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Ben Sheets Lit Up For 10 Runs In Spring Training

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Polaroid

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We all know about Billy Beane, GM of the Oakland Athletics, and most people have heard of the 2003 book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game based on his experiences on how you can field a competitive and cost effective baseball team. So knowing Billy Beane, a few eyebrows were raised when he signed Ben Sheets this offseason to a one year deal. The signing was not the surprise but rather that Beane handed over $10 million in guaranteed money to a pitcher who hadn't pitched in the majors since 2008 and with the 31 year old having had his career defined by a catalogue of injuries.


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Although Spring Training doesn't count towards October and is a time where pitchers can tweak and fine tune their delivery, it's safe to say that things aren't looking for positive for Ben Sheets. Monday saw Sheet's third March start for the Athletics in which he faced 10 batters and failed to retire a single one as he was tagged for 10 runs with all but one of them earned. That comes on top of giving up six runs, five earned, in 2 2/3 innings last Wednesday that makes a total of 14 earned runs over 4.1 innings to give him an ERA to match his age.

It's going to get better, quipped Sheets after the match. That's good to hear.


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Mudcat
Really? That's quite interesting. Has that ever been done before? I don't think so eh?
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No not really, you lummox.

But to answer your question, Tony Mullane in the 1880's was a switch hitter and could switch pitch as well. He was the only major leaguer on record to attempt it until Greg Harris of the Expos in 1995. He pitched the 9th inning of a game and faced a RH hitter, then switched to throwing lefty for the next two batters, then back to righty for the last batter. The rules state you can either switch sides of the plate (batter) or pitch hand once during an at bat.

Interestingly, there is a minor league pitcher in the Yankees system (Class A) that hopes to one day be the first MLB full-time switch pitcher:





http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4145564
 
I was just telling a fib about sheets sorry...


Jello beat me to the story about greg harris and the minor leaguer.... and did a much better job than I would have... and I never knew about the old timer guy.

Harris could throw in the 90's with both arms, which amazes me.

I remember the minor league guy got some press, because when he would switch from one hand to the other, and the batter who was a switch hitter would switch from one side of the plate to the other accordingly..... so they just kept going back and forth and no pitches were thrown....until the umpire stepped in.

I don't remember how he decided.... i'm not sure if he didn't know the rule. or if this incident is what brought the creation of the rule up
 
Archie
I remember the minor league guy got some press, because when he would switch from one hand to the other, and the batter who was a switch hitter would switch from one side of the plate to the other accordingly..... so they just kept going back and forth and no pitches were thrown.
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That's what I envisioned right away when I thought of the implications of a switch-pitcher. That would be some good baseball. (EDIT - And as that video bears out, it is indeed some fine baseball.)
 
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Pretty funny video. Can you imagine if you had a starting pitcher who was equally very good with his left and right arm? You could theoretically have him pitch an entire outing with one hand, then turn around and have him pitch the next day with his other hand. You could have a 4 man rotation, with one guy taking two turns every time through. How valuable would a guy like that be?
 
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