I was a little nervous going into my second game. For one, the teams playing included the losing team from Game 1 and I always worry there's going to be antagonism toward the umpire for the loss—well, more antagonism than usual toward the umpire. What I was nervous about was that the UIC (Umpire in Chief) for our sister league would be handling the bases and I didn't want to make a mockery of the umpiring profession. Mostly I didn't want him to mock me!

The UIC was the one who led the training classes so you know he knows the rules. He asked me if there was anything I wanted to work on in the game. Rather than say "Everything" I just sort of shrugged my shoulders and game him a "Not really," committing myself to take any suggestions he would give me.

After the first half inning where he tried in vain to communicate with me from the field and I wasn't paying attention to any of it, he said, "Let's work on your signals." I should have been checking with him at least between batters and better to check between pitches just to make sure we were on the same page. Between batters you can communicate the number of outs; between pitches you can communicate the count. Something can happen on every pitch that distracts you from advancing the count so making sure you match your partner saves face when the third strike comes and everyone in the stands the mumbling about whether the batter is out.

At one point I called time so the scoreboard could be reset and my partner later told me not to worry about the scoreboard. It's wrong 30% of the time and it's not my problem as an umpire. I was glad he said this because I had been using the scoreboard as my back up for the count and outs.

We had a play at home where I called the runner safe. My partner coached me at the next break, "The closer the play, the louder the call. You want to make sure nobody doubts your conviction in making the call. You have to sell it." That's a good life lesson.

Later in the game as runs were scoring I would call them safe as they crossed the plate. Usually when the ball was coming in, but not so close the runner was in danger. My partner recommended not doing this. I only needed to make the call when there was a play and to have a play you need three things: a ball, a fielder and a runner. If you're missing any of those you don't have a play and you don't need to call it. He said the other issue to consider is if a runner crosses home, but doesn't touch the base you don't want to tip off the team that they missed it by not calling "Safe" so it's better not to call anything when there's no play and let things unfold.

All the years I've played and watched baseball I thought of the strike zone as a box and in order for something to be a strike it had to go inside the strike zone. After the game my partner told me my strike zone was on the narrow side. As with other lines in baseball the strike zone includes the width of the ball, so even if the ball just grazes the edge of the plate it's a strike. "A pitch is a strike until confirmed otherwise," my partner corrected me. He told me the shortstop had told the runner on second, "What does it take to get a strike?" The running replied, "Yeah, that looked right in there to me." Even the players know the rules better than me!

One of the problems with my view of the strike zone was that I wasn't getting low enough in the slot. My partner kept coaching me to get lower and then around the third inning he said, "I know why you can't go lower in your stance. It's your jeans!" I had the proper umpire gray slacks, but they weren't hemmed so I wore my jeans. He and I were surprised I was able to get the shin guards under them, but they were preventing me from getting low enough in my stance to get a good view of the strike zone.

Before the game starts you meet with your partner to discuss responsibilities for covering the bases and making certain calls. My partner wanted to call outfield foul balls on the first base line when he was in the 'A' position. Sure enough, we had a ball go far foul and I forgot he was going to call it, so I also called it. Fortunately we agreed. In our training he shows a picture of two umpires making different calls on the same ball and by communicating responsibilities before the game you can avoid this. I also realized how nice it is to have someone to depend on in the field. It really frees you up to focus on what's happening at the plate. You still have to remember to watch what's happening at third and home.

My fears were allayed and my partner gave me a lot of great feedback. As I watched him make his calls I marveled at how he recalled a tiny rule point and applied it while the play was progressing. He really was THAT good. It is really a thing of beauty to watch an experienced umpire work the game. Moving to the infield, running down second and third, lining up to be where he thinks the action will take place. It separates the people who take it seriously from those who are simply fulfilling and obligation. I want to take this seriously.