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Switch-hitter
In baseball, a switch hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed, usually right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers. Characteristics Right-handed batters generally hit better against left-handed pitchers and ''vice versa''. Most curveballs break away from batters hitting from the same side as the opposing pitcher, making them harder to hit with the barrel (or " sweet spot") of the bat. Additionally, the pitcher's release is farther from the batter's center of vision. In switch-pitcher Pat Venditte's words, "If I'm pitching right-handed and they're hitting right-handed, it's tougher for them to see. And then, your breaking pitches are going away from their barrel rather than into their barrel." Even so, many switch-hitters perform better from one side of the plate than the other. Numerous switch-hitters have achieved a higher batting average on one side of the plate but hit with more power from the other. For ins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Justin Smoak
Justin Kyle Smoak (born December 5, 1986) is an American professional baseball first baseman who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Francisco Giants and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants. Smoak played baseball for Stratford High School and the University of South Carolina. He was the 11th overall selection in the 2008 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers. He made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2010, and was traded to the Seattle Mariners that season. He was claimed by the Blue Jays off waivers in 2014, and played for them until 2019. He was an All Star in 2017, and was fifth in the American League that season with 38 home runs. High school Smoak graduated from Stratford High School in 2005, after four years of high school baseball. It wasn't until his junior year that scouts began to notice his talent, as they were originally th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pat Venditte
Patrick Michael Venditte Jr. (; born June 30, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Miami Marlins. After attending Creighton University, Venditte was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2008. He signed with the Athletics as a free agent before the 2015 season and made his MLB debut that year. Venditte was a switch pitcher, capable of pitching proficiently with both arms. He was recognized as the only professional pitcher who was able to do this. Venditte's rare ability to pitch with either arm required both Major and Minor League Baseball to create a rule for ambidextrous pitchers, known colloquially as the "Pat Venditte Rule". This rule essentially requires any ambidextrous pitcher to declare which hand he will use to pitch to a batter before the at-bat starts and to throw with that hand through the entire ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York Yankees as a center fielder, right fielder, and first baseman. Mantle was one of the best players and sluggers and is regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. Mantle was one of the greatest offensive threats of any center fielder in baseball history. He has the second highest career OPS+ among center fielders (behind Mike Trout), and he had the highest stolen-base percentage in history at the time of his retirement. In addition, compared to the other four center fielders on the All-Century team, he had the lowest career rate of grounding into double plays, and he had the highest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mordecai Brown
Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown (October 19, 1876 – February 14, 1948), nicknamed Three Finger Brown or Miner, was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and manager during the first two decades of the 20th century (known as the "dead-ball era"). Due to a farm-machinery accident in his youth (April 17, 1888), Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand, and in the process gained a colorful nickname. He turned this handicap into an advantage by learning how to grip a baseball in a way that resulted in an exceptional curveball (or knuckle curve), which broke radically before reaching the plate. With this technique he became one of the elite pitchers of his era. Brown was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949. Early life Brown was born in Nyesville, Indiana. He was also known as "Miner", having worked in western Indiana coal mines for a while before beginning his professional baseball career. Nicknames like "Miner" (or misspelled as "Minor") and "Three Finger" (or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
José Reyes (infielder)
José Bernabe Reyes (born June 11, 1983) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball infielder. He played, most notably at shortstop, in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, and Colorado Rockies. Reyes is a four-time MLB All-Star. He led MLB in triples in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. Reyes also led the National League (NL) in stolen bases in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was the NL batting champion in 2011. He is also the New York Mets' all-time leader in triples and stolen bases. Minor league career Reyes was spotted by New York Mets scouts during a tryout camp in Santiago in the summer of 1999. After initial concerns over Reyes' slight frame, the Mets offered him a contract, which he signed on August 16, 1999. Despite traditionally sending youngsters to play in their Dominican academy, the Mets made an exception with Reyes and sent him to the Kingsport Mets of the Rookie-level Appalachian League for the 2000 season. He f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melky Cabrera
