An ambidextrous pitcher? Really - now that is an eye opener

A video from ESPN today baffled me. It showed a minor league pitcher who can pitch both left-handed and right-handed. While there are numerous switch hitters in the major leagues, Pat Venditte is the first ambidextrous pitcher in a hundred years. What is more, he is quite good. He has one of the best strikeout to walk ratios, pitches up to 93 mph on the right and 86 mph on the left - so he is not just a freak show.

What I found interesting about this video is that he is making history. Whether or not he makes it to the MLB is unknown. However, I don't watch any minor league baseball (except for the occassional Sioux Falls Canaries game), which means I don't know any minor league player - except now.

How does this deal with communication? Pat Venditte uses his skill to his advantage. He is able to pitch to the side of the batter that they don't want to face -- every batter. This is giving him a step up against other players, which will help him be successful. Being able to give a great presentation is a great skill that a lot of business professionals do not have. If you can gain that skill, you will get a step up against your competition. Don't think that it is something that you can't learn - you can. Working on a becoming a great presenter is something, that if worked on,  can lead you to great success.

Travis

Comments

[Dr. Don R. Mueller]

I see from your article that you are interested in ambidexterity in connection with sport. My name is Prof. Don R. Mueller (aka Prof. Tennis). I teach physics (including the "Physics of Tennis") and I'm a two-racket tennis player. Yes, two-racket tennis! With the U.S. Open Tennis tournament approaching, I thought you might like to hear about the two-racket game. Last year, two-racket tennis was featured in the NY Times before the U.S. Open and it generated a healthy response from people around the country. In fact, there is now the Two-Racket Tennis Federation in Moscow, Russia. My website is www.tworacket.com

For Two-Racket Tennis in less than 60 seconds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwzcFUCDKQY

Edward Scissorhands of Tennis: Times Herald-Record

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWzercfKZM4&feature=player_embedded#

I also want to tell you about my Russian friends and the Two-Racket Tennis Federation (Moscow, Russia): Their web address: http://www.tworackets.com/english.html

Check out these videos from the Two-Racket Tennis Federation:

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwRKYIeRwW8&feature=email

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS91JkaDHKw&feature=email

3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXJoxCpUW2o&feature=email

News Items about two-racket tennis:

Physics professor promotes two-racket tennis

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/sports/tennis/24rackets.html?ref=sports

ABC News: Two Rackets Better Than One?

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8475212

Two-racket Tennis: From the Times Herald-Record (7/25/10)

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100725/SPORTS/7250345&emailAFriend=1

Take Care,

Don

Don R. Mueller, Ph.D.
email: [email protected]