Ambidextrous pitcher

[hardcorecubfan]

Just saw a guy on ESPN, college kid. If he was any good what a way to cut a budget and get guys out. Custom made glove from Japan. Wonder how much that costs?

[karenmac]

he's actually pitching in the Missouri Valley - I think Creighton? They did an article in the local Peoria paper when he pitched here a couple of weeks ago against Bradley...pictures available on the Creighton website: http://www.gocreighton.com/index.asp

 

It looks like Fox Sports Midwest is going to broadcast their Sunday game beginning at about noon.

 

Amazing stuff.

Karen

[minnesotacubsfan]

there is something rather unholy about this

[ManCrushOnNomar]

I saw this bit on ESPN, that's totally awesome.

 

Hopefully he can get some more heat on his fastball and possibly make it in the bigs. (he throws 85-87 RH and 80-84 LH)

[brinoch]

Ha-ha! With the right! Now with the left! Take that you switch-hitter. Muahahaha!

[YearofDaCubs]

I believe there is a rule in MLB that states something about using both arms to throw is considered as two pitchers.

[Derwood]

I believe there is a rule in MLB that states something about using both arms to throw is considered as two pitchers.

 

meaning once you switch from righty to lefty you can't switch back?

[minnesotacubsfan]

I believe there is a rule in MLB that states something about using both arms to throw is considered as two pitchers.

 

they actuall thought about thsi??????

 

 

:shock:

[YearofDaCubs]

Looks like I was wrong. Here is an answer straight from mlb.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ambidextrous pitchers are rare but do exist. An example was Greg Harris, who pitched with the Boston Red Sox. When such pitchers pitch in the Major Leagues, they must pitch with the same hand during a batter's entire at-bat. Such pitchers may change pitching hand for the next batter, but again must continue with that arm for that batter's entire at-bat.

 

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official_info/umpires/feature.jsp?feature=qa4

[Irrelevant Dude]

I believe that would be the equivalent of the switch-hitting rule where you can't switch sides of the plate during the same at-bat (unless of course there is a pitching change).

[NorthsideAvenger]

Ha-ha! With the right! Now with the left! Take that you switch-hitter. Muahahaha!

 

I could see the switch-pitcher and the switch hitter, playing a baseball version of Texas 2 step.

[Wilson A2000]

I believe that would be the equivalent of the switch-hitting rule where you can't switch sides of the plate during the same at-bat (unless of course there is a pitching change).

 

I thought you could but you had to do it before the second strike

[minnesotacubsfan]

I believe that would be the equivalent of the switch-hitting rule where you can't switch sides of the plate during the same at-bat (unless of course there is a pitching change).

 

I thought you could but you had to do it before the second strike

:shock:

 

 

this stuff is getting really confusing

[Garwilly]

I believe that would be the equivalent of the switch-hitting rule where you can't switch sides of the plate during the same at-bat (unless of course there is a pitching change).

 

I thought you could but you had to do it before the second strike

:shock:

 

 

this stuff is getting really confusing

 

That is what I have always thought to be true in regards to a switch hitter.

 

So a switch batter steps in lefty, and the Pitcher then decides to throw lefty. Batter takes the first pitch (unless a real meatball) and then switches to righty. The pitcher meanwhile, must remain a left handed pitcher for thr duration of the at-bat.

[minnesotacubsfan]

what happens if a left handed hitter is up to bat, and the ambidex is pitching right handed. now lets say the lefty fouls a ball off his foot, breaks it, and is unable to continue while at tha same AB. the manger replaces him with a right handed batter, can the ambidex pitcher finish the AB by switching to his left hand or must he continue with his right?

[Wilson A2000]

what happens if a left handed hitter is up to bat, and the ambidex is pitching right handed. now lets say the lefty fouls a ball off his foot, breaks it, and is unable to continue while at tha same AB. the manger replaces him with a right handed batter, can the ambidex pitcher finish the AB by switching to his left hand or must he continue with his right?

 

OK...he's gotta finish how he started

[minnesotacubsfan]

what happens if a left handed hitter is up to bat, and the ambidex is pitching right handed. now lets say the lefty fouls a ball off his foot, breaks it, and is unable to continue while at tha same AB. the manger replaces him with a right handed batter, can the ambidex pitcher finish the AB by switching to his left hand or must he continue with his right?

