Back to where it all began: Tampa Bay Rays trade Jonny Venters to the Atlanta Braves
Honestly, I thought I’d be more pumped up about this trade, considering how much I love Jonny Venters, and that he’s coming back to the Atlanta Braves. But I guess there’s this permanent small resentment towards the Braves in my brain, involving their unnecessary move, their affiliation with ScumTrust, the tax increases they caused, and their general apathetic baseball operations that kind of makes me feel that they didn’t deserve to have the services of a classy guy like Jonny Venters.
Especially since the Braves basically cut Venters loose while he was at his very lowest point after numerous injuries, it was the Rays that kept his career alive, and I guess it was with the Rays in which I would’ve liked to have seen his career reignite. Or at least, I would’ve loved to have seen the Rays trade Venters to an actual contender, and not like the currently free-falling Braves, who need starting pitching and not more relievers.
But ultimately, we’re talking about Jonny Venters here, whom I’m stoked to see having a pretty successful comeback from 3.5 elbow blowouts. His ERA is misleading, seeing as how all of the runs he gave up were from one of the Rays’ mad-scientist experimental relief-starting, where Venters gave up five runs to the Nationals during a start, instead of a relief appearance. Otherwise, since that one black mark on his list of appearances, he’s been back to being scoreless, and the pitcher with obvious appeal to someone looking for relief help.
Perhaps part of my hesitation to be happy is that I inherently have this fear that back in a Braves uniform, Venters will fall victim to the same fate that befell him the last time he suited up for the Braves, which was an elbow blow out. Venters has stated as much that there will be no more chances after this, and when it’s over, it’s truly over now. Considering all he’s been through, I want to see Venters have a nice long Darren Oliver-like career, where because he pitches with his left hand, will always have a job in the majors.
Either way, I’m pleased that Jonny Venters is having himself a fine 2018 season. He’s definitely making up for a lot of lost time where he could’ve had a lot of success headed his way had he not gotten hurt so many times in the past. Hopefully the Braves will get out of this funk they’re in, and seeing as how Venters effectively kind of replaces this year’s Macay McBride in Sam Freeman, maybe the Braves can get back to the .550 team they were prior to July.
