California Angels fans sitting in the boxseat should consider bringing a helmet this season. When Josh Hamlton was at the plate, on-deck batter Adrian Beltre swung a bat in the bottom of the dugout...most times.

The 2013 OBR is now available on the mlb website.

6.05(h) has been amended. It now reads, in part:

"If a whole bat is thrown into fair or foul territory and interferes with a defensive player attempting to make a play, interference shall be called, whether intentional or not." (Emphasis added to indicate the change.)

dash,
I don't think 6.05h is typically applicable to the situation being discussed here.
1) The topic of 6.05h refers to hitting or bunting a fair ball. It seems obvious to me (and others) that the entire rule applies when the ball is struck by the bat.
2) 6.05h comment refers to a play, so the rule also depends on the meaning of "play". IMO, a catcher attempting to catch a pitch is not normally a "play". It probably would be part of a play of a runner were stealing, however, since one way to define a "play or attempted play" is an attempt to retire a runner.

1. I thought about that, Dave. 6.05(h) Comment lists 5 separate rulings. All of them specifically refer to a batted ball except the one about a whole bat being thrown. I think that is conspicuous.

2. That's a good point, but by that definition, a fielder fielding a ground ball isn't making a play either. Interference is certainly possible without a play on a runner.

Dash, I don't believe the discussion here was ever about intentional or not. Most everyone of us would penalize a batter for interfering with a catcher trying to make a play or throwing a runner out, whether it was by an intentional or unintentional release of the bat.

The discussion was about certain individuals believing that the involuntary release of the bat on a swing , could be characterized as "careless" , depending upon where and how far it traveled.