The ambidextrous pitcher
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ScotchMIrish
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The ambidextrous pitcher
He may turn out to be an ace but it seems to me if he has great stuff he wouldn't have switch to throwing left handed against left handed batters.
Maybe Bloom thinks he will be an attraction to draw fans?
Maybe Bloom thinks he will be an attraction to draw fans?
Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
It has already been reported that Cijntje is now pitching almost exclusively as a RH.ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:18 am He may turn out to be an ace but it seems to me if he has great stuff he wouldn't have switch to throwing left handed against left handed batters.
Maybe Bloom thinks he will be an attraction to draw fans?
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mattmitchl44
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
I imagine the only reason he's been allowed to stick with throwing LH as long as he has is because he is apparently naturally LH.
However, I expect that sooner rather than later he's going to need to work on throwing RH to LH batters and learning how to get outs that way.
However, I expect that sooner rather than later he's going to need to work on throwing RH to LH batters and learning how to get outs that way.
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Ronnie Dobbs
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Apparently he already does that. I was watching a highlight video posted the other day and it showed him throwing RH to multiple LHH. There is also a highlight where he throws RH to a RHH and then next batter is LH and he switches to LHP. I asked if he has been throwing LH to LHH's with more drastic splits and otherwise throwing RH. No one responded, so maybe I'll ask this to some Mariners fans and see what they have to say.mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:39 am I imagine the only reason he's been allowed to stick with throwing LH as long as he has is because he is apparently naturally LH.
However, I expect that sooner rather than later he's going to need to work on throwing RH to LH batters and learning how to get outs that way.
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ScotchMIrish
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
That was the headline player we got for an all star, gold glove and top 5 OPS at 2B in MLB.mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:39 am I imagine the only reason he's been allowed to stick with throwing LH as long as he has is because he is apparently naturally LH.
However, I expect that sooner rather than later he's going to need to work on throwing RH to LH batters and learning how to get outs that way.
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Ronnie Dobbs
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
His value as a prospect isn’t about the fact that he could throw both LH and RH. He’s not as good LH as he is RH. Probably a LH reliever, if that’s all he threw. His value is the kind of pitcher he is throwing RH.ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:18 am He may turn out to be an ace but it seems to me if he has great stuff he wouldn't have switch to throwing left handed against left handed batters.
Maybe Bloom thinks he will be an attraction to draw fans?
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mattmitchl44
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
According to some evaluators, he has the ceiling of a #2 RH SP if he can reach it.ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:57 amThat was the headline player we got for an all star, gold glove and top 5 OPS at 2B in MLB.mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:39 am I imagine the only reason he's been allowed to stick with throwing LH as long as he has is because he is apparently naturally LH.
However, I expect that sooner rather than later he's going to need to work on throwing RH to LH batters and learning how to get outs that way.
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mattmitchl44
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
I perhaps should have said "work exclusively on throwing RH to LH batters."Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:54 amApparently he already does that. I was watching a highlight video posted the other day and it showed him throwing RH to multiple LHH. There is also a highlight where he throws RH to a RHH and then next batter is LH and he switches to LHP. I asked if he has been throwing LH to LHH's with more drastic splits and otherwise throwing RH. No one responded, so maybe I'll ask this to some Mariners fans and see what they have to say.mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:39 am I imagine the only reason he's been allowed to stick with throwing LH as long as he has is because he is apparently naturally LH.
However, I expect that sooner rather than later he's going to need to work on throwing RH to LH batters and learning how to get outs that way.
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NYCardsFan
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Don’t know if it answers your particular question, but there was a discussion of his splits here: viewtopic.php?t=1520135Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:54 amApparently he already does that. I was watching a highlight video posted the other day and it showed him throwing RH to multiple LHH. There is also a highlight where he throws RH to a RHH and then next batter is LH and he switches to LHP. I asked if he has been throwing LH to LHH's with more drastic splits and otherwise throwing RH. No one responded, so maybe I'll ask this to some Mariners fans and see what they have to say.mattmitchl44 wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 08:39 am I imagine the only reason he's been allowed to stick with throwing LH as long as he has is because he is apparently naturally LH.
