On the One Hand...

 Some people read the obituaries, I prefer the “Deals” column in the sports’ section.  That’s where I found this gem: OAKLAND ATHLETICS –Selected the contract of RHP-LHP Pat Venditte from Nashville (PCL).  The A’s website referred to Venditte as a “switch-handed pitcher,” all because his father taught him starting at the age of three.

Venditte was drafted by the Yankees in the 20^th round in 2008, and it wasn’t long after that he got a rule named after him.  The switch-handed pitcher faced a switch-hitter, and around and around they went until the umpire made the hitter bat right-handed.  According to the Venditte Rule, an ambidextrous pitcher has to declare which side he intends to thrown from for each batter.  For seven-plus seasons, Venditte was a pitcher with a rule but no major-league experience until the A’s, who had signed him as a minor-league free agent in the offseason, called him up last week.  Venditte went scoreless in two appearances at Fenway.

Baseball benefits every time a team thinks outside the box; Billy Beane, the A’s GM, is doing as Branch Rickey did.  Now, if Rich Hahn would just dust off the palm ball and the knuckler, things could get really interesting.  He could even sign a female to throw the aforementioned pitches, righty or lefty, I don’t care.