Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte added yet another scoreless inning to his spring training résumé on Wednesday night to further improve his chances of breaking camp on the Dodgers 25-man Opening Day roster.

“It’s been good so far,” said Venditte. “You want to get off on the right foot any time you’re with a new organization, get out there and throw strikes. I feel I’ve been able to do that and off to a good start.”

A good start indeed. On Wednesday night, Venditte allowed no runs and no hits, with a walk – his first of the spring – and a strikeout, to bring his spring training tally to one run (a solo home run) on six hits, with one walk and 10 strikeouts in his seven innings of work. Additionally, his 1.08 ERA is the lowest among all Dodgers relievers with more than five innings pitched.

Venditte faced four batters on Wednesday night – two pitching left-handed,

…and two pitching right-handed.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Now that we’re getting past the novelty that the 32-year-old Omaha, Nebraska native is the only switch-pitcher of the 21st century, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday that it’s not just his ability two pitch with both arms that makes Venditte a valuable asset to the team, it’s his mindset and versatility.

“Pat’s interesting, isn’t he? I’ve never seen it up close and personal but to have that feel from both hands and to pick-off, and the spin, and all that stuff, it’s really amazing,” Roberts said. “He’s just such a good dude and he always performed, and I think that’s a little bit that gets forgotten, unfortunately, is that this guy can throw with both hands but, throughout his entire career, he’s been a performer, so that means a lot.”

Interestingly enough, Roberts said this before Venditte’s outing on Wednesday night. What did the extremely polite and humble switch-pitcher have to say when told of Roberts comments after his Wednesday night outing?

“Any time you don’t have the 90’s fastball and stuff like that that jumps out, or maybe a scouting report, people wonder how this guy is going to get guys out with the stuff that he has,” said Venditte. “I think I’ve found a way to do that over the years and maybe that’s why I get that label.”

Although it is still too early to speculate whether or not Venditte will make the Dodgers Opening Day roster, he is certainly doing everything that he possibly can towards that end.

Stay tuned…