Called 3rd strike haunting me

[Richvee]

Sunday I had the plate for a 13u travel league championship final. I was having a good game. My timing was good, zone was consistent. Home team was up 2-0 heading into the 6th inning. VT gets a few hits, score a run on a squeeze play, then re-load the bases with 1 out. F1 inexplicably spins on the rubber and fakes to 1st base. Obvious balk. Tie game. Another squeeze, and they're up 3-2. The home team HC is obviously frustrated. Anyway, bottom of the 6th comes, 2nd and 3rd 2 outs, full count. Pitch s at the hollow of the knees, just catching the outside corner and I ring him up. Decent size crowd on hand for this game, plus even more because there was another game right after this one, so when I called strike 3, needless to say there was a a LOT a cheers and jeers from the crowd. HC, coaching 3rd comes in and, not loud, and very under control says to me as he walks by "You're killin' me, blue", and keeps walking. I let go. Like I said I know he's had a tough inning. 7th inning comes and goes, Home team goes down 1-2-3. 3-2 final score.

I can't stop thinking about that called 3rd strike in the bottom of the 6th. After the game, I asked my partner what he thought. He said "borderline, but you were calling that pitch a strike all day. Your zone was consistent all game." Then he adds, "If you you would have called it ball 4, I don't think you would have heard anything from anybody". SO ..now I'm thinking, did I blow it? Was it more off the plate than I thought? I've been running the pitch over and over in my head all day. Can't stop thinking about it. Sometimes I convince myself it had the corner at the knees, and 10 minutes later I'm thinking, maybe it was outside and I took a big scoring chance away from that team.

Worst part is, that's it. Season's over. I'm not going to get back on a diamond until March. Am I going to be running this pitch over and over in my head all winter? I sure hope not. It's driving me a little crazy. Sorry for the long post, but I thought maybe writing about might help me get over it.

Thanks for listening.

[carolinablue]

The sad part about it is that everyone else has already forgotten about it, including the coach. Let it go, it was a good call, your partner told you it was where you had been calling it all day. If they hadn't learned in 6 innings where your zone was that's their problem. I disagree with him however, if you would have balled it you would have heard from the other coach more than likely. One strike in one game doesn't decide the game.

[mstaylor]

It certainly won't be the last borderline pitch you will call. If you had walked away saying," Damn I missed that one!" then certainly you have something to kick yourself about but if you have to think that hard about it, let it go.

Now, the spin on the rubber, explain that more. What made it an obvious balk?

[Richvee]

Now, the spin on the rubber, explain that more. What made it an obvious balk?

From the set position he stretched and came set. Without disengaging the rubber, stepped and feinted to first. "Spin" was the wrong word to use there. Just turned his pivot foot on the rubber.

[JaxRolo]

Let it go . Instead of blaming the batter for not swinging at a close pitch with 3 strikes, he wants to blame the umpire.

Then you partner gives you sketchy advice. Move on!

[Thunderheads]

your partners comment about calling ball 4 was just that ......you're reading too much into it. Remember, he already said it was borderline and that you had been calling it all day. There's your answer. AND...more to the point.... 3-2 pitch, runners on 2nd and 3rd ...what's the batter doing w/ his bat on his shoulder ?!?!?!

Good job, let it go!

[Umpire in Chief]

Had all the other things in that inning/game not happened and you called the same pitch how would you feel. It seems you may not have given it a second thought.

At the hollow of the knees catching the corner sounds like a beautiful pitch.

While it is good to reflect on your performance, you can over do it and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[grayhawk]

your partners comment about calling ball 4 was just that ......you're reading too much into it. Remember, he already said it was borderline and that you had been calling it all day. There's your answer. AND...more to the point.... 3-2 pitch, runners on 2nd and 3rd ...what's the batter doing w/ his bat on his shoulder ?!?!?!

Good job, let it go!

Absofrickinlutely! F1 made a great pitch and the batter didn't even try to get a bat on it with 2 strikes? He's 100% to blame - not you!

