Playing Short

Question
Rule 5.2 Playing Short - "Under no circumstances shall a team be allowed to have less than eight (8) players in the batting order". Very simple. However, a long discussion came out of this. If a team starts with 2 AP's (11 batters) can they drop to 8? My answer is no, they can only drop to 10. But "the black and white" Umpires kept bringing up the rule. As I explained, that portion of the rule is for starting a game and a game in progress with only 9 players.

Response
5.2 Playing Short.
The very first sentence says “A team shall be allowed to play one player short”.
You are correct if you start with 2 APs batting 11, you may go down to 10 but no lower.
And for those that need every case spelled out:
If you start with 1 AP batting 10, you may go down to 9 but no lower.
If you start batting 9, you may go down to 8 but no lower.

5.2.B refers to a team starting shorthanded. The last sentence you quoted is meant to emphasis that a team starting with eight players may not go down any further. The team is really playing with a nine player line-up with the first eight batting positions filled and the ninth vacant.