[Manny A]

I've looked in the ASA book for any reference to situations where an offensive player or coach may interfere with a live ball, but because there was no play being made at the time, an out of a runner isn't really warranted. For example, runner at second advances to third on a wild pitch that caroms off the catcher toward the on-deck batter, the ODB picks up the ball and tosses it to the catcher, and there was no possible play by the catcher on the runner.

In fact, RS #33 says, in part, "When batter, batter-runner, on-deck batter or coach interference occurs, the ball is dead, someone must be called out, and each other runner must return to the last base touched at the time of the interference."

The only thing close refers to blocked balls by loose equipment in RS #17, where if a play is not apparent, no one is called out. But can you have a similar "blocked ball" situation involving players or coaches where an out is not warranted? The definition of Blocked Ball in Rule 1 does refer to a person not engaged in the game, but I cannot find anything under Rule 8, particularly 8-8, that references a scenario involving a blocked ball by a person.

Or am I just not looking in the right place?