The switch-pitcher causes a ruckus
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jun 20, 2008 
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Well, that didn’t take long.
Pat Venditte, the ambidextrous pitcher the Yankees drafted, made his professional debut tonight for Staten Island.
He pitched the ninth inning and according to folks who e-mailed me, there was a dispute over which arm he could use for a pinch hitter.
I’ll be honest, I not exactly sure what the rule is. I think the pitcher has to stick with the same arm once an at-bat starts. I’ll try and get the umpires working the Reds-Yankees game tomorrow night to explain how the rules apply to Venditte. I’ll report back what they tell me.
How great would it be if Venditte proves good enough for the majors? If nothing else, they could trade him to the Dodgers. Now there is a reliever even Joe Torre couldn’t abuse.
Pete,
Joe would find a way. God knows we all love Torre, but he would find a way.
Took a nap. Woke up to find a big controversy.
Recap anyone?
The guy kept on switching batters boxes is that allowed?
I’m noticing that the dancer in the banner ad for this thread keeps switching from the Lace side to the Stiletto side. That’s no accident.
Is that what it was all about? I tuned in right in the middle of it. That curve looked real nice.
I know the rule is the pitcher is supposed to choose which arm he’s going to throw with before the at-bat begins and can’t change it. I believe a switch hitter can change, however.
Pete, do you really want to give Joe Torre ideas?
I wonder why they made a rule witch was never needed before (until now), and wouldn’t switching arms be like a pitching change?
Checked out the box score. Looks like Venditte did pretty well. Hope the starter doesn’t have man boobs. His name is Braboy. Ouch.
I just saw the video on ESPNews… pretty funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U2xkHOTvvw
It was on ESPNNEWs it was hilarious. The guy was pisssed when he struck out
The Yanks now have a switch pitcher and a pitcher with 6 fingers on each hand.
Joe Torre burn…. nice
Recap:
Switch-hitter comes up. He was practicing swinging left handed and came up to the box that way. Then Venditte switched his glove (custom made with 6 fingers) and the batter also switched. This went on a couple times until the umpires stopped it. After about a 10 minute delay with both managers and the umpires trying to figure it out, they seemed to make the batter pick a box (right-handed), then Venditte switched to pitch right-handed. He schooled the batter for a strikeout, who was less than thrilled.
The articles I found was that in college (the articles said the rule is the same in the majors, not sure if that’s true) Venditte would have to declare before an AB which hand he’d throw with, and then the batter could adjust to that.
It’ll be interesting to see if there’s some sort of rule announcement/change/clarification in the wake of all this.
The game looks like it will replay on SNY tomorrow at 11am pacific (2pm eastern obviously) if you’re interested. He comes in at about the 2 hour 40 minute mark (if they show the whole game).
Here’s one way to get back at an ump who’s been robbing you the whole game:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3450245
Pat,
Thanks.
So it’ll only be a problem when he faces a switch hitter.
um…. Hi Mary?
“Hope the starter doesn’t have man boobs. His name is Braboy. Ouch.”
The good news is, if pitching doesn’t work out for him, he can always caddy for Phil Mickelson.
If you sent an amibidextrous pitcher to Toree, he’d just star in a Doublemint gum commercial. The spot opens with two plastic LA chickie-babes on Joe’s arms and then goes to a shot of Joe wearing the guy out from both sides, the whole time saying “double your pleasure”.
OK, maybe that was lame.
Toree=Torre. Oops. Duh.
does anyone know who bobcat goldthwait it if so respond. what chu mink?!
I DVR’d this game, watched the first inning, then deleted while it was still recording! I completely forgot the fact that Venditte could have pitched. I guess now I’ll watch it later after it records again.
lol, Nick.
That’s the grossest thing in sports. Phil sweating through his shirt.
Phil’s looking nice and trim these days, but he’s still has a little mammory thing going.
PGA must be weeping. No Tiger until ’09.
MO for Cy Young!!
