Atlanta Braves trade for a lefty specialist: Jonny Venters returns

The Atlanta Braves needed a true lefty specialist. Late Thursday evening they filled that need acquiring former Braves Jonny Venters from Tampa.

While the Atlanta Braves bullpen featured three lefty relievers, only one truly dominated left-handed hitters:  A.J. Minter. Minter took over as closer when Arodys Vizcaino went on the 10-day DL with shoulder inflammation, leaving Jesse Biddle and Sam Freeman to deal with lefties in the middle innings.

Biddle blossomed in the pen but has the largest reverse split I’ve seen in a while. Left-handed hitters post a .283/.373/.577/.950 line against Biddle while their right-handed counterparts hit a puny .145/.245/.169/.414. By default, then the job fell to Freeman.

At first blush, it appears Freeman can handle the task. After all, lefties hit a weak .196 off Freeman and righties manage an only marginally better .229. He’s allowed just 11 hits to left-handed hitters in 66 PA. That would work perfectly if he hadn’t walked the same number of lefty batters.

In high leverage and RISP situations, Freeman pitched even worse.  Time after time Freeman entered a game and made things worse with walks and wild pitches.

I wrote about lefty reliever options just last week.  Meanwhile, Alex Anthopoulos and his staff searched for a loogy at the right price and tonight acquired Jonny Venters.

History of the Braves three-headed monster

Atlanta Braves fans know Venters very well. From 2010 through 2012 Venters, Eric O’Flaherty and Peter Moylan were the bridge to “game over”. In 2010 Moylan (85 games), Venters (79 games). O’Flaherty (56 games) and Takashi Saito cleared the road for first Bill Wagner and later Craig Kimbrel.

In 2011 Venters made 85 appearances, Kimbrel 79, O’Flaherty 78.  In 2012 the trio appeared 66,63 and 64 times respectively. They became known as O’Ventebrel to the fans and their entry meant another win in the books.

Braves radio voice Jim Powell christened them Sit Down. Shut Up, Go Home. Posters were made about them.

The trio even signed baseballs to commemorate their reign.

And it truly was a reign.

Jonny B very good

In that three-season span, Venters threw 229 2/3 innings in 230 games, faced 969 batters and struck out 258 (26.6%). Hitters managed an almost irrelevant .208/.317/.270/.587 line while Venters posted a 2.23 ERA, 3.00 FIP and averaged a .276 SIERA.

Left-handed hitters managed only a .186/.294/.251/.245 line while Venters struck out 114 and walked 25 in 74 2/3 IP..

The Braves originally selected Venters in the 30th round of the 2003 draft and he had his Tommy John surgery in 2005. Seven and a half years later, in May of 2013, he had the ligament replaced a second time.  Venters made it into the sixteenth month of his rehab when the new UCL gave way.

Many pitchers would have given up the thought of returning at that point.  Prior to Venters return this season only one confirmed three-time TJ surgery survivor managed a successful return to the majors; Jason Isringhausen.

Izzy returned throwing a lot of softer breaking pitches and came close to his earlier velocity. In 2011 Venters’ fourseamer had a velocity of 95.7 mph, this year it sits at 93.5. His favorite weapons – his sinker and slider – also show about a two mph drop.  Considering he’s now 33 years old and injury limited him to 27-2/3 minor league innings since 2012, I’d say that’s pretty impressive.