CLEARWATER, Fla. - Pat Venditte traced his son’s hand onto a piece of paper, inserted it into a fax machine, and forwarded it to Osaka, Japan.
It was a far-fetched and pricey idea in 1992 to custom-order a six-finger glove from across the world so that his ambidextrous son - also named Pat - could pitch with both hands in Little League. But it proved to be the start of a journey that has since reached the major leagues.
Venditte arrived in Phillies camp on Thursday afternoon after being acquired Sunday in a trade with Seattle. He will compete for a spot in the team’s bullpen.