[Richvee]

While it is good to reflect on your performance, you can over do it and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I do try and reflect on each game. Things I missed, things I did right, things I could have done better/different, etc. Next year I want to start a log book with all my games. I think that could help focus in on areas that need more work.

Talking about this game and getting some replies here has helped. Thanks guys. Appreciate the feedback.

[UmpJeff]

Sunday I had the plate for a 13u travel league championship final. I was having a good game. My timing was good, zone was consistent. Home team was up 2-0 heading into the 6th inning. VT gets a few hits, score a run on a squeeze play, then re-load the bases with 1 out. F1 inexplicably spins on the rubber and fakes to 1st base. Obvious balk. Tie game. Another squeeze, and they're up 3-2. The home team HC is obviously frustrated. Anyway, bottom of the 6th comes, 2nd and 3rd 2 outs, full count. Pitch s at the hollow of the knees, just catching the outside corner and I ring him up. Decent size crowd on hand for this game, plus even more because there was another game right after this one, so when I called strike 3, needless to say there was a a LOT a cheers and jeers from the crowd. HC, coaching 3rd comes in and, not loud, and very under control says to me as he walks by "You're killin' me, blue", and keeps walking. I let go. Like I said I know he's had a tough inning. 7th inning comes and goes, Home team goes down 1-2-3. 3-2 final score.

I can't stop thinking about that called 3rd strike in the bottom of the 6th. After the game, I asked my partner what he thought. He said "borderline, but you were calling that pitch a strike all day. Your zone was consistent all game." Then he adds, "If you you would have called it ball 4, I don't think you would have heard anything from anybody". SO ..now I'm thinking, did I blow it? Was it more off the plate than I thought? I've been running the pitch over and over in my head all day. Can't stop thinking about it. Sometimes I convince myself it had the corner at the knees, and 10 minutes later I'm thinking, maybe it was outside and I took a big scoring chance away from that team.

Worst part is, that's it. Season's over. I'm not going to get back on a diamond until March. Am I going to be running this pitch over and over in my head all winter? I sure hope not. It's driving me a little crazy. Sorry for the long post, but I thought maybe writing about might help me get over it.

Let it go, man!!!!

Your partner confirmed you were calling that pitch all game, right?? It matters not where you are in a ballgame when you punch someone out. If it's a strike in the top of the 1st, it's a strike in the bottom of the 6th!! Don't second-guess yourself, man. Nothing good will come from that!

[mstaylor]

I'm still interested in the obvious balk. I need a little Paul Harvey.

[grayhawk]

I'm still interested in the obvious balk. I need a little Paul Harvey.

Sounded to me like a simple feint to first without disengaging.

[semper_fi_72]

To me second guessing yourself on calling that pitch a strike can only hurt you then and in the future.

You saw a strike, you called a strike.

Don't second guess and beat yourself up over the pitch.

Let it go quickly and move on.

If I called it a strike then it is a strike.

Not even going to ask my partner what he thought of a particular pitch from the bases.

Don't care for what he thought of one particular pitch from the bases.

He wasn't in my position to make the call and my observation and call is the only one that counts on a called strike.

It is my call and I own it.

Discussion over, move on.

[mstaylor]

I'm still interested in the obvious balk. I need a little Paul Harvey.

Sounded to me like a simple feint to first without disengaging.

Misread it, missed the faked to first. I thought it was a throw to first and a balk. Still possible but also possibly legal.

[JaxRolo]

I agree with Lou don't even ask your partner. If you called it a strike then it is one. No matter what anyone says.

[Richvee]

Thanks again guys. Some great advice. You're all right. It was a strike. It was a strike in the 1st, and a strike in the 6th. I had a good game. Still wish I'd be getting back on a diamond again before next spring

[Thunderheads]

Getting back to this ....

I will on occasion ask my partner about balls and strikes. But, I do it out of curiosity of how it looked from B or C .... I don't dwell on it, but if I'm curious, I'll ask.

The problem is beating yourself up about it .......that you can't do ;)