Baseball is a unique game because of it's slow pace. The announcer must be able to fill time between pitches with stories and anecdotes. For this purpose, I carry a notebook filled with stats and stories to use on on the air. When it comes to describing the action, here are the vital points to cover: 

Setting of the defensive alignments

• Description of stadium dimensions
• Description of weather and wind conditions
• Notation of important locations
• Description of the scene outside the stadium
• Description of team uniform colors 
• Descriptions about the city you are in 

In terms of calling the action, the simple rule of thumb is to describe what the ball is doing. On a foul ball, where is the ball hit? Left or right? Who makes the play? Does the fielder move to his left or his right? Where are the outfielders positioned? Who is warming up in the bullpen?

The essentials for baseball are the count on the batter (which should be reset after every pitch), outs, score, runners on, and inning. I make it a point to reset the scene constantly so there is no doubt in my listeners mind as to what is going on. And the use of statistics helps to paint a fuller picture as it enhances the action on the field. Statistics should be used to support the action on the field as it is happening. For example, if a batter is coming in to pinch-hit and a left-hander is coming out of the bullpen, it is relevant here to point out what that player's average is against lefties. Also if you are heading to the ninth inning, it is useful to point out what the team's record is when trailing after 8 innings. These are known as situational statistics. Regarding statistics, always ask yourself, " If I were a fan listening at home, what would I want to know? ".

Another technique that a broadcaster uses in baseball, as in other sports, is called laying out. This is simply the technique of saying nothing and letting the crowd noise carry the moment over the air, especially on television, where the pictures tell the story. The great Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully did this when Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run, surpassing Babe Ruth on April 8, 1974. After he described the home run for the audience, he simply said nothing and just let the crowd noise and the pictures show the scene for the viewers. A broadcaster should never force the commentary. If you have nothing to say, lay out until a salient point presents itself.