[David B]

The biggest problem I see with a close play, (tie) is that most of the time the young umpires are afraid to make the out call.

I don't have the statistics but I remember reading somewhere that in a study done most of the calls that were considered missed on the close play at 1B was when the umpire made the safe call.

The lastest example was LLWS on the play at first that U1 called safe but replays showed a great play by the infielder beat the runner.

Now this was not a young umpire I would guess but he made the easy call instead of the out (hard call) IMO.

I've used the term "if in doubt call him out" before in training young umpires in jest but I do believe there's some merit in that theory for the "young umpire" since most of the time they are afraid to make the out call.

Once they are confident in themselves and are willing to make the call "as they see it" instead of what they might have predicted or assumed was going to happen they usually are more willing to make the right call.

As we see in MLB though there are no guarantees.

Thanks
DAvid