The Dodgers announced Wednesday that they’ve acquired left-hander Adam McCreery from the Braves in exchange for cash. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, switch-pitcher Pat Venditte was designated for assignment.
McCreery, who’ll turn 26 on New Year’s Eve, made his big league debut in 2018, though he appeared in just one game and tossed just one inning. He spent the bulk of the season with the Braves’ Double-A affiliate but also pitched in eight games for their Triple-A club. In all, his minor league work resulted in a 3.62 ERA with 11.7 K/9 but a troubling 6.1 BB/9 mark. McCreery has regularly topped 60 percent with his ground-ball rate and has long racked up strikeouts at an impressive level, but the control issues he battled in 2018 were nothing new for him; McCreery has averaged 5.7 walks per nine innings pitched in his career. Atlanta designated him for assignment earlier this week to open a roster spot for Brian McCann.
Venditte, 33, pitched well in 14 innings with the Dodgers in 2018, compiling a 2.57 ERA with nine strikeouts against three walks in that small sample of work. As the game’s lone ambidextrous pitcher, Venditte is somewhat of an anomaly, but he’s also been extraordinarily effective in his career against fellow lefties; same-handed opponents have posted an abysmal .186/.230/.354 slash against Venditte in a total of 122 MLB plate appearances.
Dodgers win 6’9 southpaw sweepstakes. Wanted him…
Wait, he only cost “cash considerations”? HOW MUCH?
Probably 500k or less. Wait,
why are so concerned how a billionaire spent some money?
Other way around. Focus on the player. Concerned w/ exact $ got traded for, cuz I believe in the player
Yeah, Dodgers got am excellent project on their hands now. Which, honestly, he really isn’t all THAT much of a project.
He just needs to get his control down a little more, but even still he’s pretty darn good regardless. I was truly hoping the Braves would be able to sneak him through unclaimed..I knew it wasn’t a good chance, but I’m suprised they weren’t able to at least snag a lower level MI lottery ticket..
Anyways, congrats Dodgers’ fans. You’ll love McCreery. He has an intimidating mound presence, but he’s also a heck of a cool guy. He has some wicked movement that needs a little harnessing, but overall, you all got a good one.
Give him a month or two at AAA, but he’ll be ready when called upon.
Thanks for the glowing recommendation. I sure hope you’re correct.
also he has one of the games best lefties who has a similar build to help get a better feel for his pitches
Who?
Welllllll goooooood………. To talented to let go for potential nothing. At least we got something for him…
“Cash considerations” can’t pick up a bat or pitch.
I really want to know how much but it’s rarely disclosed.
O well. Money can be flipped for a bat or pitch
Minor league depth?
He’s the next Brandon Morrow…
This is ashame. Pat Venditte is my role model. Just like him, I am an ambidextrous pitcher and he’s worked so hard. Hope somebody picks him up and he succeeds.
But are you an amphibious pitcher?
Hey, I like amphibious baseball things.
milb.bamcontent.com/documents/8/6/0/265955860/aqua…
Met him when he was playing for the Staten Island Yankees.. really chill dude and even let me check out his glove after we talked for a while. Always rooting for him!
If you can get averagish speed & control with two pitches from either side, you’ve got yourself a decent chance at a career.
Venditte’s had plenty of opportunities to hang it up, but he still gets rostered even with fastballs that never break 90mph.
The Dodgers be like, “Yo, all left handers, we got a home fo ya!” And lefties be like, “Word?” And the Dodgers be like, “Word.” And we all be like, “Damn!”
Haha that’s awesome.
For 0.5 seconds you get that hype when you see “Dodgers acquire” only for it to be this. Oh well only 2 weeks until winter meetings
I felt this in my soul. I really hope we find our setup man in the winter meetings. Someone who can stretch that bullpen so Doc can’t overuse it in the playoffs again.
One arm added to the roster, two removed.
Minor correction: McCreery is actually designated for assignment for Josh Donaldson. Ricardo Sanchez is the guy pushed off the roster for Brian McCann.
Never understood why Venditte doesn’t get more of a shot somewhere. He has relatively spectacular minor league numbers and has held his own more or less at the ML level. Plus with all the teams using ‘a-typical’ pitching staff construction these days how could he not find a niche somewhere. Whether it’s primarily as a LOOGY but also as a mop-up/multi-inning guy from the Right Side. It just seems like his ability to pitch twice as often as a regular reliever (resting one arm while using the other) should have provided him with some sort of niche role by now.
I never thought of the rest aspect but that’s a great point.
Doesn’t really work like that. You use more than just your shoulder to pitch, so he’d just be working the rest of his body twice as hard.
Ven might be a good claim for the cardinals if he makes it to them
I’ve watched Venditte since his high school days. Many of those in Nebraska always wished he’d throw in the Big Leagues, just to see an ambidextrous pitcher.
He’s a great guy and it’s fun to watch, but it’s more novelty than it is effective. Hope teams keep giving him a shot if for nothing other than to marvel at how he does it.
let’s go spin rate! Let’s go soft contact. Down with rubber arms!
Yup, all of these FO’s that prioritize Ks and soft contact are a bunch of morons and you know everything.
Congratulations. lmao