On Deck Batter

[rwest]

Originally Posted by HugoTafurst

I think NFHS is pretty clear....

"ART. 15 . . . The on-deck batter commits interference or offensive team equipment causes a blocked ball (and interference).

PENALTY: (Art. 15) The runner being played on is out. If no play is obvious, no player is out, but runners shall return to the last base touched at the time the ball is declared dead."

The words "and interference" in parenthesis is somewhat confusing to me. It's either interference and then we get an out or its a blocked ball and we put the runners back. You can't have a blocked ball and interference. The two are mutually exclusive. I guess you could say that interference by someone not in the game is a blocked ball but why confuse the matter. Just call it interference. The words "and interference" means that both a blocked ball and interference has to occur. That being said it is possible that we have a live ball play on in NFHS. If there was a blocked ball but no interference then what do we have? According to the rule above it has to be both blocked and interference.

The problem I have is how can you have interference if there is no play possible? What have you interfered with? Nothing. So, no I don't agree that it is clear.