The Oakland Athletics have called up switch pitcher Pat Venditte to make his major-league debut, according to multiple reports. Gary Sharp of Omaha's 1620 The Zone was first to report the news, followed by MLB.com's Jane Lee.
Venditte uses a special six-fingered glove and typically throws left-handed to left-handed batters and right-handed to right-handed batters. Against switch hitters, Venditte must declare which hand he will pitch with. He throws with more velocity from the right side.
Venditte, who turns 30 later this month, was a 20th-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2008 out of Creighton University in Omaha. He advanced to Triple A in 2012 but had his season cut short by a torn shoulder labrum. He didn't return to Triple A until last season and had a 3.36 ERA and 1.260 WHIP in 56 1/3 innings at that level.
Here's a link to a video showing him warming up (both ways):
(Fixed thanks to Jeemie)
Re: Rare switch-pitcher to make major league debut
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 12:06 pm
by Jeemie
Vandal- delete the s in the https (just go with http) and then the video will embed properly.
Although it's not working for this one- not sure why- it's worked for all the other YouTube videos I have embedded here.
A switch-pitcher once faced a switch hitter in a minor league game. He kept switching hands, and the batter kept switching how he would bat.
This caused a rules change where a switch pitcher must declare what hand he is going to throw with first, then the batter will choose the way he will bat. The switch pitcher is then allowed one change of hand during the at bat.
Re: Rare switch-pitcher to make major league debut
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 12:13 pm
by Jeemie
Ah! Now i know why.
You used the feature=player_embedded extension.
Don't do that either...just click on the link in the address bar when you go to the actual video.
He pitched his standard righty against right handers Reggie Sanders and Bret Boone, and turned around to throw lefthanded to lefties Hal Morris and Eddie Taubensee...
lb13
Re: Rare switch-pitcher to make major league debut
Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2015 8:23 pm
by Vandal
Venditte pitched two innings of scoreless relief in his major league debut. It was very strange to see the pitcher switch glove hands between hitters. He "declared" to be a righty to make switch-hitting Blake Swihart bat left.
Re: Rare switch-pitcher to make major league debut
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 6:51 pm
by Vandal
From Twitter:
Neill Woelk
@NeillWoelk Favorite headline of week. He pitches righty, lefty — and evidently, also underwater. Faces Aquaman in next outing.
Re: Rare switch-pitcher to make major league debut
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 9:24 pm
by Snaxx
The same guy I remember from when he played for the Trenton Thunder (former Red Sox and current Yankees affiliate).
Re: Rare switch-pitcher to make major league debut
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:25 am
by lilclyde54
While in high school, I played a lot of tennis over at a friend's house. His younger brother never hit a backhand. He was equally talented with either hand and just switched to the other hand and hit a forehand. If we played doubles, it was always me and my buddy against his dad and brother. We hardly ever beat them.
Re: Rare switch-pitcher to make major league debut
Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:41 am
by tlynn78
Vandal wrote:From Twitter:
Neill Woelk
@NeillWoelk Favorite headline of week. He pitches righty, lefty — and evidently, also underwater. Faces Aquaman in next outing.
