Switch Pitching 101

Switch Pitcher Stars in Little Loop Play The Bridgeport Post, 18 May 1958 Birmingham, Ala. - Switch hitters are no problem for John (Tiger) Timmons . He switch pitches. The 12-year-old Little League sensation keeps the batters bewildered with his double dealing. And it's no wonder because ambidextrous hurling is a baseball rarity. Tiger, who likes to go three innings right-handed and then change to southpaw style, even has professional ballplayers and one major league scout guessing which is the natural throwing arm. Bancroft Timmons says his son's ambidexterity is by no means accidental. He has had Tiger throwing baseball with both hands since he was 2 years old. Practice was the key to the youngster's phenomenal tactics. Even during cold winter months these sessions continued indoors until Tiger was 8 years old. Pitching inside the Timmons home was stopped then - the walls were getting cracked. "This boy is a marvel, a surefire major leaguer," sai...

Rule 8.01(f) – Baseball – Ambidextrous Pitchers The following rule has been added governing ambidextrous pitchers: 8.01(f) A pitcher must indicate visually to the umpire-in-chief, the batter and any runners the hand with which he/she intends to pitch, which may be done by wearing his/her glove on the other hand while touching the pitcher’s plate. The pitcher is not permitted to pitch with the other hand until the batter is retired, the batter becomes a runner, the inning ends, the batter is substituted for by a pinch-hitter or the pitcher incurs an injury. In the event a pitcher switches pitching hands during an at-bat because he/she has suffered an injury, the pitcher may not, for the remainder of the game, pitch with the hand from which he/she has switched. The pitcher shall not be given the opportunity to throw any preparatory pitches after switching pitching hands. Any change of pitching hands must be indicated clearly to the umpire-in-chief. Previously, there was no re...

Bernie Kastner Amity Little League 1969 Brooklyn, NY Positions: OF, P Gloves: two gloves used for pitching Out of My League By Dr. Bernie Kastner Years ago when my father signed me up in Amity Little League at age eight, I was a standout. I started out as a pitcher – to my knowledge I was the only ambidextrous pitcher to be found in those days. I didn't flaunt it, though, except once four years later, I was forced to show off by my coaches. It was in June of 1969, and I was the starting left-fielder for the Amity Little League all-star team. I had insisted on not pitching because of chronic pain in my arm(s) after a game -- so the coaches, knowing a good arm (or two) when they saw one, suggested I play the outfield. About the Book   Out of My League is a psychotherapist’s humorous retrospective account of events that took place on the fields of different ethnic softball leagues in south Brooklyn during one season in the year 1985.

Rafe Milo Nickname:  the Hydra , or in Japanese "Orochi." Hometown: Tokyo, Japan Positions:  Pitcher, CF, 1B Bats: Both Throws: Both (ambidextrous) Team: Honshu Rounders Baseball Club , Japan Milo is captain of the Oak Squad. Rafe Milo is a young switch hitter and ambidextrous pitcher who plays Little League baseball in Tokyo, Japan. His father, Mitchell Milo , is the Head Coach of the Honshu Rounders Baseball Club, and writes a blog about "Coaching a Switch Pitcher." Rafe Milo pitching right-handed in Japan As a 13-year-old switch pitcher, Milo throws a 4-seam, 2 seam, & 3- finger fastball; 3-finger change up; palm-ball and knuckleball. That's a large array of pitches to keep hitters off-balance.  In games, he pitches with one arm – which is a good strategy for a young pitcher. During practice - which can last up to 5 hours - he alternates days throwing right- and left-handed. How Rafe Milo got started throwing with both arms ...