Monday was my first day as a broadcaster. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I “suited up” for over 2,500 baseball games as a player, but this was my first game wearing a suit and tie. After 15 years of playing, I am starting the 2023 season from the booth doing pre-game and post-game analysis. I have been interviewed hundreds of times as a player, many of those on live TV, but being on the other side was a new experience entirely.

I was nervous. All of my experience up until now has been talking about myself and my teammates. Now I would be on tv talking about players while not being one of them. Talking about a team that I have never been a member of.

This was my first time talking about baseball in the third person.

I know the mixed emotions players have towards members of the media. When a member of the media is critiquing or questioning your play, it is a hard feeling to describe. Abstractly, you know that they have a job to do. But after a bad game in front of a sold-out crowd, the last thing you want to do is relive the mistakes you made and have to answer why you made them. Ihave been on SportsCenter’s Not Top 10. I laughed about it, but is also didn’t feel great.“I screwed up! Isn’t that obvious! Why don’t you go out there and see if you can do it better!” iswhat you often want to say, but never would.

My favorite kind of broadcaster is someone who is honest about what is happening, but has an optimistic perspective. When I watch sports, I want to hear from someone who has been there and done it. Someone who will understand the full context around situations in the game and never forgets how hard it is.

That’s the type of broadcaster I want to be. Someone who seeks out positive stories about the person, as well as the player. Someone who can authentically analyze when things go wrong but who seeks to help build players up by shining a light on the positives.

On Monday exactly 30 minutes before first pitch, the lights turned on and I heard our producer counting down from ten in my earpiece. I got a familiar rush of butterflies. I felt the competitive urge to perform under pressure; to produce when it mattered the most.

I’m excited for Rockies baseball this year.

Lights. Camera. Action.