Switch Pitching 101

Show of hands - Venditte's unique skill poses challenge for all Indiana Gazette (Indiana, PA) 21 Jun 2008 By Bill Konigsberg, AP Sports Writer New York - Ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte can confound hitters - and umpires - when he's own the mound. The umps working a New York-Penn League (short-season Class-A) game Thursday night between the Staten Island Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones had nothing to go by when Venditte made his professional debut, less than two weeks after getting drafted in the 20th round by the Yankees. He pitched the ninth, and after retiring two batters and allowing a single, a switch hitter stepped to the plate for Brooklyn, That's hardly unusual. But it becomes intriguing against Venditte, a switch pitcher. ... "The reason he's not as fast from the left is he drops his arm from the left side to get more movement, he throws a sweeping slider," he said. "The coach at Creighton thought it was more difficult ...

Historical news articles about switch pitcher Pat Venditte. Pat Venditte Born: June 30, 1985 (age 28), Omaha, NE Weight: 180 lbs (82 kg) Education: Omaha Central High School, Creighton University Position:  Switch Pitcher Pat Venditte's pitching repertoire in college: LHP:  78-81 mph; fastball, slider    using a sidearm delivery RHP: 88-91 mph; fastball, changeup, curveball    using a 3/4 delivery (velocity in 2007) Venditte's strength is location, not power. Pat Venditte was a walk-on pitcher for Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.  He had a 5-4 win-loss record during his high school senior year, earning him All-Nebraska second team honors. Ambidextrous Glove: Venditte used a Mizuno custom-made ambidextrous glove – ordered from Osaka Japan by his father –  with six fingers and two thumbs slots ($700). At Creighton University he started using a Louisville custom-made ambi glove (see photo) in his so...