husker_blitz
02-22-2006, 07:30 PM
Creighton's Venditte: Both sides now
BY STEVEN PIVOVAR
http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/black.gif
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gif
»http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gif
http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifIt's an old joke, the one about the guy that would give his right arm to be a major league pitcher.
http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/medium/221jlvenditte.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:gen_open_win('toolbox/photo.php?u_sid=2121431&u_id=89607', 'bigPhoto', fs_photo);) Pat Venditte's custom baseball glove has two thumbs. His father got him his first when he was 7.In Pat Venditte's case, he'd just use his left one.
The ambidextrous sophomore made some Creighton baseball history last week when he became the program's first switch pitcher. Throwing both right- and left-handed, Venditte pitched four shutout innings in two games against Illinois-Chicago at Mesa, Ariz.
As far as Venditte was concerned, getting 12 outs without giving up a run was more of an achievement than the fact that he did so using both arms. Creighton pitching coach Travis Wyckoff agrees.
"The thing I hope we can get past is that Pat is just some kind of a novelty," Wyckoff said. "He's a college pitcher who can get guys out. He's a pitcher in the true sense of the word."
Granted, he is a unique one. He is the only ambidextrous pitcher in major college baseball this season. The NCAA does not keep detailed records of how many ambidextrous pitchers have played over the years, while major league baseball records indicate that Tony Mullane and Greg Harris might be the only switch pitchers in big league history.
Mullane played in the late 1800s. Harris was a journeyman reliever from 1981 through 1995, but his only ambidextrous appearance came in his final career game when he faced four batters.
College and major league rules allow for pitchers to switch hands. The only limitation is that they have to throw with the same hand for an entire at-bat.
Venditte has been throwing with both hands since he was 3 years old. He's been using a custom-made glove that his father, Pat, has been ordering from Japan since his son was 7.
It's the one with two thumbs, four fingers and no pocket. It assures Venditte never has to worry about his teammates grabbing his glove by mistake.
"Some of the new guys tried to use it last fall," Venditte said. "They were confused by how it works."
Venditte walked on at Creighton after a solid high school career at Omaha Central. Creighton coach Ed Servais first saw Venditte work his double-arm action while pitching against his son's Omaha Skutt team.
"It caught me off guard," Servais said. "I've seen a lot of baseball and I'd never seen anything like that. I thought, 'There's no way he can throw this thing both ways.' I figured he'd be 10 mph slower one way or the other.
"After watching him, I could see that he could be successful getting high school hitters out with either arm. But I had some concerns about whether he could get college hitters out."
That wasn't Servais' only reservation. Old-school to the core, Servais didn't want others to view Venditte as some kind of baseball sideshow.
"Coach Servais is a hard-nosed baseball guy who demands that things are done the right way," Venditte said. "He believes there is a right way to play the game. I knew I had to get his confidence, and the only way I could do that is to show that I could do it in scrimmages and game situations last fall."
As a freshman, Venditte got few chances, period. He made just five appearances, all as a right-hander, and pitched 32/3innings. He gave up 11 hits and walked three while compiling a 14.73 ERA.
His lack of success in games didn't keep Venditte from working hard in practice. Wyckoff had an opportunity to work with Venditte daily, working a right-handed bullpen one day and a left-handed one the next.
"When I first found out he was coming here, I figured there was no way that he'd be able to pull this off," said Wyckoff, who pitched at Wichita State. "But Pat's work ethic is off the charts.
"I kept seeing Pat get better with every bullpen he threw. I told him one day that he needed to develop a change-up with his left-hand. Two weeks later, he had a bona fide change. He has this unbelievable desire to get better and he pays attention to details."
Venditte, a natural right-hander, throws between 85 and 88 mph from that side. As a left-hander, he's consistently between 81 and 84 mph with his fastball. He also throws a curveball and change-up as a right-hander, a change-up and a slider as a lefty.
"He's a six-pitch pitcher," Wyckoff said.
Location, not velocity, is Venditte's primary strength whether he's throwing right- or left-handed.
"I don't have a dominant pitch from either side," he said. "I have to be down in the zone and be able to control two pitches to be successful."
Venditte's first appearance this season came in the opening game against Arkansas-Little Rock, when he threw 11/3 scoreless innings as a right-hander. He entered last Friday's game against Illinois-Chicago in the sixth inning as a left-hander and gave up a lead-off single.
He switched to his right arm and got out of the inning without allowing a run. He struck out the side in the seventh, getting the first and third outs as a right-hander and the second as a left-hander. He got all six of his outs Sunday as a right-hander but did pitch as a left-hander to left-handed hitters.
In three appearances, Venditte has allowed three hits and two walks in 51/3 innings. Opposing batters are hitting .200 against him.
"Last week meant a lot to me," Venditte said. "Since I didn't pitch much last season, I didn't feel a part of the success we had. That made me want to work hard last summer, with both arms, to try to get into a position where I could help this team."
Servais and Wyckoff say Venditte's early-season performances have earned him more opportunities to continue switch-pitching. Venditte sees what he's done so far as a nice start but nothing more in his quest to establish himself as a dependable collegiate pitcher.
"I'd like to get to a point where people don't even think about that I'm the guy who uses both arms," he said. "I just want to be the guy who does what he can to help his team win games.
"I've gotten things rolling but basically just stuck my foot in the door. I just have to keep taking advantage of the opportunities when they come."
Wow...I have never heard of an ambidextrous pitcher before much less know that the NCAA would have rules for them. Pretty impressive.
