I kinda botched this one up up a bit...

I raise to $3 from EP with . 3 players and the SB call.

Flop ($15) is . SB checks to me and I bet $7.50. (i guess i should have bet more here.) MP player calls.

Turn ($30) is . not the card i was looking for. I think I'm beat, I check, MP bets $15. He was a little short-stacked so he only had $5 left after this bet. I think for a long time, say "n catch" and fold. he shows .

I was new to the table and had no info on the player. Was the flop bet too weak? I didn't like the flop. With 5 players seeing it, I just had this feeling that somebody was sitting on a set or a draw they were going to call anything with.

The check on the turn is obviously super weak and at that point I was basically giving up the hand anyway.

Afterwards I asked the guy why he called that bet on the turn with just the A and he said, "So I could bluff the turn"...

Good play, I guess, though I don't imagine 90% of the players at Party are laying that down...

You said it all - you needed to bet more on the flop. If he's going to push you off the pot with any Spade or Ace then he has 14 pseudo-outs, which is easily enough to call your 1/2 pot bet.

I'd make it about $12 on the flop.