[Tru_in_Blu]

I'm a bit late seeing this. I thought maybe the forum had closed down.

Regarding dropping the bat, haven't kids been told for decades when learning to bunt, drop the bat right in front of the plate and maybe the catcher trips over it. Wouldn't that be on the catcher?

I would think that unless a bat was thrown, accidentally or intentionally, and it impacts a defensive player's attempt to make a play on the batted ball, we just let it play out.

If hitting a fly ball to the outfield or an infield grounder, dropping the bat around the batter's box would have no impact on a play. If a popup up near home plate and the batter doesn't flip the bat in the direction of the catcher but simply drops it to the ground, I don't think it would constitute INT if the catcher stepped on it or kicked it.