In the summer of 2005, Terrapin second baseman Steve Braun had a decision to make.

He could either follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Ryan, who had just been taken with the fifth overall pick of the major league draft by the Milwaukee Brewers and go to the University of Miami or join the Terps.

“[Going to Miami] was something that I definitely strongly considered, because I knew Ryan had enjoyed everything there, from the coaches, the field and everything from that standpoint. I know he got along great with all the guys on the team. It was something I considered, but, at the same, I think I wanted to just go out and prove myself, by myself, and set my own path. I didn’t want to be in the shadow anymore.”

Steve committed to playing with the Terps, and nearly two years later, the decision has paid dividends, as he has started 100 of 109 possible games for the Terps during that time. Ryan, who has climbed through the Brewers’ farm system all the way to Triple A with his impressive play, didn’t take Steve’s decision too personally.

“For me, playing at Miami was a great experience, but I told him he needed to make the decision that was best for him,” the 2005 Golden Spikes Award finalist said. “At the time, Maryland was definitely the best situation for him, and he went that route.”

This situation exemplifies the relationship the brothers share. Ryan calls it, “Extremely competitive but also very supportive.” And both agree that each of them wouldn’t be where they are today without the other.

Growing up in Granada Hills, Ca., the competitive part of the relationship was definitely evident. Steve said the pair would compete in everything from pick-up basketball to video games, and it usually ended with a fight. However, as they got older, they relished the opportunity to play together. Because Ryan was a year-and-a-half older, the brothers would qualify, age-wise, to play baseball and soccer together every other year.

“I feel like that was something that we both probably really enjoyed and really looked forward to,” Ryan said. “I think that was instrumental in my growth as a player.”

And, they got to train together. The boys’ father, Joe, would take them to a field to practice and pitch batting practice to them about every other day. Neither boy was content to have the other get the last hit of the day, leading to some tense moments and a lot of extra swings, but this intensity had a positive effect.

“If we were taking ground balls, and he booted one, I let him know. If I booted one, he let me know. It’s just very competitive, and I think it pushed us to get to the next level,” Steve said.

The results spoke for themselves. After playing together on the infield for three years in high school, Ryan was recruited by some of the best schools in the country. Ultimately, he turned down offers from Georgia Tech and Stanford to join the defending national champion Hurricanes. He contributed right away, garnering Baseball America’s Freshman of the Year honor in 2003.

That year, Steve graduated and went to play at Fresno State. After a redshirt season, he transferred to Pierce Junior College near Los Angeles. A successful 2005 season at Pierce resulted in Steve being drafted in the 35th round of the same draft as his brother. He was invited by a scout to play for the Rockville Express of the Cal Ripken Collegiate League over the summer.

Playing on the Express with current Terp teammate third base Mike Murphy, Steve caught the attention of coach Terry Rupp. He knew the Braun name well. Ryan had led Miami to a series win over the Terps in the 2005 season with a 7-for-14 performance that included three home runs. Though impressed with Ryan’s skills, Rupp knew Steve presented a distinctly different skill set, namely more defense and less power, and has seen him grow in the past two years to the point where Rupp calls Steve one of the best defensive second basemen in the ACC.

“I think that any time you’ve got an older brother that’s done some very good things, it kind of puts the pressure on the younger brother to try and live up to those expectations,” Rupp said. “I think Steve’s finally coming into his own and set his own personality as a ballplayer.”

Even though they are very different ballplayers, Ryan’s year of ACC experience has been helpful to his brother. The pair talks on the phone every day and say they are closer than ever.

“It’s definitely nice to be able to talk to him,” Steve said. “I think I’m very fortunate just to have some one like him around every day that I can talk to whether it’s about my approach or how I’m feeling in the field or at the plate. We’re always just kind of throwing things back and forth about the game of baseball.”

While Ryan has not seen Steve play since his junior college days, Steve got to watch Ryan play in the Futures Game as part of the Major League All-Star Game in Pittsburgh last year. Ryan, who earned the recognition by hitting a combined .306 with 32 home runs in his first two professional seasons, said it was an honor just to be picked for the game and special for him to be able to share it with his family.

And Ryan has kept his tremendous play going into this season. After nearly making the Brewers major league roster in spring training – the only reservation the team has about him is his ability to field at third base – he has hit .358 with eight home runs in 28 games for the Pacific Coast League’s Nashville Sounds.

Most agree it is only a matter of time before Ryan is called up by the Brewers and, even though Steve still has one more year left with the Terps before he will try his hand at professional baseball, he already feels like he has a taste of what it will be like.

“It’s awesome,” Steve said. “It’s kind of like I’m living my dream through him almost, at times. Seeing him have the success that he’s had, and knowing how hard he has worked, makes me work even harder. I think if he can do it, I can do it.”

Contact reporter Eric Detweiler at detweilerdbk@gmail.com.