Another Lesson in Human Nature this weekend.

I exhausted my list of umpires. Matt was going to do one game, but couldn't do any more and Jamie had no interest in doing games this year. I had two games left open.

I called the league commissioner for the first game and told him the only option I had left was to call it myself. I've done all positions at softball, but I've only called baseball from bases. Told the commissioner I'd call it from the plate but the very first thing I was going to do was inform the managers that I would brook no s**t whatsoever from them re. my calls. He happened to be at a game sitting near Matt. Within ten seconds he informed me that Matt offered to take the plate.

One game down, one to go. I had a base umpire for the second game. He's qualified to call behind the plate but can't squat down due to recent knee surgery. I called him and asked if he'd be willing to work the game from behind the mound, calling balls and strikes from there. He didn't like the idea (most guys will do that, but some aren't comfortable). So I told him the same thing I told the other guy. He works with Jamie and damned if he didn't have Jamie agree to call the game within seconds.

I guess the moral here is if you tell people you'll do it, but they may not like how you're going to do it, they can suddenly make things happen.