No Pepper

by Tommy Bennett on Dec 8, 2009 8:26 PM EST

Chris Moore have a Bayesian hot dog with me. Could there be a reason why Tom Glavine always seemed to get the outside call?

The longest disquisition of athlete handedness I have ever read. The previous comment is intended as a compliment. Curtis Granderson, take heart!

The ink-stained wretch is headed to the MLB Network. Not much to add here except that a young Tommy may have read for Peter Gammons' byline before any other.

Tango points us to Sean Smith, who is reverse engineering the implied $/WAR of each free agent signing this offseason.

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I would post this on Athletics Nation, but there is a waiting period

Right-handers earning a living with a bat realized that batting from left side can be learned. Or perhaps their stats-savvy high school coaches started suggesting that. Or their failure fathers wanted to do whatever it takes to at least relive some success and glory through their sons. Who knows?

As it turns out, pitching with your off hand can be learned too. Just ask Joba Chamberlain and Pat Venditte. A small number, sure, but I think it is a statistically significant sample of professional baseball players from Nebraska (or at least Nebraska pitchers in the Yankees organization born in 1985).

by Trey Hillman's Chin on Dec 9, 2009 7:58 AM EST reply actions

over on AN

This linking has been noted, so maybe elcroata will join in on the thread here. Also, some commenters there have made the similar observation that there are several LHP who are actually right-handed. Evidently this includes Barry Zito, to provide a more A’s-centric example.

by colin on Dec 9, 2009 11:19 AM EST up reply actions