Batter picks up live ball

[UmpJM]

falsecut,

If no one on the defense has possession of the ball and there is not a throw on the way from one member of the defense to another, there is no play.

So, if the batter picks up a ball that is lying on the ground, there cannot be a play. J/R refers to it as "interference without a play". Call time, return runners, let the batter know he really shouldn't ought to do that, and get things going again.

JM