Ball in the family

Sandburg has benefited from having Greg Billo (right) on the mound and his father Greg as its pitching coach.
(Jason Han/SouthtownStar)

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In most varsity baseball programs, the pitchers aren't given the opportunity to call their own pitches.

That responsibility generally falls to the pitching coach, who will signal his pitch preference to the catcher, who then relays it in the form of a hand signal to the pitcher.

On rare occasions, the starting pitcher is allowed to shake off the pitch and make his own decision.

In the case of Sandburg pitcher Greg Billo, there is no shaking off.

His father, Greg, is the pitching coach for Sandburg.

"Most of the time we're on the same page," the younger Billo said. "But he's got the upper hand on calling pitches, for sure."

The Billos' father-son collaboration is a rare one, and admittedly it's proved challenging at times. But there's no arguing with the results on the field.

Young Greg won 18 consecutive varsity games before experiencing his first loss April 21. The right-hander is 4-1 with a save for a Sandburg team that has amassed a 10-3 mark thus far.

"He trusts my judgment," said the elder Billo, who graduated from Sandburg and pitched at Lewis University. "In the summer, the pitchers got to call their own pitches. Hey, after the summer we had, maybe I should let them call their pitches in the spring."

It was quite the summer for the Eagles and the Billos in 2007. After dropping their first game, the Eagles rattled off a 27-game winning streak on their way to the summer league title. Young Greg earned most valuable player honors.

"The summer was one of the best experiences any parent could ask for," the elder Billo said. "We won the state tournament and my son was the MVP. It's something I'll never forget."

But even the most memorable experiences have led to some uncomfortable moments. As much as Billo has tried not to give his son preferential treatment, it hasn't stopped critics from accusing the elder Billo of favoritism.

If young Greg pitches against a weak opponent, his dad is accused of providing his son with an easy win. If young Greg gets the start against a top-ranked team, dad is accused of attempting to provide his son with additional media exposure.

If anything, Billo insists he's been harder on his son than the rest of the pitching staff.

"You can't separate the coach from the parent," he said. "People say you can, but you can't. I say things to him that I wouldn't say to the other kids. I know how to push his buttons in a positive way. In many ways it's a no-win situation. If he's pitching against a certain team or he's hitting in a specific spot in the batting order, it's because he's the son of the pitching coach, not because he's deserving or because he's good."

Sandburg head coach Doug Sutor has talked to his pitching coach about being too demanding on his son.

"Greg is such a good kid," Sutor said. "I know his father wants what's best for him, and it's a tough situation to coach your son. It really, at times, can be a no-win. But I think the two of them have really enjoyed it."

The younger Billo, who's as humble as he is talented, understands the potential dilemma. He just tries to listen to his father and perform to the best of his abilities.

"It's been fine with my teammates," said young Greg, who will attend St. Joseph's College in the fall. "It has allowed (he and his father) to spend more time together. I think for the most part he's treated me like he treats the rest of the pitchers. I'm enjoying the experience."

And while a state championship would be the perfect ending to this father-son experience, the elder Billo is excited about the prospect of watching his son perform at the collegiate level simply as a supportive parent, not a coach.

"He's a quiet kid, and I've absolutely loved having the opportunity to coach him in high school," he said. "This has been a rewarding experience. I wouldn't have it any other way. But I'll be thrilled when the time comes for me to be able to just go and watch him. It's going to be nice."

But as soon as Greg departs, another son, Ryan, a pitcher on the Eagles' sophomore team, will be ready for varsity competition.

"Ryan's different than Greg," Dad said. "I've learned from coaching Greg and I'll do some things differently. But I'm looking forward to coaching Ryan.