Two Guys Sports
Bruce BostwickDid you hear the one about. . .
June 21st 2008 23:55
Did you hear the one about the switch-pitcher vs. the switch-hitter?
Thursday during a game between the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Class-A Staten Island Yankees something most fans, players, and even umps may have never seen before happened. Pat Venditte came out to pitch the ninth inning for the Staten Island. He was just drafted for the second time by the Yankees less than two weeks ago. This time he was taken in the 20th round, last year the Yankees drafted him in the 45th round, but he decided to play his senior year at Creighton. It started off like any other ninth inning of a game. He got two outs and gave up a single to start the inning.
The next batter is where it got strange, in stepped designated hitter Ralph Henriquez, who is also a switch-hitter. Henriquez stepped up to the plate as a right handed hitter, since Venditte had been throwing as a lefty. Once he stepped in Venditte decided to switch arms. He has a specially made glove that has six fingers and two webs so it can be used on either hand. At this point Henriquez turned around to bat left-handed. Do you see where this is going? They each switched multiple times, with Henriquez even moving his shin guard from one leg to another as he switched.
The umpires were essentially dumbfounded on what to do. There was a huddle between the umps and the managers. After a near seven minute delay they ruled that each player could switch once per at-bat, but the hitter had to declare first. It turned out that Henriquez batted right-handed, and Venditte pitched right-handed. Advantage, Venditte. Normally it is easier for the batter to pick up the ball sooner when the pitcher is throwing with the opposite hand. Henriquez struckout on four pitches to end the game and was not happy about it. As he walked back to the dugout he slammed his bat to the ground. It put Henriquez at a bigger disadvantage than you’d think. Being a switch-hitter it has been a very long time since he had to bat right-handed against a right-handed pitcher. That could have been all the difference in the world, we will never know what would have happened if they called it the other way. The game ended with Staten Island winning 7-2.
It does seem the umps got the call half right, and of course the more important part – half wrong. Apparently the rule is that indeed each player can switch one time in an at-bat, but the pitcher is the one who must declare first, not the batter.
Venditte can hit 91mph right-handed, and 88mph left-handed. His father attributes that to the fact that when he throws left-handed he drops down to throw more from the side. He was home-schooled as a child. This allowed his father to teach him to be ambidextrous from the age of three. He started by having Pat kick a football with both feet, then punt it from both sides, and then onto throwing with both hands. If he were in a normal school situation someone along the way would have discouraged this. The Yankees drafted him because they think he has what it takes to play in the majors, and pitch from either side. They shot down claims that they may have done it just as publicity type move.
Venditte said he had something similar happen to hi in his sophomore season at Creighton while playing against Nebraska. On that occasion the hitter batted right-handed, while he pitched left-handed. The ball was hit on a line drive to center field, but was caught.
We are including a clip of the at-bat courtesy of ESPN.
Thursday during a game between the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Class-A Staten Island Yankees something most fans, players, and even umps may have never seen before happened. Pat Venditte came out to pitch the ninth inning for the Staten Island. He was just drafted for the second time by the Yankees less than two weeks ago. This time he was taken in the 20th round, last year the Yankees drafted him in the 45th round, but he decided to play his senior year at Creighton. It started off like any other ninth inning of a game. He got two outs and gave up a single to start the inning.
The next batter is where it got strange, in stepped designated hitter Ralph Henriquez, who is also a switch-hitter. Henriquez stepped up to the plate as a right handed hitter, since Venditte had been throwing as a lefty. Once he stepped in Venditte decided to switch arms. He has a specially made glove that has six fingers and two webs so it can be used on either hand. At this point Henriquez turned around to bat left-handed. Do you see where this is going? They each switched multiple times, with Henriquez even moving his shin guard from one leg to another as he switched.
The umpires were essentially dumbfounded on what to do. There was a huddle between the umps and the managers. After a near seven minute delay they ruled that each player could switch once per at-bat, but the hitter had to declare first. It turned out that Henriquez batted right-handed, and Venditte pitched right-handed. Advantage, Venditte. Normally it is easier for the batter to pick up the ball sooner when the pitcher is throwing with the opposite hand. Henriquez struckout on four pitches to end the game and was not happy about it. As he walked back to the dugout he slammed his bat to the ground. It put Henriquez at a bigger disadvantage than you’d think. Being a switch-hitter it has been a very long time since he had to bat right-handed against a right-handed pitcher. That could have been all the difference in the world, we will never know what would have happened if they called it the other way. The game ended with Staten Island winning 7-2.
It does seem the umps got the call half right, and of course the more important part – half wrong. Apparently the rule is that indeed each player can switch one time in an at-bat, but the pitcher is the one who must declare first, not the batter.
Venditte can hit 91mph right-handed, and 88mph left-handed. His father attributes that to the fact that when he throws left-handed he drops down to throw more from the side. He was home-schooled as a child. This allowed his father to teach him to be ambidextrous from the age of three. He started by having Pat kick a football with both feet, then punt it from both sides, and then onto throwing with both hands. If he were in a normal school situation someone along the way would have discouraged this. The Yankees drafted him because they think he has what it takes to play in the majors, and pitch from either side. They shot down claims that they may have done it just as publicity type move.
Venditte said he had something similar happen to hi in his sophomore season at Creighton while playing against Nebraska. On that occasion the hitter batted right-handed, while he pitched left-handed. The ball was hit on a line drive to center field, but was caught.
We are including a clip of the at-bat courtesy of ESPN.
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