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Yesterday, Craig Cress came to Atlanta, Georgia for a rules clinic. Obviously, the new double first base rule was discussed.
Per Craig (and he is now the top rules guy in ASA), the new rule is the same for both offense and defense. Even though the wording in the rule doesn't spell it out vis-a-vis the defense, once the batter-runner passes first base for the first time, there is now a 15x30 double base that both runner and defense may use to make a play.
Example play, R1 on 1st, steals on the pitch, batter hits fly ball down the right field line. RF makes the catch, and throws back to 1B to double off R1, who is returning to tag up. 1B can stretch from the orange bag, and make the out from that bag.
Again, Craig recognized that the wording in the rule book doesn't state the defense can use either bag, just the offense. However, he stated that was the intent of the rule, and that nothing in the rule as currently written would contradict that intent.
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