[quote=IRISHMAFIA;609195]From the MLB Official Rules, Section 2.00 Definitions:
A DEAD BALL is a ball out of play because of a legally created temporary
suspension of play.
“TIME” is the announcement by an umpire of a legal interruption of play, during
which the ball is dead
This seems to be the difference. In softball (speaking ASA), TIME is a voluntary suspension of play granted by the umpire and a DEAD BALL is a situation where the ball becomes dead for any particular reason other than when TIME is invoked by the umpire.
In baseball, TIME is the declaration offered for both scenarios.
It seems to be similar to INT versus OBS. In baseball, there is "defensive interference" and "obstruction". The DI is when a member of the defense hinders the batter from hitting the ball and OBS when a member of the defense hinders a runner. In softball, anytime the defense hinders the offense, it is OBS.