Interference? 2 outs, man on 2nd. Batter swings and misses strike 2. Ball pops out of catchers mit and rolls by batters foot. Batter stumbles around it, then sees it and kicks it to the catcher (non-malicious). Ump calls him out
by 
Paul
ANSWERS: 2
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It's not up to you or me to determine the batter's intent if he appears to deliberately kick the ball toward (or away from) the catcher. That ball is in play (not a dead ball as you have categorized the Q), and the umpire may call the batter out for interference in his judgment. I doubt if the batter would have been called out if he was "stumbling around" the dropped ball, but if he got his balance and then aimed a kick in any direction, while the runner on second has a chance to advance to third, then it's clearly interference.
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If the runner had been attempting to steal third on the play then for sure the batter would be called out on interference. If the runner wasn't going anywhere and the batter simply kicked the ball to the catcher to give him the ball, then I think the umpire "over-umpired" by calling the batter out. I would have simply told the batter to not touch the ball. Granted, the batter has learned the hard way about not touching the ball but in my opinion not something that is worthy of an out call. However, by the letter of the rulebook the umpire was correct. The batter intentionally touch a live ball so the batter is out.
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