[EsqUmp]

Here's the terrible interpretation unsupported by the rules and rules supplement:

Charged Conference?
Regarding a charge conference, should a coach be charged with a conference for going to the area of the eight-foot circle, talking to the pitcher, and then making a pitching change? What if the coach informs the umpire prior to talking to the pitcher?

In order to answer these questions we must visit the definition of “Charged Conference”. The definition states that a charge conference is: “When a team representative requests a suspension of play or DELAYS the game for the purpose of ‘delivering a message’ to another team member.” In the first question the team representative – coach – spoke with the pitcher thus delivering a message to that player and then informed the umpire that the pitcher was being removed. This IS a charged conference. With respect to the second question, if the coach informs the umpire that the pitcher is being removed and then proceeds to the eight-foot circle, it is NOT considered a conference. In this instance it is simply part of the pitching change (editor's note: Isn't taking the ball and saying "Good game" simply part of the pitching change?"; therefore, a conference should not be charged as the purpose of the visit is to change pitchers and not to deliver a message.

The sequence is the key, not whether the foul line was crossed by the coach. Again, if the umpire is informed of the pitching change prior to a message being delivered, a conference is NOT charged.