Jonny Venters

Jonny Venters

Venters with the Atlanta Braves
Free agent
Relief Pitcher
Born: (1985-03-20) March 20, 1985
Pikeville, Kentucky
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 17, 2010, for the Atlanta Braves
MLB statistics
(through 2013 season)
Win–Loss record 15–10
Earned run average 2.23
Strikeouts 258
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Jonathan William Venters (born March 20, 1985) is an American professional baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. Venters attended high school at Lake Brantley High School. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves.

Professional career

Minor leagues

Venters was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 30th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. He began his professional career with the Rookie League GCL Braves in 2004. During the 2004 season in the Rookie League, Venters started 8 games making 11 appearances total going 1-6 with a 5.74 ERA and 3 saves. In 2005, Venters was promoted to the Class-A Rome Braves. In 23 games (12 starts) with the Class-A team, Venters had a 8-6 record and a 3.93 ERA. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in late 2005, Venters missed the entire 2006 season. In 2007, Venters was promoted to the Class-A Advanced Myrtle Beach Pelicans. He appeared in 17 games (12 starts) going 3-3 with a 3.39 ERA and 1 save in the Class-A Advanced system. Venters was demoted all the way down to the Rookie League level to begin the 2008 season where he posted a 4.70 ERA in 4 starts. He was promoted to Class-A Advanced, where he went 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 5 games (3 starts). He was then promoted to the Double-A Mississippi Braves, where he finished the season by going 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA in 3 games (2 starts). All together in the 2008 campaign, Venters posted a 3.41 ERA, 1 save, and a 2-2 record in 12 total games combined with the 3 affiliate levels. Venters started the 2009 season in Double-A posting a 4-4 record in 12 starts with a 2.76 ERA. He was promoted to the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, where he finished 4-7 with a 5.62 ERA in 17 starts. Combined with both Minor League levels in 2009, Venters went 8-11 in 29 total starts with a 4.42 combined ERA.

The Braves added Venters to their 40-man roster with an invitation to spring training. After spring training, Venters started the 2010 season in Triple-A. After 2 games (1 start), Venters went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA until being called up to the Majors on April 17, 2010.

Atlanta Braves

2010

He was called up to the majors for the first time on April 17, 2010.[1] He made his debut that day against the Colorado Rockies, allowing one hit and no runs over three innings.[2]

On July 17, 2010, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Venters was deemed to have intentionally thrown at Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder. He was ejected from the game along with Braves manager Bobby Cox and later suspended 4 games, a decision which Venters later appealed.[3] Venters' suspension was subsequently overturned.[4] He finished the season with a 1.95 ERA, in an NL 6th-best 79 games pitched.[5]

He was named a relief pitcher on Baseball America's 2010 All-Rookie Team.[6] He tied for 8th in the voting for NL Rookie of the Year, behind Ike Davis of the New York Mets.[7]

2011

Venters became a key part of Braves bullpen during the 2011 season serving primarily as the set up man for Craig Kimbrel. Along with Kimbrel and Eric O'Flaherty the three pitchers have become known as O'Ventbrel[8] for their dominance over the last three innings of a ballgame.

2012

Venters struggled throughout the first half of the 2012 season.[9] During a game against the New York Yankees on June 12, 2012, he allowed Alex Rodriguez's 23rd career grand slam.[10]

Venters was placed on the disabled list on July 5, 2012 due to a sore left elbow.[11] He returned to relief on July 22, 2012 where he pitched two scoreless innings versus the Washington Nationals.[12] Venters finished the 2012 season with a 5-4 record and a 3.32 ERA.

2013

Venters opened the 2013 season on the disabled list with left elbow discomfort. Trying to avoid surgery, he was injected with platelet-rich plasma, and was expected to return until at least late May but it was unsuccessful.[13] On May 16, 2013, Venters underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time of his career and was eliminated for the 2013 season.[14] Venters was placed on the 60-day disabled list on July 4, 2013 to free up a spot on the Braves' 40-man roster as Joey Terdoslavich was promoted from AAA Gwinnett to replace Jordan Schafer on the active roster.[15]

2014

After the season, Venters signed a one-year deal with the Braves for the 2014 season, avoiding arbitration.[16] Venters began the 2014 season on the 60-day disabled list while recovering from surgery,[17] enduring many setbacks in the process.[18] On August 28, 2014, Venters learned he had torn his ulnar collateral ligament again and would need a third Tommy John surgery to continue his baseball career.[19] The third procedure was performed in September 2014, and will prevented Venters from pitching in 2015.[20]

On November 19, 2014, the Braves designated Venters for assignment.[21] He was released two days later.

