Since 1985, DeCastro has been the successful head coach of the Haddon Heights American Legion team, but he was also a Little League coach in the town and had known and coached Bailey since he was 9 years old.
On Monday, Bailey was named the American League's rookie of the year as a relief pitcher after completing an improbable season with the Oakland A's.
Bailey and DeCastro's son, Marc, are longtime friends and were teammates for both Paul VI and an American Legion team.
While DeCastro was happy to see his former pitcher, who helped Haddon Heights win one of eight berths in the American Legion World Series in 2003, the veteran coach was taken aback when Bailey presented him with memorabilia.
Bailey gave DeCastro the ball he received after gaining his first major-league save.
He also handed DeCastro a jersey the righthander wore as a member of the American League all-star team this year.
"I think that tells you what type of kid he is," DeCastro said. "He is so down-to-earth, and we spent a couple of hours together, and it was great."
The world has been moving rapidly for Bailey, who was 6-3 with an ERA of 1.84 for the A's. He started the season as a long reliever but moved into the closer's role, the true pressure cooker when games are on the line.
Bailey saved 26 games in 30 opportunities.
It was a remarkable first year, and it brought him an award that is difficult to win. Just one member of the current Phillies, Ryan Howard, has been a rookie of the year. That occurred in 2005.
It's possible Bailey will spend the rest of the off-season grasping what it all means.
"I talked to my manager earlier, and he said you will always be the rookie of the year, and nobody can take that away from you," Bailey said in a telephone conversation with The Inquirer shortly after the award was announced. "I don't think the whole year has hit me yet."
