Pat Venditte

[Dojji]

He's still more or less just a curiosity, but the Yankees' switch-throwing reliever has been putting up good numbers in the lower minors. Most people who know me know that prospects with odd skillsets intrigue me, but I'm curious what the thoughts of other fans were about Venditte's chances.

 

While Venditte is definitely putting up the numbers so far in his minor league career, two things in my view that Venditte has to overcome to break through into legit prospect territory.

 

1: His age. Venditte is about 2 years older than he "should" be at his level. I suspect this might be partially in order to train his left hand and keep it viable -- his righthanded heater doesn't top 90, so if he has to revert to a fulltime RHP, he becomes nothing special pretty quickly. Being drafted at age 23 doesn't help there either.

 

2: Venditte is giving extremely raw hitters an odd look and as a RP, not too many of them are getting second or third looks. Makes his performance a little more difficult to take seriously. He's performing at levels of the minors a gimmicky pitcher should be able to survive at on pure gimmickyness, especially a reliever like Venditte..

 

Thoughts?

[jacksonianmarch]

He sure is interesting. Coming out of college, he threw 80-81mph from the left hand side with a big slider. But he is a sidearmer lefthanded, so he fits the Mike Myers mold I guess. That really hasnt been a big problem, due to the movement, location and deception, he should be at least passable from the lefty side. His intrigue is the right hand side. He was more of a mid to high 80s pitcher from the right with very solid control and a good curveball. But with a few mechanical tweaks, he's sitting around 90. The big knock on him right now is that he's an advanced pitcher pitching to hitters who are still developing. He gets a lot of swing and misses from the right hand side while throwing the curve out of the zone. He is going to need to prove that he can get those swing and misses while throwing inside the zone to be effective. If his right hand side can be average, he'll be very valuable at the big league level due to his versatility. But that isnt a sure thing right now. He'll start in Trenton this yr, where he really will get to see advanced hitters for the first time. But thus far, he's had video game numbers in the minors.

[ZonaSoxFan]

I've always watched him, and for some reason wanted him to do well. I think it would be awesome to see a switch pitcher in the big leagues; but so far, to me, it seems that his career will be nothing more than that of a baseball "freak show".

[a700hitter]

Threads on Yankee trash prospects?

[Spudboy]

Threads on Yankee trash prospects?

 

Why not?

 

Not much else to talk about.

[Dojji]

I'd be interested in Venditte even if he was a Twins prospect or something. I like new things, and what Venditte's trying to become has pretty much never happened before.

[Imperial59]

Experienced big league pitchers have enough trouble repeating one delivery. I doubt a young, inexperienced guy could repeat two deliveries consistently enough to become an effective major leaguer. If they could, it probably would have been done before.

[Dojji]

That's kinda hard to say -- I mean, how many people have even TRIED? It's kinda like the lefthanded throwing catchers conundrum, It's hard to say "it would have been done before" if coaches habitually scare kids away from trying it.

 

I dunno if he can hack it in the majors, but if he can get by in AA, he'll be ahead of any true switch-pitcher in baseball history, and at that point it's very hard to predict what happens.

[Spudboy]

Admittedly, I know nothing about the guy. But as Dojji has said, the idea is intriguing.

 

It would be fun to see him advance to the show. And it would be good for baseball.

[26 to 6]

I'd be interested in Venditte even if he was a Twins prospect or something. I like new things' date=' and what Venditte's trying to become has pretty much never happened before.[/quote']

The only one I could think of is former Yankee and Red Sox Greg Harris.

 

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=harrigr01

 

Although I think he was primarily a right-hander and only pitched lefty very few times.

 

As for Venditte, he's definitely interesting and he hasn't been awful, but he still needs a lot of work before he can be considered a legit big league prospect.

[Spudboy]

Experienced big league pitchers have enough trouble repeating one delivery. I doubt a young' date=' inexperienced guy could repeat two deliveries consistently enough to become an effective major leaguer. If they could, it probably would have been done before.[/quote']

 

He's a statistical anomaly. So what?

 

Can you say that you would not like to see him pitch in the major leagues? Why?

 

There has been one pitcher with only one hand. Do you remember him?

 

Jim Abbott.

