Nashville Sounds’ Unorthodox Switch-Pitcher Finally Gets Called Up By The Big Leagues

The Nashville Sounds’ pitcher who prompted a rule change when he broke into professional baseball has finally made it to the major leagues. 

Pat Venditte
has the rare ability to throw a baseball with both his left arm and his right arm. The 29-year-old toiled for years in the minor leagues, first with the Yankees organization and this year with Oakland’s top farm team in Nashville. He was called up to the Oakland A’s on Friday.

(Update: Venditte made his major league debut Friday night with two scoreless inning against the Red Sox.  He also appeared Sunday afternoon, retiring the one batter he faced.)

Venditte spoke last month about his prospects for being promoted:

“That’s why I’m out here everyday, and that’s why I’ve been doing what I’ve been doing over the last seven years is for that opportunity,” said Venditte. “If — and hopefully when — that day comes, you just want to be ready for it, and that would mean a lot to myself and my family.”

It was during his rookie season when a prolonged cat-and-mouse game between he and a switch-hitter caused baseball to institute the “Venditte
Rule,” making the pitcher declare first which arm he plans to use. 

If he sticks around, he’d be the first full-time ambidextrous pitcher in the major leagues since the late 1800s
.