Melky Cabrera Astacio (born August 11, 1984), nicknamed The Melkman, is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, and Pittsburgh Pirates. While primarily a left fielder throughout his career, Cabrera spent a significant amount of his playing time as a center fielder for the Royals and Yankees. Cabrera signed with the Yankees as an amateur free agent. He made his MLB debut for the Yankees in 2005. After playing as a fourth outfielder, the Yankees included him in a trade to the Braves after the 2009 season. Struggling with the Braves in 2010, he was released, and signed by the Royals in 2011. Cabrera had a strong year with the Royals, and was traded to the Giants for the 2012 season. In 2012, Cabrera made his first All-Star Game appearance, winning the All-Star Game MVP Award. Profession ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Troy Patton
Troy Jamieson Patton (born September 3, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres. Patton attended Tomball High School in Tomball, Texas. Baseball career Houston Astros Patton was drafted in the ninth round by the Houston Astros in 2004. In 2007, Patton played in Minor League Baseball for the Corpus Christi Hooks and Round Rock Express. He made his MLB debut with the Houston Astros on August 25, 2007. Baltimore Orioles Patton was part of a trade package sent by the Astros to the Baltimore Orioles on December 12, 2007, in return for shortstop Miguel Tejada. Patton spent the 2008 season on the disabled list after suffering a left labrum tear. On September 22, 2010, Patton made his first career appearance for the Orioles, in a game against the Boston Red Sox. He pitched 0.2 innings, giving up no runs, 1 hit, 1 walk, and struck out David Ortiz to en ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wandy Rodriguez (born 1946), American football player
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Wandy is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Wandy Peralta (born 1991), Dominican professional baseball pitcher *Wandy Rodríguez (born 1979), Dominican professional baseball pitcher *Wandy Williams Wandy Williams (born January 3, 1946) is a former American football running back. He played for the Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyle Snyder (baseball)
Kyle Ehren Snyder (born September 9, 1977) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher and current pitching coach for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox. During his playing days, Snyder stood tall, weighing . Background Snyder was born in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Riverview High School in Sarasota, Florida in 1996. While in high school, Snyder lettered in baseball, basketball, swimming, and golf. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 1996 amateur draft; however, Snyder chose to attend North Carolina instead, where he played college baseball for the Tar Heels. Snyder played three years for North Carolina, and in 1998 played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham Athletics of the Cape Cod Baseball League where he was named the top prospect. In summer 1997, Snyder played in the Valley Baseball League, for the Winchester Royals. Professional career In 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Vander Meer
John Samuel Vander Meer (November 2, 1914 – October 6, 1997) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher, most prominently as a member of the Cincinnati Reds where he became the only pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw two consecutive no-hitters, and was a member of the 1940 World Series winning team. After the impressive start to his major league career, he experienced problems controlling the accuracy of his pitching, and his later career was marked by inconsistent performances. Baseball career Born in Prospect Park, New Jersey, he moved with his family to Midland Park, New Jersey in 1918. He had an inauspicious start to his professional baseball career. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1933 and assigned to the Dayton Ducks. Dayton then sold his contract to a Boston Bees minor league affiliate, the Scranton Miners of the New York–Pennsylvania League. The Miners f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sid Monge
Isidro Monge Pedroza (born April 11, 1951) is a Mexican retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher who pitched from 1975 to 1984. He played for the California Angels, Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers, all of the American League and the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, both of the National League. Career Born in Agua Prieta, the Mexican state of Sonora, Monge moved to Brawley, California at age 16 and attended Brawley Union High School. He was drafted in the 24th round (562nd overall) of the 1970 June Baseball Draft by the California Angels. Monge was called up to the Angels after going 14–9 with a 4.63 ERA for the Salt Lake City Gulls of the Pacific Coast League, and made his major league debut on September 12, 1975 against the Kansas City Royals at Royals Stadium pitching innings in relief of Bill Singer getting no decision. Monge went 49–40 in his 10-year career with a 3.53 ERA. He pitched 764 innings, striking out 471. Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marvin Rotblatt
Marvin Rotblatt (October 18, 1927 – July 16, 2013), nicknamed "Rotty", was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox in the , and seasons. His ERAs in 1948 (7.85) and 1950 (6.23) were the highest in the majors. He failed to get a base hit in fifteen career at-bats. Biography Rotblatt was born in Chicago, where his father, a Jewish immigrant from Poland, owned a lamp business. He was Jewish. He attended Von Steuben High School in Chicago. Before playing professional baseball, Rotblatt played for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The 1947-48 team won the Big Nine Championship. His minor league Southern Association record included a season-high 202 strikeouts and a no-hitter. Listed at tall, Rotblatt has been considered one of the shortest pitchers in Major League history. As a result, in 1951 he appeared on ''You Bet Your Life'', the television quiz show hosted by Groucho Marx, after being selected at an audition over his pitchi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
