[greymule]

I'm aware that there's no mention of intent. I was just wondering whether we could infer intent from the way they worded the rule. Why not say simply "contacts a player not engaged in the game"?

So we are to treat a throw that hits the ODB as blocked in all cases, the same as if it hit offensive equipment lying in front of the dugout. It is a dead ball immediately. If it prevents an out (not likely, but possible), we now treat it as interference and call the runner closest to home out. If it does not prevent an out, we still send runners back to their last bases touched—even a runner two steps from home—the same as we would if the ball hit a bunch of bats lined up on the fence outside the dugout.