Jon, I don’t think that the call could possibly be deemed appropriate.  The rules provide:

for the benefit of the runners.

How did that call benefit the runners?  Even if the “decision should be made immediately” (“for the benefit of the runners”), and so was made immediately, there’s no benefit here from the call.  The ball is too close in to tag up if caught and since the runners know that, they can get enough of a lead to either make the next base if the ball is dropped or return to base if the ball is caught. 

In other words, I would vehemently disagree on the matter of the timing of the call being the only issue. It was simply a poor call in every relevant respect. 

Lastly, though I have been a not infrequent critic, well, at least in relation to my posting frequency, and witness the above, if consistent with the will of Deity, then I hope that you recharge the batteries over the off-season.  May not necessarily mean the same to you any longer, but judging from the comments, appears to mean something to some others. Maybe you might try enlisting folks like Timmermann to write some daily pieces for you, so you do less, and you can justify the same quite easily, as that’s what you need to do in order to deal psychologically with the Dodgers (we can justify everything but murder, rape, pillage and plunder with the stated rationale for your blog). 

Almost forgot, but am excited for Carl next season.  Well and truly an over pay but so long as the same does not stop them from making moves, well, it’s their money and not mine.  But Carl should earn more of his contract in the NL West than in the AL East, given the larger outfields in the NL West.  Now if we can only convince Don to have Matt go the BJ Upton route and play a shallower CF (far more balls drop in the front of the CF than ever have a chance of going over his head).  And perhaps Matt can play a step more towards RF, as that would help as well (Carl can cover the one step).

NPUT