Catcher Verbal Interference

[GaBo]

In USSSA senior softball, can the catcher be constantly talking while the pitch to the batter is in the air or is there such a ruling in the rule book that classifies that as verbal interference and the pitch is a dead ball ball?

 

[EAJuggalo]

I'm not 100% sure about senior rules but in USSSA National rules there is such a thing as Catcher's Obstruction. If the catcher is constantly talking it probably doesn't rise to the level of obstruction, generally it's more of a shouting just before or during the swing that would get that call. I've told catcher's to tone it down when they're getting close to the line. In 12 years of umpiring USSSA, I think I've called it twice. The penalty is the batter is awarded first base. This call is entirely up to the judgement of the umpire, you can ask but every umpire's judgement of it is going to be different.