The text you're quoting:
(NOTE: If FILEHANDLE is a variable and the next token
is a term, it may be misinterpreted as an operator
unless you interpose a "+" or put parentheses around
the arguments.)
applies to the
print FILEHANDLE LIST form of
print. More relevant for your print statement is:
Also be careful not to follow the print keyword with
a left parenthesis unless you want the corresponding
right parenthesis to terminate the arguments to the
print--interpose a "+" or put parentheses around all
the arguments.
Without the "+", you would have
print(split)[2], $, ;
which is a syntax error.
