By Dave Del Grande, The Sports Xchange
Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin has penned thousands of lineup cards in his career. But he had never done one quite like the one he filled out in advance of his club’s exhibition opener against the San Francisco Giants.
When Melvin wrote the name “Venditte” in both the left-handed and right-handed pitchers’ columns on the card, it was no misprint. The switch-pitching Pat Venditte indeed gives his veteran skipper that kind of unique versatility.
The 29-year-old, who has seven years of minor-league experience, put his dual-barreled approach on full display during the A’s intrasquad scrimmage Saturday. He is in his first season with Oakland.
Venditte warmed up left-handed, then moved the glove to his left hand so he could throw right-handed to the first batter, right-handed-hitting Carson Blair.
After disposing of Blair, he went lefty on Sam Fuld and also retired him, setting up another A’s first — a switch-pitcher facing a switch-hitter, Andy Parrino.
By rule, Venditte must declare which hand he will use to throw before the hitter steps into the batter’s box. He went righty on Parrino, who batted left-handed, and struck him out to complete a 1-2-3 inning.
Clearly, A’s pitchers and hitters alike were dazzled.
“The most impressive thing is: There’s zero hesitation one way or another when he throws,” A’s reliever Sean Doolittle said. “It’s not like he’s figuring things out in his head beforehand. It’s amazing to have both sides of your brain working like that. It’s crazy.”
Venditte, a 20th-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2008, has a 2.46 ERA in the minors, but he has never gotten a shot in the big leagues, which prompted him to seek out an opportunity with the open-minded A’s this year.
“Is there a better organization for the guy to be in?” Doolittle asked.