However, I expect that sooner rather than later he's going to need to work on throwing RH to LH batters and learning how to get outs that way.
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Ronnie Dobbs
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Nice, I didn’t see that thread.NYCardsFan wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:27 amDon’t know if it answers your particular question, but there was a discussion of his splits here: viewtopic.php?t=1520135
But yea, my assumption is that he is viewed primarily as a RHP that will normally throw RH against LHH, but occasionally switch to LHP if facing a LHH with drastic splits. And quite honestly, I hope they don’t totally give up on letting him at least continue to throw LH outside of actual games. If he can develop into a guy who can serviceably throw LH when needed, especially if he just ends up a bullpen guy, that would really be helpful for his career. I get that that would be worst case scenario for him, but never hurts to plan for the future.
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Galatians221jb1
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Evidently he's also amphibious. That's the real allure 
Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Time will tell if he pans out, but pitching L and R at a pro level is fascinating. Maybe have a glove for him with two webs so he can face lefties as a lefty and switch R for righties...ha!
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11WSChamps
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Wonder what his bobblehead promotion will look like?
Mo would have had a field day with this one.
Mo would have had a field day with this one.
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Strummer Jones
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
I agree with that.Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:40 amNice, I didn’t see that thread.NYCardsFan wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:27 amDon’t know if it answers your particular question, but there was a discussion of his splits here: viewtopic.php?t=1520135
But yea, my assumption is that he is viewed primarily as a RHP that will normally throw RH against LHH, but occasionally switch to LHP if facing a LHH with drastic splits. And quite honestly, I hope they don’t totally give up on letting him at least continue to throw LH outside of actual games. If he can develop into a guy who can serviceably throw LH when needed, especially if he just ends up a bullpen guy, that would really be helpful for his career. I get that that would be worst case scenario for him, but never hurts to plan for the future.
I could see a scenario where he's at the end of his rope and the next guy up is a real splitty lefty and Cintje (I think I spelled that right) does a 180 and goes at him left-handed with a fresh-ish arm. Though...is he allowed to alter his between-inning warmup routine? However many pitches he gets...does he/can he get extras to warm up his left arm, too?
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NYCardsFan
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Bloom was asked about and addressed the rough plan in his small presser. Here’s the link at 3:36:Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:40 amNice, I didn’t see that thread.NYCardsFan wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:27 amDon’t know if it answers your particular question, but there was a discussion of his splits here: viewtopic.php?t=1520135
But yea, my assumption is that he is viewed primarily as a RHP that will normally throw RH against LHH, but occasionally switch to LHP if facing a LHH with drastic splits. And quite honestly, I hope they don’t totally give up on letting him at least continue to throw LH outside of actual games. If he can develop into a guy who can serviceably throw LH when needed, especially if he just ends up a bullpen guy, that would really be helpful for his career. I get that that would be worst case scenario for him, but never hurts to plan for the future.
https://www.youtube.com/live/Q-_preCTWV ... 7Nn6wsqzt7
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11WSChamps
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Re: The ambidextrous pitcher
Maybe baseball can create a rule for him like they did Ohtani.Strummer Jones wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 10:04 amI agree with that.Ronnie Dobbs wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:40 amNice, I didn’t see that thread.NYCardsFan wrote: ↑06 Feb 2026 09:27 amDon’t know if it answers your particular question, but there was a discussion of his splits here: viewtopic.php?t=1520135
But yea, my assumption is that he is viewed primarily as a RHP that will normally throw RH against LHH, but occasionally switch to LHP if facing a LHH with drastic splits. And quite honestly, I hope they don’t totally give up on letting him at least continue to throw LH outside of actual games. If he can develop into a guy who can serviceably throw LH when needed, especially if he just ends up a bullpen guy, that would really be helpful for his career. I get that that would be worst case scenario for him, but never hurts to plan for the future.
I could see a scenario where he's at the end of his rope and the next guy up is a real splitty lefty and Cintje (I think I spelled that right) does a 180 and goes at him left-handed with a fresh-ish arm. Though...is he allowed to alter his between-inning warmup routine? However many pitches he gets...does he/can he get extras to warm up his left arm, too?