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Posted By: davidcycleback

For me, a simple cuttoff for what is allowable and not allowable are the rules for the game. While the rules in baseball could be that a base runner does not have to touch the base to be safe, the rules are that he has to touch base to be safe. While the rule could have been written that a runner can run straight from second base to home, the rules say he is out he he does this.

If a fan hopes to change the rules about base running or anything else, that is accepted and encouraged. It's the American way. Rules are changed regularly. But until the rules are changed, the existing rules are what we use to judge and play the game.

And if one were to apply Jay's standard 'all or nothing' argument, if you think it's okay to break MLB's rule about steroids, does that mean you think it's okay to run the bases backwards or catch a fly on the third bounce and call it an out? All three are against the rules so if breaking one is okay, what would be wrong about breaking all three?

The rule of thumb is to follow the rules of the game, as their reason for existence is to be the arbitor in case of disagreements. If you want to change the rules for future games, that is acceptable behavior.

And if one were to argue that this argument of mine is somewhat dubious in the steroids context, as I would not have made it if steroids had not been clearly against MLB's rules, I would agree with him.