Eventually the Sun Will Explode...

What if that was a reason not to do something?

There's this phenomenon in baseball that I don't understand.
Here's my humble attempt to explain it:

Every now and then a game will be a blow out, that is, the game will be won before it is technically won for one of the two teams involved.

Let's say for arguments sake the aforementioned team is up by 9.

Furthermore, it's the ninth inning.

So, to summarize so far; one team up by 9 runs in the final inning of play.
Additionally hypothetically, there's 1 out and a man on first.

In this hypothetical situation the runner on first attempts to steal second on the 1-1 pitch to the current batter. (It doesn't have to be the 1-1 pitch but that just paints a more vivid image now doesn't it?)

The catcher, upon receiving the 1-1 pitch (a ball in this instance) does not attempt to throw the runner out at second. This is due to an unwritten rule titled (I believe) defensive indifference.
(Note: This may or may not be the name of this phenomenon but I'm not feeling up to Googling things at the moment, you are of course welcome to, but the fact will remain unchanged by the use of its proper title.)

In any case no attempt is made to throw out the runner. He is not granted a stolen base (statistically speaking) Nor are any of the catcher's statistics affected. He is simply a man, standing on second base rather than first for no real reason other than to decrease the likelihood of a potential double play. He is admittedly geographically closer to home as the path of the baseline permits, however is more literally no closer to victory than he was standing on first. At least that's what the unwritten rule would have you believe.

And it may very well be true. In the grand scheme of things that run probably doesn't mean anything and will likely not be the first brick which is layeth down during the oppositions ultimate construction of victory. However, one could argue (and I would like to...fervently if anyone would listen) that the catcher only stands to benefit from attempting to throw him out.

Worse case scenario: You throw the ball over second base and into center field. The runner advances to third. Maybe even scores. Who cares? The unwritten rule states the run doesn't matter. And so it shall be so. What's the difference if he scores now or later?

Best case scenario: You throw him out at second. Win the game, which ends earlier as a result of your heroics (you being the catcher) and you go on to both meet the woman of your dreams and discover an alien life form with mental capacity and bone structure similar to ours thanks to circumstances completely related to that seemingly insignificant decision to simply throw the ball to second.

Final Thought -
The Channel Catfish is the state fish of Nebraska.
In other news, the Channel Catfish is the state fish of Missouri.
...
What's that about...?