Defensive Indifference

Down by one with two outs, the Twins had 1st and 3rd. Papelbon wasn't even looking at the runner on first, and color man Jerry Remy, predicted a defensive indifference. I turned to my brother, who for someone who doesn't like the Red Sox sure is watching a lot of them this year, and said "I'd pitch out, or at least try to get the runner out." As usual, the Rem Dawg was right. Defensive indifference. It was immediately followed by a bloop single to left, and Ellsbury didn't even attempt a throw, not that it would have mattered. The Twins walked off, Papelbon blew his second consecutive save attempt, probably for the first time since 2006.

I understand the point of defensive indifference, so the fielders aren't out of position. I'm even in favor of it with less than 2 outs and up by like 4. But you gotta figure, in this situation, if you throw the runner out, the game's over. I understand the risk of either a double steal or the ball going into centerfield, but still. If you get the runner, the game is over. Have the sabermetricians looked at this defensive indifference vs attempting to throw the guy out?