Home Run base running adventures

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I think you answered your own question before you asked it.

I realize that. But the lack of specificity in the FED rule (why leave out "while the ball is live" or "and the ball is in play" from the rule when ASA and NCAA include that language?) makes one wonder.

The rationale behind the rule is not just to penalize the offense when it does something physical that allows a runner to get somewhere quicker than if she had not been assisted. It also penalizes the offense when it physically helps a runner correct a mistake, such as on a missed base or on a failed tag-up. Those can happen during both live and dead ball situations.

I believe in baseball, the rule on physical assistance is not limited to live ball play. Since the FED rule doesn't specifically state it, it could be considered the same.