Rob.
It was intertesting to read true.
Appears to me that the "problem" and the inability to reach common ground, is because the 2 sides, umps and non-umps, are using an enirely different frame of reference.
The umps, in game, live in a world of "revealed knowledge", ie the rule book and MLB's interpretation of same. The rule interpretation taught is that there is no tie. So thats it, the end. Why are we talking about it anymore?
This clashes, obviously, with the real world when, clearly, a tie, as defined by too close to tell within the measurement system being used, is possible. Those of us that work in fields where revealed knowledge is spat upon have difficulty with this for obvious reasons, hence the repeated "but look it is possible"'s that keeep coming around and driving the umps nuts.
Maybe think of it like the theatre where it is "neccessary to suspend disbelief".
The game requires an outcome....safe/out. Therefore the game simply tells the umps whats true.. no ties just call it. I think the topic was closed because the umps have been down this road like several thousand times before and they simply weary of it.