Switch Pitching 101

Articles and videos featuring Ambidextrous Pitchers Tony Mullan - "The Count" Mullane was baseball's first ambidextrous pitcher and a talented ballplayer who played every position in the field except catcher. Mullane was also a switch hitter. July 18, 1882: "Louisville hurler Tony Mullane pitches both right- and lefthanded in an AA game against Baltimore, the first time the feat is performed in the major leagues. Starting in the 4th inning he pitches lefthanded whenever Baltimore's lefty hitters are at bat. In addition to continuing to pitch righthanded to righthanded hitters. It works until the 9th when, with 2 outs, Charlie Householder hits his only HR of the year to beat Mullane 9-8." The Count  won 30 games in five consecutive seasons. He threw a No-hitter on September 11, 1882. His teammates included Cy Young and John McGraw. Read more Greg Harris Harris switch pitched for one inning in the Major Leagues back in 1995 For one inni...

Greg Harris was the last major league switch pitcher to throw with both hands in an MLB game on September 28, 1995. Greg A. Harris - Ambidextrous Pitcher Born: 11/2/1955 Bats/Throws: B/B Height/Weight: 6-0/175 Position: Pitcher RHP: 88-89 mph;  two-seamer, four-seamer, curve and changeup LHP: 80-81 mph;  two-seamer, four-seamer, curve and changeup Harris could throw strikes from both sides, but was not allowed to switch pitch in a game. Harris' manager in Texas, Bobby Valentine, was quite a character in his own right, but Valentine never allowed Harris to pull his trick in a game despite the pitcher's urging.   "I don't understand why he never let me do it," Harris says. "Bobby said he'd let me if I could master three things: being able to throw 25 strikes in 30 pitches, which I could do, having a curveball, which I already had, and throwing 80-plus mph, which I could. (MLB.com) For one inning, left was right The Maj...

Greg Harris Yes. Greg Harris, in 1995, threw one inning of shutout ball switch pitching for the Montreal Expos against the Cincinnati Reds. Harris faced a total of four hitters -- two as a righty, and two as a lefty. Read More about Greg Harris The last pitcher to use both hands in a pro baseball game had been  Bert Campaneris , who did so in 1962 while playing for Daytona Beach in the Florida State League. In 1965,  Campaneris played every position in a nine inning game for the  Kansas City A's.  On the mound, "Campy"  pitched   ambidextrously , throwing lefty to left-handers, and switched against right-handers. (baseballlibrary.com) Pat Venditte, in 2010, switch pitched in spring training for the New York Yankees in relief of CC Sabathia. Venditte is currently a minor league pitcher with the Oakland Athletics  organization, with an invitation to spring training in 2015. Yankees' ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte Debuts   ...