2010 ASA Exam

[Tru_in_Blu]

Entering the batter's box is not the same as entering the field of play.

If you can head this off at the pass, everyone's better for it.

When the surgeon enters the operating room, he's surrounded by any number of tools. Hopefully he's not intending to use them all. He might ask the attending nurse for a particular implement and receive the wrong one. If the surgeon or someone else notices before it's used, everyone's better for it.

There's a reason why "intent" was removed from so many of the interference scenarios. It's too difficult to determine. Yes, I can see where the 1st batter of the game might approach HP with an illegal/altered bat and we could surmise that it was his intent to use it. But the rule is not violated until s/he enters the batter's box. And that's the truth - you could look it up.