Big Z & Baseball Tonight

[Ding Dong Johnson]

80 mph fastball? Why not just call it a changeup and work on a sinker?

[YearofDaCubs]

That's amazing. I would love to see him pitch a game as a lefty.

[tkenm356]

Hey, if his right arm ever gives out at least he knows he's got his left one to train and fall back on

[NCCubFan]

If he ever needs TJS maybe he can pitch left-handed during his recovery year so he doesn't have to miss the season. :D

[frostwyrm]

If a pitcher were good from both sides I wouldn't use him as a switch pitcher initially. First I'd try to see if he could pitch more frequently than every 5th game. Alternate righty/lefty between starts so you're always throwing with a fresh arm. The guy could probably pitch every 3rd day. The increased innings would be more useful than switching arms during a game.

[bobbyd20]

I worked with a guy one summer that said he pitched right handed during the first game of a double header in high school and then left handed in the second game. I didn't see the tape of it or anything but I have no reason to doubt his story.

 

This guy was a freak of an athlete as he could high jump 6'7+ and also played Division I football.

[chuckywang]

A switch-pitcher facing a switch-hitter could make a fine Abbott and Costello routine. Against Nebraska last year, a switch-hitter came to the plate right-handed, prompting Venditte to switch to his right arm, which caused the batter to move to the left-hand batter’s box, with Venditte switching his arm again. Umpires ultimately restored order, applying the rule (the same as that in the majors) that a pitcher must declare which arm he will use before throwing his first pitch and cannot change before the at-bat ends.

 

That's pretty funny.

[biittner77]

A switch-pitcher facing a switch-hitter could make a fine Abbott and Costello routine. Against Nebraska last year, a switch-hitter came to the plate right-handed, prompting Venditte to switch to his right arm, which caused the batter to move to the left-hand batter’s box, with Venditte switching his arm again. Umpires ultimately restored order, applying the rule (the same as that in the majors) that a pitcher must declare which arm he will use before throwing his first pitch and cannot change before the at-bat ends.

 

That's pretty funny.

 

I'm guessing he pitched lefty to that batter as most SH are better from the left side.