MLB "Switch Pitcher"

[CGI_Ram]

Amazing.

2 innings of scoreless work, too.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Wow. That's amazing to have MLB talent with both arms.
This is MUCH more difficult than switch hitting.

 

[PARAM]

Wow. That's amazing to have MLB talent with both arms.
This is MUCH more difficult than switch hitting.

Funny thing you mentioned switch hitting. During the A's/Sox game today I heard there's a rule named after him. The first guy he faced in professional baseball was a switch hitter. When the guy got into the batters box, Venditte put the ball in the hand that favored him. The guy in the box stepped out and went to the other side of the plate, so Venditte switched up too. As this potential stalemate might prolong a game and by comparison, make a Yankees/RedSox game seem to go by in a flash, they consequently made the Venditte rule.....the pitcher must declare which arm he's going to throw with first and the switch hitter can then choose from which side of the dish he's going to hit. I don't know why they favored the hitter in that ruling though......the team in the field is already at a disadvantage when it comes to pinch hitters and relief pitchers.....you can pinch hit for a pinch hitter without him taking a swing but once you bring a pitcher in he has to pitch to at least 1 batter.

 

[fearsomefour]

Pretty cool.
Billy Beanes wet dream....two arms for one salary.

 

[dieterbrock]

He was in the Yankees farm system forever Couldn't understand why they didn't bring him up

Wild stuff

 

[Stranger]

Let's go oakland

 

[fearsomefour]

He was in the Yankees farm system forever Couldn't understand why they didn't bring him up

Wild stuff

The same reason they don't allow facial hair.
The are not progressive in any way. They want robots and if a guy doesn't fix the mold or is different they don't bring them up.

 

[fearsomefour]

Let's go oakland

Not looking great now.
I would bet they make a bit of a run the second half and get into the AL West discussion.

 

[CGI_Ram]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...-with-a-single-shoulder-injury-214011619.html

And just like that, the baseball world is without our switch-pitching hero Pat Venditte again.

Venditte, the Oakland Athletics reliever who pitches with both his right and left arms, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a right shoulder strain. He was called up last Friday and the world went gaga over baseball's first amphibiousambidextrous pitcher of the modern era.

Sorry to ruin your jokes, but yes, Venditte just hurt one of his shoulders, so he could still pitch with his left arm, but the A's wouldn't prefer it. John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group explains their thinking:

The strength of Venditte’s game is his ability to match up with the opposing lineup, throwing right-handed against right-handed batters and lefty against left-handed hitters. He isn’t overpowering from either side, but his matchups tend to negate the opposing hitters’ strength.

So while he could still conceivably throw left-handed only, his biggest weapon would be gone, so the A’s decided to do what they can to get him well because he’s proven in just a week to be an asset in the A’s bullpen.

Also, the A’s are overloaded with lefty relievers in Eric O’Flaherty, Drew Pomeranz and Fernando Abad. What the club needs is another right-hander, so they’ve recalled Arnold Leon from Triple-A Nashville.

Venditte has been more than a gimmick thus far. He pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in four games. This was Venditte's first stint in the big leagues after eight seasons in the minors. You have to figure he'll be eager to return as soon as possible.​

 

[dieterbrock]

The same reason they don't allow facial hair.
The are not progressive in any way. They want robots and if a guy doesn't fix the mold or is different they don't bring them up.

Well that's not true. First of all they all were wearing porno style mustache earlier this year and second the Yankees bullpen has been ridiculously strong over the past few years that Venditte couldn't get his shot.
Just saying that it's a cool story and I've seen him pitch live. It's pretty wild

 

[fearsomefour]

Well that's not true. First of all they all were wearing porno style mustache earlier this year and second the Yankees bullpen has been ridiculously strong over the past few years that Venditte couldn't get his shot.
Just saying that it's a cool story and I've seen him pitch live. It's pretty wild

Yeah, I was just blathering.....
my basic premise is F the Yankees.

 

[PARAM]

What I find strange is this. If the guy throws with both arms making him invulnerable to matchup problems....(unless he's facing a switch hitter)....shouldn't it make him invulnerable to a shoulder problem sending him to the DL? If your right shoulder is sore, you've become a lefty and vice versa.

As far as the Yankees being non-progressive, I suppose that's true to a degree. But their success kinda makes progressiveness a moot point.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

He was in the Yankees farm system forever Couldn't understand why they didn't bring him up

Wild stuff

He was just an average prospect. Venditte did great at the lower levels but evened out a bit as he moved up.

I thought they would have kept him just because the unique ability would get more press.