BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: NY Daily News: Joe Girardi eager to see ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte throw for New York Yankees

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

NY Daily News: Joe Girardi eager to see ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte throw for New York Yankees

Venditte wears a six-finger glove that he can use on both hands, as he pitches lefthanded to lefty batters and righthanded against righties. When a switch-hitter comes to the plate, Venditte must declare which way he intends to pitch, at which time the hitter can make his own decision.

bobm Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:34 AM | 34 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: yankees

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. Petuniaviles Posted: March 31, 2010 at 06:03 AM (#3489252)

Saw highlights of this tonight. It was as completely awesome as I had expected. The 'analysts' seemed to be giving some credence to the idea that he might make the team, which would be phenomenal.

2. Liver of blaspheming 'zop Posted: March 31, 2010 at 06:20 AM (#3489258)

At the least, I really hope this means that Venditte is going to get some organization support. He deserves it after carving up the low minors like a Passover brisket.

3. Harry Balsagne's transparent jealousy

Posted: March 31, 2010 at 06:49 AM (#3489265)

As a kid I used to wonder why this didn't happen. What an advantage if you could make it work.

4. RollingWave Posted: March 31, 2010 at 06:57 AM (#3489270)

he's not going to make the team this year (at least out of ST) and scouts have generally been worried about his stuff, but if he keep carving them up like he did in the minors last year he's going to get a few shot at least.

5. Chipper Jonestown Massacre Posted: March 31, 2010 at 07:13 AM (#3489275)

"I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous." -Yogi Berra

6. Chipper Jonestown Massacre Posted: March 31, 2010 at 07:17 AM (#3489276)

The interesting thing is that when a switch-hitter comes to the plate (as happened on Tue.), Venditte has to "declare" which arm he's gonna throw with, so that the batter can set up in the proper batter's box.

7. grumpyyankee Posted: March 31, 2010 at 10:40 AM (#3489305)

Played summer ball with a kid who threw both ways, he pitched at Rider I believe. Had eerily similar motions from both sides but was more effective as a lefty, more movement. Low 80's FB, curve. He had done it his whole life and said the issue was warming up, so even by high school he would generally only do one or the other in a game. Start the first game of a double header on the mound, throwing righty. Play game 2 as a lefty 1B, pitch in relief. Somehting like that.

A good friend of mine had a teammate at Harvard who also did this and had the same issue, just difficult to be warmed up sufficiently to switch at a moment's notice.

8. jwb Posted: March 31, 2010 at 11:06 AM (#3489308)

If you haven't seen him pitch, you should.

9. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:05 PM (#3489317)

Who was the guy who could do this maybe ten, fifteen years ago? He was a good relief pitcher, not great I don't think but definitely good, relatively long career? I think he was on the Red Sox for a while?

I think he got a chance to do it in his last game ever, or something like that, just as a favor to him. Meanwhile, I remember at least one of his prior managers saying that he didn't allow it because it would "make a mockery of the game", or something absurd like that.

I'm glad that Girardi is "intrigued". That previous manager was asinine, whoever he was.

10. Chipper Jonestown Massacre Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:13 PM (#3489318)

Who was the guy who could do this maybe ten, fifteen years ago?

That was Greg A. Harris.

11. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:17 PM (#3489319)

And the manager who finally let him do it was Felipe Alou. Don't know which of his previous managers made the mockery comment.

12. Best Regards, Larry M. Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:21 PM (#3489321)

Meanwhile, I remember at least one of his prior managers saying that he didn't allow it because it would "make a mockery of the game", or something absurd like that.

Switch-pitchers don't make a mockery of the game any more than switch-hitters do. That back-and-forth nonsense a while ago with the switch-hitter and Venditte, that was a mockery of the game, but there's a rule for that.

13. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:29 PM (#3489323)

Don't know which of his previous managers made the mockery comment.

I think it was a Red Sox manager; if so, it would have been either Joe Morgan or Butch Hobson. I may be misremembering, though.

14. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:32 PM (#3489324)

Ah! No, it was not a manager - it was a general manager: Lou Gorman:

Harris' unusual ability to pitch with both hands led to some tension between him and the Red Sox, who forbade the ambidextrous hurler from throwing lefty. GM Lou Gorman insisted it would "make a mockery" of the game, leading Harris to grumble, "Boston is so conservative. People are afraid to try anything." In a muted show of defiance, Harris usually chose to wear an ambidextrous glove on the mound.

source

15. willcarrolldoesnotsuk Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:37 PM (#3489325)

Oooooh, and here's another pitcher who has done it: Ice Box Chamberlin.

16. Accent Shallow Posted: March 31, 2010 at 12:56 PM (#3489331)

As RollingWave mentioned, Venditte apparently doesn't have great stuff from either side, but if he keeps obliterating the minors, who knows. He's been a little old for his levels thus far, so we'll see how AA treats him, or if the Yankees send him back to the FSL.