BY STEVEN PIVOVAR
http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/black.gif
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gif
»http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gif
http://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clr_gray.gifhttp://www.omaha.com/c_images/fills/clear.gifIt's an old joke, the one about the guy that would give his right arm to be a major league pitcher.
http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/medium/221jlvenditte.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:gen_open_win('toolbox/photo.php?u_sid=2121431&u_id=89607', 'bigPhoto', fs_photo);) Pat Venditte's custom baseball glove has two thumbs. His father got him his first when he was 7.In Pat Venditte's case, he'd just use his left one.
The ambidextrous sophomore made some Creighton baseball history last week when he became the program's first switch pitcher. Throwing both right- and left-handed, Venditte pitched four shutout innings in two games against Illinois-Chicago at Mesa, Ariz.
As far as Venditte was concerned, getting 12 outs without giving up a run was more of an achievement than the fact that he did so using both arms. Creighton pitching coach Travis Wyckoff agrees.
"The thing I hope we can get past is that Pat is just some kind of a novelty," Wyckoff said. "He's a college pitcher who can get guys out. He's a pitcher in the true sense of the word."
Granted, he is a unique one. He is the only ambidextrous pitcher in major college baseball this season. The NCAA does not keep detailed records of how many ambidextrous pitchers have played over the years, while major league baseball records indicate that Tony Mullane and Greg Harris might be the only switch pitchers in big league history.
Mullane played in the late 1800s. Harris was a journeyman reliever from 1981 through 1995, but his only ambidextrous appearance came in his final career game when he faced four batters.
College and major league rules allow for pitchers to switch hands. The only limitation is that they have to throw with the same hand for an entire at-bat.
Venditte has been throwing with both hands since he was 3 years old. He's been using a custom-made glove that his father, Pat, has been ordering from Japan since his son was 7.
It's the one with two thumbs, four fingers and no pocket. It assures Venditte never has to worry about his teammates grabbing his glove by mistake.
"Some of the new guys tried to use it last fall," Venditte said. "They were confused by how it works."
Venditte walked on at Creighton after a solid high school career at Omaha Central. Creighton coach Ed Servais first saw Venditte work his double-arm action while pitching against his son's Omaha Skutt team.
"It caught me off guard," Servais said. "I've seen a lot of baseball and I'd never seen anything like that. I thought, 'There's no way he can throw this thing both ways.' I figured he'd be 10 mph slower one way or the other.
"After watching him, I could see that he could be successful getting high school hitters out with either arm. But I had some concerns about whether he could get college hitters out."
That wasn't Servais' only reservation. Old-school to the core, Servais didn't want others to view Venditte as some kind of baseball sideshow.
"Coach Servais is a hard-nosed baseball guy who demands that things are done the right way," Venditte said. "He believes there is a right way to play the game. I knew I had to get his confidence, and the only way I could do that is to show that I could do it in scrimmages and game situations last fall."
As a freshman, Venditte got few chances, period. He made just five appearances, all as a right-hander, and pitched 32/3innings. He gave up 11 hits and walked three while compiling a 14.73 ERA.
His lack of success in games didn't keep Venditte from working hard in practice. Wyckoff had an opportunity to work with Venditte daily, working a right-handed bullpen one day and a left-handed one the next.
"When I first found out he was coming here, I figured there was no way that he'd be able to pull this off," said Wyckoff, who pitched at Wichita State. "But Pat's work ethic is off the charts.
"I kept seeing Pat get better with every bullpen he threw. I told him one day that he needed to develop a change-up with his left-hand. Two weeks later, he had a bona fide change. He has this unbelievable desire to get better and he pays attention to details."
Venditte, a natural right-hander, throws between 85 and 88 mph from that side. As a left-hander, he's consistently between 81 and 84 mph with his fastball. He also throws a curveball and change-up as a right-hander, a change-up and a slider as a lefty.
"He's a six-pitch pitcher," Wyckoff said.
Location, not velocity, is Venditte's primary strength whether he's throwing right- or left-handed.
"I don't have a dominant pitch from either side," he said. "I have to be down in the zone and be able to control two pitches to be successful."
Venditte's first appearance this season came in the opening game against Arkansas-Little Rock, when he threw 11/3 scoreless innings as a right-hander. He entered last Friday's game against Illinois-Chicago in the sixth inning as a left-hander and gave up a lead-off single.
He switched to his right arm and got out of the inning without allowing a run. He struck out the side in the seventh, getting the first and third outs as a right-hander and the second as a left-hander. He got all six of his outs Sunday as a right-hander but did pitch as a left-hander to left-handed hitters.
In three appearances, Venditte has allowed three hits and two walks in 51/3 innings. Opposing batters are hitting .200 against him.
"Last week meant a lot to me," Venditte said. "Since I didn't pitch much last season, I didn't feel a part of the success we had. That made me want to work hard last summer, with both arms, to try to get into a position where I could help this team."
Servais and Wyckoff say Venditte's early-season performances have earned him more opportunities to continue switch-pitching. Venditte sees what he's done so far as a nice start but nothing more in his quest to establish himself as a dependable collegiate pitcher.
"I'd like to get to a point where people don't even think about that I'm the guy who uses both arms," he said. "I just want to be the guy who does what he can to help his team win games.
"I've gotten things rolling but basically just stuck my foot in the door. I just have to keep taking advantage of the opportunities when they come."
Wow...I have never heard of an ambidextrous pitcher before much less know that the NCAA would have rules for them. Pretty impressive.