The umpire signaled a strikeout. What if JP lunges at the batter for the tag? You know, just to be sure?
Well, there are many reasons why he shouldn't - most important among them that he does not have to, the batter has been called out.
The implication that he made a mental error is itself an erroneous assumption. What would happen if the batter avoided the tag? If the ball were dropped? If the throw to first were errant?
None of these matter as the batter was clearly called out by the umpire, and called out in exactly the manner that other clean strikeout victims had been called out in the game.
Josh Paul did nothing wrong, save punching Doug Eddings in the fucking face.