17. Gamingboy Posted: March 31, 2010 at 01:05 PM (#3489333)

Venditte, should he make the majors, will join Mariano Rivera and Curtis Granderson on my "Yankees I don't Hate" list.

18. Cowboy Popup Posted: March 31, 2010 at 01:07 PM (#3489335)

He's been a little old for his levels thus far, so we'll see how AA treats him, or if the Yankees send him back to the FSL.

It would be such a waste to send him back to the FSL. It makes sense to move him along slowly, but he destroyed the FSL, he needs to move on. And I imagine he will do very well in Trenton considering the ballpark.

19. Der_K is feeling better now. Posted: March 31, 2010 at 01:12 PM (#3489336)

Supposedly, he's going back to Tampa - which would be stupid if they think has any chance at all to contribute in the majors. He's been old for his leagues and has moxie coming out of his ears - let him face experienced hitters and see what happens.

20. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 01:20 PM (#3489340)

Joe Girardi eager to see ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte throw for New York Yankees

As are we all, Joe.

21. Cabbage Posted: March 31, 2010 at 01:46 PM (#3489355)

22. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 01:46 PM (#3489357)

When Venditte made his debut down here in Charleston last year, Mike Veeck hyped it for all it was worth (as you can imagine), so I assumed the kid was just a freak show attraction. He certainly has put up decent numbers in single A, but I'm not sure how effective he'll be at higher levels

23. Robinson Cano Plate Like Home Posted: March 31, 2010 at 02:15 PM (#3489376)

I realize that the rules require the pitcher to declare which arm he's throwing with, but I think it would be more in keeping with the spirit of the game if it were the other way around. Since two-armed pitchers are so rare, it seems like giving a little strategic advantage to the really unique guy would be more interesting, and not much of a burden on the game.

And it was an ad hoc rule at that, not a long-standing rule or anything.

I'd love to see him go gloveless, hold the ball with both hands in front, and let you wonder which way the ball was coming as he began to rock back into the windup. Combine that with a quick-pitch kind of delivery (come set right in front without signaling which arm), and you should be able to get major leaguers out, even with less-than-stellar stuff.

24. b Posted: March 31, 2010 at 02:36 PM (#3489390)

Agree with Cabbage. The first part of an at bat, as far as I can tell, is the batter stepping into the box. I'm not sure why that should change here.

25. Martin Hemner

Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:14 PM (#3489427)

True, although Venditte does have the advantage of choosing the hitter's "weaker" side. For some switch hitters, that's a big advantage.

26. Tracy Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:49 PM (#3489473)

Oooooh, and here's another pitcher who has done it: Ice Box Chamberlin.

Ice Box Venditte has a nice ring to it.

27. Tracy Posted: March 31, 2010 at 03:51 PM (#3489477)

Tony Mullane, The Apollo of the Box, also switch-pitched.

28. Karl from NY Posted: March 31, 2010 at 05:35 PM (#3489604)

I agree, the rule is backwards. The hitter should choose first. The hitter must pick a batter's box and stand within it. But the pitcher can do anything he wants on the mound, just needs to have either foot on the rubber.

29. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: March 31, 2010 at 05:45 PM (#3489618)

The rule is not backwards. Nor is it ad hoc. It's just an extension of the same rule that gives the offense the last change in a pinch hitter/relief pitcher situation. Offense is entitled to the platoon advantage if they want it. Period. The only problem when the switch hitter/switch pitcher situation arose was that the umpires didn't know the rule.

30. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 05:51 PM (#3489627)

I think he should be allowed to change pitching hand mid batter. That would be awesome.

31. Charlie O Posted: March 31, 2010 at 09:19 PM (#3489951)

Campy Campaneris did it as a minor leaguer in 1962. It's a shame he didn't do it in the game he played all nine positions for the A's.

32. Athletic Supporter leads the nation in drifters Posted: March 31, 2010 at 09:26 PM (#3489960)

I think he should be allowed to change pitching hand mid batter. That would be awesome.

I thought the rule was that he and the batter would both get 1 switch per at-bat.

33. Francoeur Sans Gages (AlouGoodbye) Posted: March 31, 2010 at 09:40 PM (#3489973)

It's hard to believe Venditte can be successful in the majors with a mid-80s fastball. But stranger things have happened. I do hope the Yankees put him in AA because if they treat him as organisational fodder, I'll die inside a little - strictly speaking he's a non-prospect, but come on! Inside that black armored suit and respirator, Cashman, does a human heart still beat?

34. Chase Insteadman Wannabe Posted: March 31, 2010 at 10:28 PM (#3490022)

The Yankees drafted Venditte twice, so clearly they do like him.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

NY Daily News: Joe Girardi eager to see ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte throw for New York Yankees

Reader Comments and Retorts

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics