Ichiro! wants to pitch...

[kyleb]

...when he turns 40 years old.

WHAT THE UFVJKSNDBLKSHSLKSHLSDH

[ QUOTE ]
"Once I turn 40," he says, "I can become a pitcher. I'm kind of serious about it. But I'll have to learn to throw a knuckleball. Right now, I could be a 'normal' pitcher," who can top out at 95 mph with a fastball.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseb...r-ichiro_N.htm

[g-bebe]

All I know is, the guy can hit, and he has an absolute cannon from right field. I don't know of many outfielders who can gun it like Ichiro and Guerrero can.

[Vyse]

Crack is wack.

[prohornblower]

Are you sure this isn't just his interpreter f***ing with us all?

Yes, I know he speaks English pretty well, but it's a joke, people. Chill.

[Bremen]

If he could become even a 5th starter NL teams would throw a ton of money at him... its a nice dream.

I've always wondered why we never see pitchers who throw from both sides (there actually have been a few, but not many). They say a large portion of it is mental, and for many lefties we're just as good using our right hand to do things as our left...

[Dids]

Ichiro exists in a perpetual state of leveling the media I'm pretty sure. 100% convinced that he's hilarious and also that he could do this if he wanted to.

[kyleb]

[ QUOTE ]
If he could become even a 5th starter NL teams would throw a ton of money at him... its a nice dream.

I've always wondered why we never see pitchers who throw from both sides (there actually have been a few, but not many). They say a large portion of it is mental, and for many lefties we're just as good using our right hand to do things as our left...

[/ QUOTE ]

It's the same reason why outfielders like Mark Kotsay (Golden Spikes winner as a closer) and Josh Hamilton (99mph fastball, 0.00 ERA in HS) don't pitch - it's just THAT damn difficult to succeed at one specific task, much less two.

[Bremen]

[ QUOTE ]
it's just THAT damn difficult to succeed at one specific task, much less two.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't doubt it. But hardly any even try. As a starting pitcher you have pretty many days were you don't do anything at all. There's no reason they couldn't turn around and throw some. I don't doubt most wouldn't succeed, but thats not a reason not to try.

[talentdeficit]

could a truly ambidextrous pitcher start 2x as often as a regular pitcher?

[TonyDanza]

[ QUOTE ]
If he could become even a 5th starter NL teams would throw a ton of money at him... its a nice dream.

I've always wondered why we never see pitchers who throw from both sides (there actually have been a few, but not many). They say a large portion of it is mental, and for many lefties we're just as good using our right hand to do things as our left...

[/ QUOTE ]

I played with a guy that could throw 90-92 from the right side and 86-88 from the left side. He wasn't that great from the right side and even worse from the left side. He really only concentrated on throwing right handed and still struggled with that a lot. Having 3 good pitches with one hand is tough enough, let alone having solid mechanics and learning those mechanics from the other. I can't imagine trying to do this. You would have to be pretty awesome to even give it a shot.