Hbp

[BretMan]

Quite often, when you see an umpire make an unusual call, then explain it away with, "It's a new rule this year", what you're getting is the umpiring version of, "The check's in the mail".

I don't really see how you could read the rule, then read that point of emphasis, and still come away thinking that a batter gets a free base for letting the ball hit him. So even if this guy was aware of the "rule change" (which was, for all intents and purposes, really more of an editorial change), he certainly doesn't seem to be aware of it's interpretation and application.