Broken Bat - Baseball Forum: Switch-pitcher in MLB?

Forum >> Baseball >> Switch-pitcher in MLB?

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date	Function

#19779	06/06/2015 4:56:13 am
Harr2014 Joined: 01/16/2015 Posts: 9 Inactive	Greg Harris, 9/28/95. Did it for one game w/ Montreal at the end of his career. Google it.

#19786	06/06/2015 12:14:52 pm
Seca Joined: 05/05/2014 Posts: 5227 Waterloo Dinosaurs Legends	I listen to some of the Jays AAA games on the radio. So I've "heard" some of Venditte's games (Venditte was a Yankee farmhand). Cooler to see it. I enjoyed explaining the Venditte Rule to my wife. Kinda neat when a single player inspires a new rule.

#19800	06/07/2015 1:07:00 am
Holmes Joined: 11/07/2013 Posts: 1175 Inactive	I wish him the best. Pretty much all fans following the Yankees minor leaguers were thrilled about the guy. He just never seemed to put it together over longer stretches. He'd move up the system, having outstanding half seasons, then suck or get injured and end up back in A-ball. Don't think the Yankees would have ever given him a chance.

#19801	06/07/2015 1:12:52 am
Holmes Joined: 11/07/2013 Posts: 1175 Inactive	What I don't understand is why the rule forces a pitcher to decide which arm he throws with before the batter steps into the box, deciding about his side. It's the much faster change to make and it's the more special talent, so why not let the pitcher have the last word. Updated Sunday, June 7 2015 @ 1:13:45 am PDT

#19804	06/07/2015 7:19:47 am
newtman Joined: 11/02/2013 Posts: 3343 Inactive	@Holmes, to favor the offense. If the batter gets to decide last then it should favor him getting a hit.

#19811	06/07/2015 11:39:54 am
Seca Joined: 05/05/2014 Posts: 5227 Waterloo Dinosaurs Legends	I see your point Holmes. I view the Venditte rule as an extension of Rule 3.05 b) (which is the rule that says a relief pitcher must face at least 1 batter before he is replaced). Switching arms, in a sense, is replacing the pitcher. I'd also see it as a safety issue for switch hitters. Wouldn't surprise me if some switch hitters have never hit from the "wrong" side. They might be at increased risk in this scenario.

#19821	06/07/2015 8:56:43 pm
nobodyjones Joined: 12/28/2011 Posts: 170 Seattle Rickey IV.1	If he was in the Yankees farm system, I saw a video on him a year or 2 ago. He was facing a switch hitter, and they went back and forth switching sides before a pitch was thrown. The Ump had to step in and make a decision.

#21265	07/21/2015 9:20:18 am
raygen12 Joined: 04/04/2016 Posts: 52 Inactive	Is it possible to get a switch pitcher in bb?

#21315	07/22/2015 6:48:34 pm
admin Joined: 01/27/2010 Posts: 5024 Administrator	There are some switch hitter pitchers (only a few), but no switch pitchers. Since there is a DH, those pitchers will never bat anyway. Steve

#25602	10/22/2015 9:12:12 am
Seca Joined: 05/05/2014 Posts: 5227 Waterloo Dinosaurs Legends	Blue Jays pick up Venditte on waivers. Looking at his Oakland numbers, his future might be more loogy. Jays could sure use one of those right now.