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Originally Posted by RichMSN
You act like this is an absolute rule. It's not. I'll tell you right now: On every "coin-flip" play as you describe, I call the runner out. It's consistent and I don't really care what kind of play a fielder made on the ball. NFHS, NCAA, it doesn't matter.
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The reason why umpires shouldn't care how remarkable a play was made is that I've seen many umpires kick calls where the runner was safe by a really small amount, but the umpire rewards the great play and calls the runner out. I honestly try not to become a spectator on the truly great plays - I have a job to do.
There are umpires, newer ones especially, who see plays a lot closer than those who have seen these types of plays for years. Calling someone out when they beat the throw by .10 second is not going to win friends and influence people.
But when a play is truly "too close to call" for me, and it does happen once in a great while, I call the runner out. Like I said, it's consistent - and if I can't tell the difference, nobody else without a stop-action camera can either. If there's a 50 percent chance I'm going to be wrong, I'd rather it be when I called an out. Sue me.