: "Yeah, just missed it."
 
WHAT ADVICE DID JIMMY GIVE YOU ABOUT GOING THROUGH THE RECRUITING PROCESS?
 
Matt: "Just take your time with the whole recruiting process and make sure whoever you commit to, make sure it's the right fit for you. When I came here on my visit, it seemed like the right fit. It's hard to beat San Francisco, too."
 
NOW BEING AT GONZAGA, WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN MATT TOLD YOU HE WAS GOING TO USF?
 
Jimmy: "I was excited to see him once a year but I wanted him at Gonzaga. I'm happy he's here. It's a good program they've got going here and obviously, he's playing well. I'm happy for him."
 
YOU HAVE A DAD WHO PLAYED IN THE MAJORS. WHEN YOU TALK WITH HIM, IS IT ABOUT BASEBALL OR IS HE JUST 'DAD'?
 
Jimmy: "Well, I'm a big baseball fanatic so I'm always talking with him about what I can do better. What's going on around the baseball community. He's a father first. Baseball second."
 
Matt: "We go to visit him a bunch when he's on the road. Whenever we're there, it's all baseball because of the atmosphere but when we're at home, it's not too much baseball stuff."
 
HOW OFTEN DID YOU GET TO SEE JIMMY PLAY AT GONZAGA LAST SEASON?
 
Matt: "I saw him a few times. It was hard because I had my own schedule with my senior season at Skyline but I followed him online all the time. I saw him frequently."
 
Jimmy: "A lot of social support."
 
WHO'S BETTER?
 
Jimmy: "I've got my biased opinion on that. I'm not going to answer."
 
Matt: "Obvious, it's me. We're both different players but we're both pretty good."