[a700hitter]

I'd be interested in Venditte even if he was a Twins prospect or something. I like new things' date=' and what Venditte's trying to become has pretty much never happened before.[/quote']Being a career Bush leaguer is nothing new. That's where this kid is headed with his novelty act. Boring. A blind pitcher I might find interesting, or maybe one with no legs.

[Dojji]

There's been a one-legged pitcher too. Can't remember his name off the top of my head but he pitched for the Washington Senators in the late 40's or early 50's. Lefty, of course.

[Dojji]

Being a career Bush leaguer is nothing new. That's where this kid is headed with his novelty act. Boring. A blind pitcher I might find interesting' date=' or maybe one with no legs.[/quote']

 

If Jacko's right, and Venditte can sit in the low 90's righthanded, this might not just be a novelty act.

 

We have kinda little to lose. The worst case scenario for us (Venditte dominates the big leagues for NYY) seems like a fool's hope. Interesting guy to keep an eye on though.

[a700hitter]

There's been a one-legged pitcher too. Can't remember his name off the top of my head but he pitched for the Washington Senators in the late 40's or early 50's. Lefty' date=' of course.[/quote']Monty Stratton, and they say that Rizzuto used to bunt on him. Stratton had one leg. I'd be interested if there was a pitcher with no legs, no prosthesis, just stumps.

[Dojji]

Oh, well there's another one then.

[a700hitter]

If Jacko's right, and Venditte can sit in the low 90's righthanded, this might not just be a novelty act.

 

We have kinda little to lose. The worst case scenario for us (Venditte dominates the big leagues for NYY) seems like a fool's hope. Interesting guy to keep an eye on though.

... and when has Jacko been right about anything? Please show me a field goal kicking mule. That would be interesting.

[Dipre]

... and when has Jacko been right about anything? Please show me a field goal kicking mule. That would be interesting.

 

He'll say he was right in predicting the Yanks to win it all last year, but he does that every year. Fling enough s*** towards a wall, and eventually some of it is going to stick.

[Keeper]

Here's another guy: Max Homick. He's a southpaw on the mound, but he throws with his right hand at third base. He thinks he could also pitch both ways.

[Dojji]

"thinks he could" is nice. Venditte is actually doing it.

[jacksonianmarch]

The problem with previous switch pitchers (and there have been plenty more who failed aside from Greg Harris) is the fact that they stay very similar from both sides. Similar motions, similar pitches, just different sides. And, these guys really need to have their weaker side be the left side since a weak righty pitcher is useless.

 

The thing that is so interesting about Venditte is the fact that he is 2 different pitchers in one. He is a sidearming lefty who throws a slider and a slow but controlled FB a la Myers. From the RH side, he is a traditional over the top pitcher with a harder fastball, a big breaking curve and a crappy change. This is his one potential saving grace is. He's not the same from both sides

[Spudboy]

Where's the chart?

 

Yankee's Prospect: He may be OK. He's why he'll be great.

 

Or something like that.

[Dipre]

Yeah.

 

What would be his saving grace if he pitched for the Sox?

[jacksonianmarch]

Spud, I have already said that he has a big hurdle to overcome. I still think the odds on likelihood is a AAAA player or worse. But he is at least a bit different from the prior guys who tried

[Dipre]

Spud' date=' I have already said that he has a big hurdle to overcome. I still think the odds on likelihood is a AAAA player or worse. But he is at least a bit different from the prior guys who tried[/quote']

 

We're just f***ing with ya, man.

[Dojji]

Yeah, I don't think anyone in this thread is saying that this guy is going to be a closer. Just that he's an interesting story.

[Spudboy]

Oh.

 

I though you were singing his virtues.

[Dipre]

Yeah' date=' I don't think anyone in this thread is saying that this guy is going to be a closer. Just that he's an interesting story.[/quote']

 

95 in the Doijita scale.

[jacksonianmarch]

Oh.

 

I though you were singing his virtues.

 

this yr will be big in determining if I will be doing any singing.

[Spudboy]

this yr will be big in determining if I will be doing any singing.

 

lol.

 

ok.

 

I think we are all a little antsy awaiting the start of spring training. All the Boston teams have been sucking pond water. As have the New York team, I think.

 

I want warm weather and the familiar pop of some fastballs meeting a catcher's leather.

 

Then I'll be happy.