 

OK...he's gotta finish how he started

 

I thought so, but I just felt like causing trouble

 

:P

[BCVM22]

I saw this guy pitch against KU's baseball team (I'm a photographer for the university newspaper and I shoot primarily baseball, so they send me with the team on the road occasionally). He pitched righty against the first two KU hitters in the inning, and then when our switch-hitting catcher came up, he switched hands. I did a complete double-take. And the thing is, he's good from both sides. If he does get drafted, it'll be interesting to see whether he makes it to the bigs or not. Definite potential, though.

[Mizzou]

I know he never pitches right-handed (obviously), but isn't Billy Wagner ambidextrious?

[Tim Burr]

I tried to find the pitcher that was in the PCL that was ambidextrous, but can't remember his name and stumbled across this article on

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com.

 

(I saw Red Lynn pitch when he was with the LA Angels in the PCL in 1946-47-48. They were a Cubs AAA farm team then. That is when I wanted to be a ball player because they had characters like him and all had a lot of fun. It says he was ambidextrous, but didn't pitch in a game both ways.)

 

"The Angels had outstanding pitching. None of the seven pitchers who worked more than 100 innings had an ERA higher than 3.08. The big winner was Japhet Monroe (Red) Lynn, 21-8, 2.47 who led the PCL in victories. He won his first nine decisions of the season. Lynn, a 29-year-old Texas-born right-hander, was in his second year with Los Angeles. He was signed by the Cardinals in 1934. He once told The Sporting News, “I was a real yokel when it came to pitching. In my first game, when the catcher held down one finger, I thought he wanted me to hold the ball with one finger. I didn’t know I was supposed to pitch a fast ball, which happened to be my only pitch. So I held the ball with one finger and it sailed over the catcher’s head. When he held down two fingers (for a curve) I put two fingers on the ball. I was really dumb.” Red caught on pretty fast and had winning seasons in his first three years in pro ball. In 1937 for Jacksonville, TX, he had a 32-13, 2.65 record with 233 strikeouts, led all of professional baseball in wins and led the East Texas League in ERA, games pitched (56), innings pitched (340) - and walks (143). He jumped all the way to Columbus (American Association) in 1938 and reached the majors with Detroit in 1939. He was traded to the Giants early in the season and remained with New York through 1940. He pitched for the Giants’ Jersey City club in 1941 and then was acquired by Los Angeles. In 1944 he was promoted to the Cubs and was in the service in 1945. Lynn pitched for the Angels again, winning 17, 16 and 19 games in 1946-47-48. He was traded to Portland in 1949, and by the Beavers to Hollywood in 1952. Altogether he pitched in the PCL for ten years. He last played for Bakersfield and Salt Lake (Pioneer) in 1956, going 15-11 at the age of 42. Lynn had a winning major league record of 10-8, 3.96 and in the minors he was 244-191, 3.64. During off-seasons he was, at various times, a professional boxer, a wrestler, a rodeo cowboy and a railroad brakeman. HE WAS AMBIDEXTROUS, BUT NEVER PITCHED LEFT-HANDED IN A GAME. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES ON THE DAY AFTER HE PITCHED, HE WOULD THROW BATTING PRACTICE LEFT-HANDED! :lol:

[Garwilly]

I know he never pitches right-handed (obviously), but isn't Billy Wagner ambidextrious?

 

Well he pitched Right handed exclusively in highschool, until he broke his arm. Then he decided the unleash the 100 mph left handed fury.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I know he never pitches right-handed (obviously), but isn't Billy Wagner ambidextrious?

 

Well he pitched Right handed exclusively in highschool, until he broke his arm. Then he decided the unleash the 100 mph left handed fury.

 

I thought that happened much earlier than high school.

[Banedon]

Besides the obvious matchup advantages of an ambidextrous pitcher, wouldn't such a pitcher be able to go a lot longer into games? (assuming he's pitching well of course) When one arm gets tired, switch to the other.

[WrigleyField 22]

Besides the obvious matchup advantages of an ambidextrous pitcher, wouldn't such a pitcher be able to go a lot longer into games? (assuming he's pitching well of course) When one arm gets tired, switch to the other.

 

He could also pitch in consecutive games if he decided to only use the one arm each game.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

what happens if a left handed hitter is up to bat, and the ambidex is pitching right handed. now lets say the lefty fouls a ball off his foot, breaks it, and is unable to continue while at tha same AB. the manger replaces him with a right handed batter, can the ambidex pitcher finish the AB by switching to his left hand or must he continue with his right?

He'd probably want to continue pitching right handed to get the righty-righty matchup... I think you meant it the other way around.