Brandon Belt should be fined for taking that strike

Brandon Belt

From this morning's SF Chronicle:

The Giants blew opportunities before Brandon Belt struck out looking to end Sunday’s 10-inning loss to the Dodgers, but it still wasn’t easy to take. Especially because the Giants thought umpire Bruce Dreckman got the call wrong.

“Tough call in the end. It’s a ball,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “That’s the way the game goes sometimes: The call goes against you, the ball doesn’t bounce your way. Certainly, it wasn’t a strike.”

Belt vehemently objected to Dreckman. “I said it wasn’t close. He said it was close,” Belt said. “Even if it was close, close is not a strike." Belt pinch hit with Hunter Pence at second and two outs in a one-run game. Belt fouled off the first two offerings and worked the count to 2-2 before Kenley Jansen ended the game on a 91-mph cutter.

Belt was asked about fans who might have wondered if he should have swung at anything close with two strikes. “It wasn’t close, though,” Belt said. “I understand. They can say that all they want to, but a ball’s a ball. If I’m going to swing at a ball, everyone’s going to be a lot more mad if I swing at a ball and miss it.”

Rob's comment:

The pitch was in fact close, as the video clearly shows. I'll say it again: hitters who take called third strikes---especially in crucial situations like yesterday's game---should be fined.

Belt did the same thing---took a game-ending third strike---last year!

Bochy is an indulgent manager. Last year he was pleased that his team was having fun during a losing season.