Tampa Bay Rays

On March 11, 2015, he signed a two-year minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.[22][23]

Pitching style

Venters primarily utilizes his sinker, which he throws with exceptional velocity (93–96 mph).[24] He used that sinker to achieve a near-70% ground ball rate in 2010, leading all qualified MLB pitchers.[25] His superb knuckle curveball[26] is thrown at 85–88 mph. In 2011, it resulted in an extraordinary whiff rate of 71% (the highest for any pitch by any relief pitcher)[27] and was put in play less than 6% of the time.[24] He also has a four-seam fastball in the mid 90s, and a changeup in the upper 80s that he began throwing somewhat frequently in 2012 against right-handed hitters.

References

  1. ↑ Mark Bowman / MLB.com (April 17, 2010). "Venters back in Braves' bullpen". Atlanta.braves.mlb.com. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Colorado Rockies vs. Atlanta Braves". Scores.espn.go.com. April 17, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Braves' Jonny Venters suspended four games for throwing at Prince Fielder". Content.usatoday.com. July 19, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  4. ↑ David O'Brien (July 30, 2010). "Venters' suspension rescinded entirely". Blogs.ajc.com. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  5. ↑ Jonny Venters Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com
  6. ↑ Eddy, Matt (October 19, 2010). "Future Big League Stars Highlight All-Rookie Team". Baseball America. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  7. ↑ Sanchez falls short in NL Rookie of Year bid | MLB.com: News
  8. ↑ "Might be time to break up "O'Ventbrel"". CBSSports.com. June 14, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  9. ↑ Bowman, Mark (August 29, 2014). "Venters opts for third Tommy John procedure". MLB.com. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  10. ↑ Boland, Erik (21 June 2012). "A-Rod's grand slam ignites Yankees' comeback". Newsday. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  11. ↑ "Braves put Jonny Venters on DL". ESPN. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  12. ↑ Rogers, Carroll (22 July 2012). "Venters sharp in return from disabled list". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  13. ↑ Bowman, Mark (April 2, 2013). "Braves hopeful Venters returns by end of May". Braves.com.
  14. ↑ "Braves' Venters has second Tommy John surgery". Chicago Tribune. Reuters. May 16, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  15. ↑ Beitzel, Ben (July 4, 2013). "Resurgent Terdoslavich relishes first call to the bigs". Gwinnet Daily Post. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  16. ↑ Bowman, Mark (November 13, 2013). "Braves reach big league deal with Venters". MLB.com. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  17. ↑ Bowman, Mark; Cahill, Teddy (August 26, 2014). "Venters shut down; Shae's return on hold". MLB.com. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  18. ↑ Morgan, Joe (July 26, 2014). "Long-idled Venters eyeing bullpen session next week". MLB.com. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  19. ↑ Bowman, Mark (August 28, 2014). "Venters has torn UCL, faces third Tommy John surgery". MLB.com. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  20. ↑ Bowman, Mark (September 23, 2014). "Venters to have third surgery with different doctor". MLB.com. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  21. ↑ Bowman, Mark (November 19, 2014). "Top prospect Peraza among Braves' roster additions". MLB.com. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  22. ↑ Mooney, Roger (March 11, 2015). "Rays @ Twins: Rays sign Venters and lineups". Tampa Tribune. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  23. ↑ Chastain, Bill (March 11, 2015). "Rays sign rehabbing Venters to two-year Minors deal". MLB.com. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
  24. 1 2 "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Jonny Venters". Brooks Baseball. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  25. ↑ Carruth, Matthew (May 6, 2011). "Jonny Venters Is Grounded". Fangraphs. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  26. ↑ Seiner, Jake (April 24, 2013). "Q&A: Braves' Wood 'curving' up Southern League". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  27. ↑ "PitchFX Leaderboards". Baseball Prospectus. Retrieved 20 September 2012.

External links

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