Yesterday I was only umpire for a U-16 FP game. The pitcher for Team "A" was extraordinary. At the end of 5 innings she had struck out 13 batters.

Batters from Team "B" were swing at "eye high" pitches with regularity. On one batter with two strikes and two outs, a blazing fast ball came in about "eye high" I flinched and when I recovered I saw the batters hands coming back as if it were a checked swing that went too far. I called a strike and was greeted by whoops and hollers from Team "B" I told the manager that I felt the batter went around and broke the plane of the plate for a strike. He said she never swung at the ball.

What to do? I know that I did not see the swing completely due to my flinching, however I already called strike three.
Defense was leaving the field.

1. Should I stick to my strike three and suck it up
2. Admit that I did not completely see the swing and then do what?

Jim

#1. However, hindsight being 20/20, if you realized #2 before you assume a call, you don't have to worry about #1 being an option :)

Flinch
 

If you don't see the strike, you don't call the strike. If it was that close to being a swing, the catcher is going to ask you to check with your partner. One man mechanics, you just have to take the heat for missing the pitch.

In your situation where you called the pitch a strike on the swing you should have immediately pointed with your left hand while saying "went" and giving the strike mechanic. Sell the call.

Michael

Jim,
Have you determined why you flinched? I notice some first and second year umpires flinching at high and eye level pitches because they are not setting up with the eyes at the top of the strike zone and have not learned to track the pitch. IrishMafia has some excellent comments.

OT, but this reminded me of a game this fall...

16U fall ball. Should have had a better catcher (not to mention pitcher) at this age, but...

After taking a hit off the hand from a low pitch bouncing up, moving my hand behind my knee and then taking two more off the cup.... that would be why I flinched on the next low pitch! :D

And that's also why we flinch early in the next game, sometimes. Takes a while to rebuild some trust in a catcher after taking repeated shots.

I had one of those games a year ago, after getting hit the third time I told the catcher "catch those pitches." She said something about how she was trying. I responded with, well try harder.

And there's always the HS playoff game I had this year. Good pitcher & catcher - both are on decent or better college teams now. First pitch of the game was a drop. It hit the dirt at about 38 feet & then bounced solidly off the cup.

I flinched because on two previous pitches eye high the catcher did not catch the ball and both caught me at the top of the face mask. On the "3d strike" pitch I ducked and thus did not see the swing.

I know what I should have done, ie. call it a ball as I did not see and confirm that the batter "went around" but I did not.

Under these circumstances should I stick with my call or admit that I did not see the swing and call it a ball?

IMO, suck it up and stick with the call.

Stick with the call

Agreed!

How in the h*ll does an eye high pitch hit you in the mask if you are in your stance. Sounds to me like you were popping up in order to get hit on that high of a pitch.

When I was growing up, the "rules of the neighborhood" were you could walk up to another kid and act like you were going to hit him in the arm. If he flinched, you said, "Two for flinching" and got two free hits to his arm.

That is you. The batter owes you two in the arm.

Sounds like the "eye high" was James V's eyes, no catch there means "pow"

You are exactly correct!!
No catch, and I am adjusting my mask and glasses and talking with the catcher.
Jim

I know it's hard sometimes, but trust your equiptment and do not flinch!!! Sometimes we blues 'have to take one for the team.' The only thing you could have done is stick with your call!!

Good Luck, and keep hanging!