[SanDiegoSteve]

Well, I once had a very famous and well respected local Varsity coach come out on me, and with stank breath in my face let me know in no uncertain terms that "we're paying you good money to make that call!" So, that is just the way the good folks of baseball want it called. Ball there way before the runner, and any kind of tag put down there results in a big, fat out.

I learned the hard way on that call. My "safe, no tag!" call got me a big butt chewing, and I have taken much less grief by making the expected call ever since. Occasionally, a coach or player will briefly whine "he didn't tag me, Blue" but that is usually the extent of it.

I don't think it's lazy baseball, I just think that poor baserunning should not be rewarded because of some fancy hook-slide at the last second. If it's a bang-bang play, by all means get it right. But don't call a runner safe when the tag has been waiting on the runner.