I’m going to sleep, talk to you guys tomorrow!!
http://bronx-bomberz.blogspot.com/
I can also use both arms. I can eat hot dogs with either my right or left hand. I’ve been developing this skill for years ever since i was in little league.
This has come up with Venditte before, while he was in college.
The pitcher has to choose which arm he is going to throw with, and then the hitter may choose from which side to hit.
This gives Venditte the advantage as the scouting reports would allow them to know the hitter’s weaker side.
I’m hoping to see Venditte do well. He fought his way onto his college team and is a really hard worker and stand-up guy.
I thought the rule was whatever side he started the inning with he had to stay with- at least that’s what I remember when Greg Harris pitched, but then checked and what you guys posted is correct-has to pick before the batter.
There is the link of the some scenes..
http://www.bugsandcranks.com/t.....h-pitcher/
which is a bit funny….
There is in fact no MLB rule governing this situation, despite what the various articles say. There is, however, a rule in the PBUC umpire manual.
NAPBL/PBUC Umpire Manual, Section 6.14: In the rare occasion of an ambidextrous pitcher, the pitcher and batter may each change position one time per at-bat. For example, if the pitcher changes from right-handed to left-handed and the batter then changes batter’s boxes, each player must remain that way for the duration of that at-bat (unless the offensive team substitutes a pinch hitter, and then each player may again “switch” one time).
Again this is NOT an official MLB rule but umps often fall back on this manual or one of a few others to decide difficult situation.
I’ll try and get the umpires working the Reds-Yankees game tomorrow
No, you’ll try to get the umpires working the game tomorrow.
Man does that make me crazy.
A reliever Joe Torre couldn’t abuse? I don’t think such a person exists Joe Torre will make sure your arm falls off.
Here it is…. there’s also a full clip of the incident from the SNY broadcast on the http://www.redlasso.com website…it went on for almost ten minutes.
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPl.....d6d2bb0586
You know double posting regardless but
maybe venditte will pass along the business card of the custom glove maker to the 6 fingered guy we just picked off of waivers. It’s intra corporate synergy….
I love this! I truly hope this guy makes it to the show…I am beyond curious as to how situations would play out with him on the mound.
Anyone know what the sign to the bullpen is with this guy? Does the manager just wave both arms?
“Now there is a reliever even Joe Torre couldn’t abuse”
I love it!!!
Here is the rule on switch pitchers from the 2008 NCAA Baseball rule book
Pitching Violations
Section 2
k. Pitch both right-handed and left-handed to the same batter during a plate appearance (ambidextrous-pitcher rule).
PENALTY–If a pitcher changes hands during a batter’s time at bat, the umpire shall:
1. Call a balk if a runner(s) is on base;
2. Call a ball for an illegal pitch if no runner(s) is on base;
3. Warn the pitcher; or
4. Eject the pitcher if the offense is repeate.
A.R. 1–When facing a switch hitter, an ambidextrous pitcher shall declare the hand which to pitch to the hitter .
A.R. 2–If a pinch hitter replace a batter during a turn at bat, the pitcher may change pitching hands.
(A.R. =Approved ruling)
He had a nasty curve there for the strikeout…call him up fun stuff.
Venditte isn’t the first switch-pitcher.
Greg Harris came before him pitching for the Montreal Expos in 1995.
Patrick,
Do you know if there are specific rules for switch hitters? Can’t they switch during a plate appearance as many times as they want?
It almost seems dumb that there would be a specific rule for a swith pitcher but not for a switch hitter. I think you should be able to throw however you want. They have to “declare” what arm they will be throwing with? That just seems dumb.
I remember Greg Harris doing this for the Expos. He retired a righty, then switched to lefty and walked the next guy and retired another lefty, and finished the inning as a righty. Fun stuff and hats off to Felipe Alou for letting Harris try this out in the Majors.
Web,
From what I have read in the NCAA rule book, there is no rule saying that you cannot switch during an at-bat. In being around the college game I have not seen this done either.