Mets: Reflections of a broadcaster’s point of view

I had the opportunity to do broadcast for two Las Vegas 51s games.

When Editor, Michelle Ioannou asked me about writing this article I immediately began processing what has been a weekend I’ll never forget. For those who don’t know, I was asked to fill in as the play-by-play broadcaster for the AAA New Orleans Baby Cakes. Two of the three games I did were against the Las Vegas 51s (more on that in articles to come).

These were far from the first games I’ve done even for this organization or in total. A quick background: I’ve done more games than I can count for two local universities in the New Orleans area, some high school games, and a handful of Zephyrs/Baby Cakes games.

This weekend was a different feel though. I got to work with former Met, Ron Swoboda who has one of the most famous moments in franchise history. Plus, the Mets’ AAA affiliate was coming into town. I just knew I had to take my top game and step it up several notches higher.

It was also different with the circumstances that surrounded the opportunity. I was trusted by the team’s regular broadcaster, a man by the name of Tim Grubbs, who has done games for New Orleans baseball for 15 years. He attended a family funeral, which allotted me the chance in the first place. While I was overjoyed with being granted the chance, it was all bittersweet to be honest.

Still, I put on the headset and navigated through 27 innings with a former Major Leaguer just a few feet from me. Having someone to bounce conversation off of in a broadcast booth is something I haven’t done a lot. Out of all the games I’ve done, I have had a color commentator for a small handful of games. Now I had a man with tons of experience both playing and broadcasting right next to me. That was more than enough to get the nerves and energy going.

In my path down this road of being a broadcaster, this past weekend will always stand out. Hearing the validation that I filled in admirably, knowing that I could be trusted when needed, and adding more to my resume are just a few reasons.

Next: Rivera will still get playing time when d’Arnaud returns

However, what stands out the most is that once the whirlwind of emotions settled, I could look back and feel confident that I made a decent choice even if things haven’t fully come together yet.