Betting heavily on a high percentage hitter, especially one who has a good average and has performed consistently in the past, a seasoned rookie is likely to miss the decline in the hitter's performance, especially if it is interpresed with brilliant innings.
Here the verb-ing modifier (betting heavily ....... hitter) should ideally modify the noun 'a seasoned rookie'. But there is a non-essential modifier (highlighted in red) in between.
My question is can the verb-ing modifier hop over the non-essential modifier and modify the noun rookie ?
I read a concept on a forum that states if you remove the non-essential modifier you remove both the commas as well. So the above sentence essentially becomes:
Betting heavily on a high percentage hitter a seasoned rookie is likely to miss the decline in the hitter's performance, especially if it is interpresed with brilliant innings.
And this construction won't make sense as we need comma before the noun 'a seasoned rookie' for the verb-ing modifier to modify the noun.
Please correct my understanding on this one please.
Here the verb-ing modifier (betting heavily ....... hitter) should ideally modify the noun 'a seasoned rookie'. But there is a non-essential modifier (highlighted in red) in between.
My question is can the verb-ing modifier hop over the non-essential modifier and modify the noun rookie ?
I read a concept on a forum that states if you remove the non-essential modifier you remove both the commas as well. So the above sentence essentially becomes:
Betting heavily on a high percentage hitter a seasoned rookie is likely to miss the decline in the hitter's performance, especially if it is interpresed with brilliant innings.
And this construction won't make sense as we need comma before the noun 'a seasoned rookie' for the verb-ing modifier to modify the noun.
Please correct my understanding on this one please.
