As an umpire, we always try to be consistent in our calls of balls and strikes. While we calls might be a little high, a little low, a little inside or out, you at least want to be consistent by making the calls equally between the teams playing.

I wrote about my first experience announcing in a previous posting and now, after announcing my third and final game of the series here in Indianapolis, I can at least say I've been consistent with this as well. However, about the only consistent thing I seem to be able to do is either mispronounce player names, forget to announce the managers and coaches, announce the wrong batter, forget to announce a starting player altogether, announce the score incorrectly and for the wrong team... oh the list could go on and on.

You would think the folks running things in the booth would have learned a lesson from the first game I announced... that I'm not good at this at all! And if you can believe it, I was told I was even getting better.

All kidding aside, this was a fun and rewarding experience for me and I appreciate being asked to not only announce some games but to run the scoreboard too. My thanks go out to Jim Nichman for bravely taking a chance and asking me to volunteer. And a special thanks to Bob Monday, Mark Commons and the rest of the "moles" in the booth for allowing me into their "den".

These volunteer professionals make things look easy and they are very consistent in getting things right. Of course now I'd like to see them umpire so I can critique them as they have me.

Tomorrow the Midwest and Great Lake semifinal games begin. I won't even be allowed near the booth during these games.... which is probably a good thing.