Dropped 3rd Strike - I blew it

[officialtony]

Help.
I can find nothing to help me out on whether I was wrong or right.
15-16 year olds. Fed Rules. 0 outs and 1-2 count. Low outside pitch and batter half swings. I am so focused on watching his swing. Convinced he went I spoke out and signalled with my right arm at same time - " he went, he's out ". Of course catcher drops ball. Everyone screams at batter to run and catcher to get ball. Catcher looks at me with the deer in the headlights look and throws wildly to 1st. F3 manages to hold onto ball but records no out. B1 is safe after throw.
Now it begins. Catcher says I called him out. His coach asks if I did. I said I did. We discuss this and after we are through, I leave the runner on 1st with no recorded out.
My question - was this the right thing to do?
The defensive coach was not the least bit irritated about my decision ( which scares me anyway ).
I did not call time, or dead ball or in any way prevent the ball from being live.
I know I blew the call. Should have been " he went, strike three ' and wait. What I am concerned about is what I did afterwards.
OK Fire away.

Thanks in advance.

[orioles35]

The phrase I use is "yes he did!".

However, even if you verbalized it incorrectly the players still know the rules of the game. Dropped third strike means throw the guy out at first.

[bellsjc]

Why would you say "He's out"? When someone strikes out be it via called third strike, or swinging strike, don't say "He's out". Bang him on the Called third strike, or give the swinging strike silent call. If catcher drops the ball he drops the ball. I only follow the dropped third strike with a "Batters Out" when 1st base is occupied and less then 2 outs.

[mcrowder]

He knows he shouldn't have said it... he's asking if he fixed it right.

This is TOTALLY judgement. Did the catcher blow the throw BECAUSE you called the out? Doubt it. Did F3 blow the play at the base BECAUSE you called the out? Doubt that too. There can be a sitch where your erroneous call prevents what would have likely been an easy out (like - you say out, and F2 throws to pitcher, no one plays on BR)... but it doesn't sound like that was the case here. You have to ask - "Did my erroneous call put anyone in danger". Sounds like they did what they should have done anyway after your call.

I think you called it right.

[mick]

I agree with keeping BR on 1B in your sitch.

---

T'other night I had one out, R1, and a 2-2 count.

BR swung, missed; F2 dropped pitch.
"Strike three!"

BR took off for first.
R1 then took off for 2nd, and alert F2 throws a strike to F4, but F4 dropped the throw.
I never called the batter "out" because my head was to far up my GD stance.

R2 was safe, and we simply removed BR from 1B.
mick

[tmp44]

I agree w/ orioles here...15-16 yr old game; these kids know the rules. You messed up verbally, but oh well. You didn't throw the ball away. Keep the kid at 1st and move on.

[officialtony]

Thnaks to everyone.
I don't think the catcher could have thrown him out anyway.
I felt like I cost them an out at the time, even though you are right - they should know the rules too.
This went in my post-game notes to be sure I don't make this mistake again.
Thanks again.

[Saltydog]

Mick,
I know this is a basic ques., but in your sitch, if R1 had been in the process of stealing, would that change the call on Batter? That is, would 1st still have been considered to have been occupied since that was the last legally held base by R1?
Thanks,
SD

[DG]

Originally posted by Saltydog
Mick,
I know this is a basic ques., but in your sitch, if R1 had been in the process of stealing, would that change the call on Batter? That is, would 1st still have been considered to have been occupied since that was the last legally held base by R1?
Thanks,
SD

1B was occupied at TOP. That's all that matters. BR is out, and F2 needs to throw the stealer out at 2B.

[mick]

Originally posted by Saltydog
Mick,
I know this is a basic ques., but in your sitch, if R1 had been in the process of stealing, would that change the call on Batter? That is, would 1st still have been considered to have been occupied since that was the last legally held base by R1?
Thanks,
SD

SD,
What DG said.
mick

[Saltydog]

DG/Mick,

As my old Gunny used to say; "Tanks".

I thought it was TOP, but couldn't find that in writing. The more I looked the more I 'what iffed'. So figured better to ask a dumb question then to be dumb)
Thanks again,
SD