Gentlemen,
Once again, thanks for your feedback. The biggest thing I noticed from the photos was that on the play at 3B I wasn't set at the time of the tag as lawump and BigGuy observed. Looking at these and other pics, it appears that I'm setting "late" on tag plays, but setting in enough time on "force" plays. Something for me to work on. If you had asked me before I saw the pictures, I would have said I was set before the tag on the play at 3B - because until I saw the pictures, I really thought I was.
A number of you mentioned my positioning on the play at 3B. The pictures were shot with a "long" lens from outside the fence on the 1B side, and I believe the foreshortening effect makes it look like I'm a lot closer to the base and to the 3B line than I actually was. I'm pretty sure I was about 2/3rds of the way up the line and roughly halfway between the 3B line and the pitcher's mound - probably a little to the 3B side of center.
There was another play at 3B in this game where I was more or less in the same position. The ball got away from the F5 and the runner took off for home. There was a subsequent play at the plate, and I was able to get back to the plate area in time to make the call (OUT!), got a good look at the tag, and didn't hear a peep from anybody on the offense about the call.
Bob P.,
The runner was tagged on his right hip (tag came down from up high rather than from behind the runner) so I was able to see the tag clearly; if F5 had tagged the runner anywhere on his back, I would have been blocked from seeing it by the runner's body. Don't know what I could have done about that.
As far as my out mechanic, I think I try to "sell" close calls more with the "sharpness" of my hammer motion and with my voice rather than with a "bigger" motion. But that's something I can work on. In this case, the base coach actually said to me as he was heading to the dugout, "That was an excellent call." And he was being sincere, not sarcastic. Caught me a little off guard. Anyway, he seemed to buy what I was selling on that call.
Bossman,
I would have "double-bagged it".
The pictures were taken by my little sister. She's an amateur photgrapher, has one of those fancy digital SLR cameras that can shoot continuous frames (hence the "sequence" shots), and has started doing sports photography as her kids started playing. I talked to her ahead of time about getting different angles and that I wanted to see where I was setting up behind the plate, how I was doing getting out on the bases, what my mechanics look like, etc. I thought she did a great job - gave me about 200 pix on a CD. If any of you can get somebody to do the same for you, I'd recommend it. I know I was doing things I had no idea I was doing until I saw the photos.
3apples,
After considerable practice, I have become adept at removing my "dunce cap" with elan, and I'm not going to go messing with my technique on that one at this point. Plus, I'm considering getting a mask like the big boys use and feel the technique would be largely the same.
Ozzy,
Hey, who you callin' an old....
Oh, wait a minute. Is that old, bald guy in the blue shirt with the grey hair ME?!?!
Hmmm, I guess it must be. I'm not quite as old as Tim C., but I'm not that far behind, neither. Somehow, it makes me feel younger to be out on the diamond and involved in the game.
Anyway, I appreciate everybody's comments. Thanks.
John