[greymule]

I'm guessing this is one of those interpretations covered by the professional umpire's manual- the one that I don't have any access to!

I don't see it in there. However:

J/R: "If a batter chops a ball toward the dirt or the plate and it immediately strikes or comes up and strikes the batter, or his bat, it is a foul ball only and not interference. This usually occurs while the ball is over foul territory, but can occur over fair territory."

"It is not interference if [the batter's] batted ball bounces and immediately comes up and hits the bat a second time while the batter is still in the batter's box (foul ball)." [2002 BRD: "The same rule would apply to a batted ball hitting the batter."]

Evans gives some history and acknowledges the problem but seems to say that the safest call is foul: "Professional umpires try to scrutinize the exact feet location when a drag bunt is attempted. In most all [sic] other situations in which the batter is hit with his fair batted ball, the ball is ruled 'foul' if the batter is still within the confines of the batter's box."

[Emphasis is mine.]

Perhaps the best way to call it is similar to "ball hits bat" versus "bat hits ball." If the ball bounces up sharply and hits the batter over fair territory before a foot is out of the box, then call it foul. If the batter's foot, not yet on the ground, hits the ball over fair territory, then call the out, with benefit of the doubt going to the batter.

Richard, you might be interested to know that a co-worker recently finished his Ph.D. at Penn, his thesis being on what educational factors are key to success. The single most important course was geometry. (Now whether studying geometry leads to success or people who are going to be successful take geometry is another question, but geometry was the key marker.)