Ambidextrous pitcher

[Radio63]

From the NYTimes comes this article about Creighton's quite talented ambidextrous pitcher. Follow the linkydinkto see a video

April 6, 2007
Throwing Batters Curves Before Throwing a Pitch
By ALAN SCHWARZ

The pitch was nothing remarkable: Pat Venditte, Creighton University’s temporarily right-handed pitcher, threw a fastball past a Northern Iowa batter for a called strike three. It was his next windup that evinced this young pitcher’s uniqueness and, perhaps, professional future.

As his teammates whipped the ball around the infield, Venditte smoothly, unthinkingly, removed his custom glove from his left hand and slipped it on his right. Moments later he leaned back, threw a strike left-handed to the next batter, and finished the side in order.

Venditte is believed to be the only ambidextrous pitcher in N.C.A.A. Division I college baseball, the ultimate relief specialist. A junior, he throws left-handed to lefties and right-handed to righties, and effectively. In a home game in Omaha last Friday, he allowed only one hit in five and a third shutout innings to earn the victory against Northern Iowa.

Because neither arm was particularly tired afterward, Venditte also pitched in both games of Creighton’s doubleheader against Northern Iowa two days later, retiring the only batter he faced (left-handed) in the first game and then tossing a shutout inning (pitching both ways) in the nightcap. He also pitched two innings, alternating arms, in Tuesday’s game against archrival Nebraska. Venditte (pronounced ven-DEH-tee) has a fine 3.29 earned run average in 18 appearances this season.

“I don’t think twice about it,” said Venditte, whose father, Pat Sr., taught him to throw with both arms when he was 3. “You grew up with it, you love it, you want to keep playing as long as you can.”

Venditte has improved so much in the past year that major league scouts are starting to consider him a possible late-round pick in this June’s amateur draft because of his versatility. “He could be an economical two-for-one,” Jerry Lafferty, a longtime scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, said last Friday while assessing the 21-year-old Venditte from behind the backstop.

College baseball has had a few switch-pitchers in the past 15 years, but the major leagues have had only one since the 19th century: Greg Harris, primarily a right-handed reliever for many clubs from 1981 through 1995, pitched one inning using both arms for the Montreal Expos in his final season. That outing was considered more stunt than strategy.

[Jocephus]

ive always wondered about that

[Phyrkrakr]

I knew a kid who threw like this from Columbia, Missouri. Is this the same guy? I think he'd be older than 21 now, but maybe not. He came up and played on my legion team for a weekend, and he had a glove that he could switch from hand to hand.

He had better velocity from the right and better movement from the left, IIRC, and swung the bat from the left side. For the life of me, I can't think of his name, however, but he'd be around 21-24 now.

Edit: I looked it up, he's from Omaha. Probably not the same guy.

[Cronos]

I'm surprised myself that this has never happened before, or if it has that no one has heard anything about it. I would think if one could train themselves properly it would be invaluable. I guess a player who is considered ambidextrous would have a coach tell them: "Well you're better with that arm so use that one" during their youth, but I don't know.

Remember a couple years ago(I think it was their last year, '03) there was a guy that come up with the Expos who only had one hand through I think a birth defect? Can't remember his name...

[Redbirdruss]

From "A Game of Inches - The Game on the Field"
- Peter Morris

3-3-7 Switch-pitcher
"On July 18, 1882 in the fourth inning of a game vs. Baltimore, right-handed pitcher Tony Mullane of Louisville began to pitch with his left hand to left-handed batters. He continued to alternate for the rest of the game but lost 9-8 in the 9th when left-handed batter Charles Householder hit his only home run of the season..."

In 1910-11 Harold Friene pitched in spring training for the A's but never made it to the Major Leagues.

"...Greg Harris had long experimented with left handed pitching, though he used his right hand exclusely when facing Major league competition. On September 28, 1995, pitching for the Montreal Expo's, Harris used both hands to throw a shutout inning against the Cincinnatti Reds. He wore a special 6 fingered glove that he could use on either hand."

According to Baseball Refernce his last game was September 29th, 1995
http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/harrigr01.shtml

BTW, This book is fantastic for explaining how the rules we take forgranted came to be decided on. I highly reccomend it!

[maddash]

Billy Wagner was a natural righty, but switched after breaking his arm in High School. I would think that you'd have to start young, but training yourself to pitch from both sides seems like it's possible.

[Popeye_Card]

Billy Wagner was a natural righty, but switched after breaking his arm in High School. I would think that you'd have to start young, but training yourself to pitch from both sides seems like it's possible.

I once heard a story that Darryl Kile grew up as a left-handed pitcher, but tore his rotator cuff and his parents couldn't afford the surgery. So he switched to pitching righty.

Don't know if that's true or not. Can't find an article on the internet to back it up.

--P--

[heyzeus]

I'm thinking that from a mechanics standpoint, it would be tough to do this in the pros. But what do I know. I stopped pitching when I was 16.

[Jocephus]

I'm thinking that from a mechanics standpoint, it would be tough to do this in the pros. But what do I know. I stopped pitching when I was 16.

i stopped pitching the day before i was to sign with the yankees. very bad financial mistake.

[mcgee51taguchi99]

I hope this guy makes it to the majors or at least is offered a contract. Anyone think a big league team would allow him to keep doing this or have him pick one or the other?