rwest,
I think I know what you’re getting at. Last high school season in the playoffs I had an intentional walk where two of the pitches were close enough to be strikes. The batter had hit the first pitch about 260’ foul down the line and the coach wanted to walk her. The 2nd and 4th pitches forced the catcher to reach toward the plate and catch them belt high. If they were off the plate it wasn’t by more than an inch (well within the zone I was calling). I called them both balls and received no grief. Either no guts or good game management
. I think it was what everyone expected. It did not show up on my evaluation. In your case I probably have strike 3. After all why not have the catcher set up outside as if they were wasting a pitch only to fool the batter and come back over the plate with the pitch?
Paul