[wadeintothem]

I'll bite a little on the tie base goes to the runner stuff...

1) I think in reality there are few instances where its exactly a tie.. but because we are humans, not slow mo replay.. depending on what side you are on.. offense, defense, or an umpire.. it will be seen differently. So if you um.. "see" the out and sell it its more acceptable than if you sit and call safe all day for "tie base" because you cant tell it was an out.

In some situations I would put "tie base goes to the runner" in the same category at an acceptable strike zone vs legal strike zone.

At higher levels (not nose to toes 10U).. legally you can call a pitch where half the ball runs acrossed the arm pits .. but your credibility will suffer, both sides will know you are screwing them, and you will really take a deserved beating from the fans players and coaches.. and you could walk around wearing the strike zone rule pinned to your shirt and it wouldnt mean anything.

Same thing with tie base ..

People (maybe its MLB conditioning) on a clean play expect the out. Even the team favored this time will see you "screwed" the other team and when you screw them, your credibility has suffered. Everyone saw you screw the team out of a great play and they will be waiting for you to screw their team.

Example, a clean double play where you may think its a "tie"..well IMO, its not, its a sell out.

I would call it "in the trenches survivability" .. mens FP, higher level ball .. good clean plays - the out is expected.. perhaps a benefit of doubt to defense on good plays on the bases. I would not suggest an umpire ever using the words "tie base goes to the runner" (for sure dont call it a myth either!) in their on the field vocabulary.

Thats just my .02 and I already know many disagree.

If the ball dont beat the runner, its safe.. thats known. But I think theres a little more to effectively calling the game from the field when you have quick plays and fast good players who know what they are doing.. what is acceptable and what is expected.. just like with a strike zone.