I am perplexed by one of the changes that came out of December's rules conclave. Rule 9.1X (Dead Ball) covering a batted ball striking a base runner before passing or touching an infielder was amended by adding the phrase "including the pitcher", making the pitcher an infielder for the purpose of this rule. I cannot imagine a circumstance under which a batted ball could strike a base runner before it has passed the pitcher. What am I missing here? If a batted ball strikes a runner after it has passed the pitcher, is the runner still out, while the ball remains alive? Or is the batter no longer out?

Further confusing the issue (to me, anyway) is the citation to see also rule 8.2C which was not changed and which reads, "If the runner is hit by the ball ... before it passes an infielder (excluding the pitcher), the ball is dead ..." So the pitcher is an infielder under 9.1X but not an infielder under 8.1C(2) even though these two rules seem to apply to exactly the same situation?

Sorry if I am missing something obvious here, but I keep coming up with contradictions and confusion.

Thanks in advance for any clarifications.

Fearless ... Looks as though the Rulebook editor (that would be me!), got those two provisions mixed up in transferring the minutes notes to the edits ... There will be a corrected version, along with a couple other items, in the next few days ... Thanks!

before it passes an infielder (excluding the pitcher), the ball is dead .

I would go with the wording: "of any infielder other than the pitcher".