As I see it, one of the more interesting minor-league story-lines for the Yankees this season will center upon the development of ambidextrous reliever, Pat Venditte. For those who are unfamiliar with Venditte, for whatever reason, and therefore are confused by the thought of an ambidextrous pitcher, this video clip from 2007 should help to explain what he is, exactly. Basically, he can throw as a right-hander, over-the-top, and as a left-hander, side-arm (3/4 angle). His fastball as a righty sits in the 85-89 mph range, and, as a southpaw, he generally works in the high-70s, low 80s. Venditte also throws two very good breaking pitches—a slow, looping curveball, which is used as a secondary offering from the right side, and a “frisbee-like” slider from the other side that is used as his main left-handed pitch. Venditte’s pitching style is hardly conventional, but it has been effective for him in his short minor-league career.
In 2008, while with the Staten Island Yankees and in his first season as a Yankee farmhand, Venditte tossed 32 2/3 innings and saved 23 games. He struck out 42, walked 10, and allowed 2 homers. Remarkably, the switch-pitcher only gave up 3 earned runs – that’s with the 2 home runs – and posted a 0.83 ERA (2.34 FIP). In 2009, splitting time between Charleston and Tampa, Venditte posted a 1.87 ERA – 1.21 FIP in Charleston, 1.73 FIP in Tampa – in 49 games, striking out 87 over 67 1/3 innings pitched, while walking 11, allowing 2 home runs, and 14 earned runs, in total. His splits against left-handers and right-handers were impressive, as neither set of opponents seemed to bother him on the mound. Regardless of process, results matter, and Venditte has delivered in the minors. However, process – how you “look” when you get outs – also matters and I wonder if Venditte will be hurt by his unorthodox style.
Yesterday, in an interview between John Sickels and Yankees Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations, Mark Newman (fresh off his recent DUI), Newman noted that Venditte would begin the 2010 season in High-A Tampa. When asked how quickly the successful switch-pitcher could advance through the minor-league ranks, Newman said that if Venditte “keeps up this kind of performance we will advance him aggressively.” As an inherent skeptic, I wonders whether or not Newman is just paying lip service to an aggressive advancement. So far, the Yankees have taken small steps with Venditte, as if they too are in disbelief of both his style and success. An incremental approach is to be expected in the minors, that much is obvious, but if Venditte represented a more normative view of pitching, perhaps he would have started the year in Trenton, pitching in Double-A, rather than High-A Tampa. If Venditte pitches well this season yet remains in Tampa for the entire year, it could be because of his marked uniqueness. To prove themselves, these types of pitchers – Chad Bradford-like anomalies – always seem to have to jump threw a few extra hoops.
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11 Responses to Promoting Pat Venditte
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I’ve viewed him as a novelty act since Day 1, yet he keeps proving me wrong and the Yanks steadfastly deny it. I will be happy to be wrong about him, an it would be a absolute blast to see him in the Bronx someday, but I still don’t expect it.
Agreed. Man, I really hope he makes it. It would be very cool to see him up there given his style.
The fact that any pitcher would need to “jump through a few extra hoops” bothers me. Not the post, mind you, as this is a good one (thanks for a great post Chris H…..as we have seen too many “Who’s the 5th starter” posts all the place…this is refreshing). What I mean is that results should speak for themselves. Start the man at AA. So what if he gets pounded? He’s proved himself at the levels he was in. Advance him.
Totally agree, David. I was looking at numbers from Mark Melancon, David Robertson, etc., and, although these guys are different from Venditte, after 30-40 good innings in High-A, they were out of there. Venditte, of course, needs to do more than that. I understand why, but I don’t necessarily think that it is fair. His deviation should be looked at as a skill and as an advantage rather than as a difference.
He’s the first I’ve heard of, if not one of a kind. Let him jump through enough hoops so he can stand media attention, as well as the opposing team. What about that ruling, Chris, that he has to declare himself lefty or righty, and the switch-hitting batter can adjust? (Bogus ruling, seems to me.)
You know, as long as the manager or pitching coach knows what the opposing batter’s weak side is and provides Venditte with the info just before the batter steps into the box, I’m not really worried about it.
Why is it that when people are different from the norm, others tend to be scared of them or won’t use them because, for some crazy reason, they are kinda scared of them like they are a “freak”? This kid has talent and he is obviously busting his tail so why not reward him for what he has done?
I don’t think doing two levels in one year (Charleston and Tampa) is necessarily incremental. If he repeats what he did last year, he will be in Trenton this year and SWB in 2011.
So, I think this deserves a little bit of interpretation.
Pat Venditte was a late-round college relief pick. Despite the cool thing he does with both hands, he’s not a whole lot different from a guy like Josh Schmidt, who also broke in to the league with a really good short-season display. It took Schmidt ages, despite great K rates, to make Double-A. Venditte is moving slightly faster than Schmidt is.
The Yankees don’t push their low-dollar college relief pitchers, probably because they in general don’t see a whole lot of value in their arms. Best case scenario for Venditte? He eats a few innings in the back of a major league bullpen. There’s not a whole lot to like there, ambidextrous or not.
All that said, he’s a great story to read about, and I’m giddy about being able to take a trip out to Scranton or Trenton and see him pitch fairly soon.
Few believe Venditte has the stuff to be successful in the Big Leagues.I’m rooting for him.
[...] he'll start in Tampa: Promoting Pat Venditte | TYU I think that's probably sensible on the balance of it, as long as they promote him if he continues [...]