Batter picking up the ball

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

This is probably most properly ruled "weak interference" - kill it, send the runners back, tell the BR he really shouldn't ought to do that.

Could someone offer a quick refresher primer on the definition of "weak interference", the penalty (see quote above?), the source of the rule (it's a Jaska/Roder interpretation, right?), and a couple of typical examples (hitting the catcher with the backswing?). Thanks.

In the OP, it sounds like there was a small possibility that F2 might have had a pickoff play. If so, I would give the benefit of the doubt to the non-offending team, and call BR out for interference.