There is never a time that is acceptable for a first baseman not to have his foot on the bag. Yes, I can see a bad throw but not when it is a routine throw and the ball beats the runner by a mile.
I say that you take every ground ball in which a throw was made to first base in every major league game played last year, including the post season, I bet that the first baseman NEVER failed to touch the bag when fielding a routine throw with the runner no where close to the bag....
For anyone to think that this is acceptable has lowered there standards and expectations of the developer. The same goes for a first baseman dropping a routine throw. Not saying it never happens but it doesn't happen enough for it to be coded into the game....
Let's put it this way, if in the game the first baseman never missed the bag or never dropped a routine throw I guarantee no one would even notice it. Now missing a throw in the dirt (scooping everything) is a different story. That is believable...