MIAMI — Jonny Venters isn’t a starting pitcher or a closer. But if he’s not selected to the All-Star team, Braves teammates might demand an investigation.
The left-hander has been the most dominant and durable reliever in baseball in 2011, leading the majors in ERA — 0.49 before Wednesday, a half-run better than anyone else — as well as innings (36 2/3) and appearances (33).
“He’s the best pitcher in baseball,” catcher Brian McCann said.
Pitcher Kris Medlen joked that when Venters had ligament-transplant elbow surgery in 2005, doctors must have replaced the ligament with tissue from the hamstring of world-record sprinter Usain Bolt.
Venters’ performance has been so overwhelming, writers from a few national media outlets have begun touting his credentials for the All-Star team, an honor usually reserved for starting pitchers and closers.
“The thought’s never crossed my mind [until recently], to be honest with you,” said Venters, 26, in his second major league season. “I’ve heard people talking about it. I think it’s kind of cool just to be in that conversation, to be considered. That’s awesome.”
After posting a 1.95 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 83 innings over 79 appearances as a rookie, Venters has been even better in 2011. He had limited hitters to a .144 average and puny .169 slugging percentage before Wednesday.
With runners on base, they were 6-for-46 (.130) against him with no extra-base hits. With runners in scoring position, it was down to 2-for-23 (.087) with 10 strikeouts.
The All-Star game is in four weeks at Phoenix, and it seems increasingly likely Venters will be selected. Unlike some others, he doesn’t shrug off the possibility or act as if it wouldn’t mean much.
“Naw, it’d be the coolest thing ever. Are you kidding me?” he said. “I think it’d be awesome.”
Prado out of lineup
When Martin Prado didn’t try to talk his way into the lineup Wednesday, manager Fredi Gonzalez knew he was hurting.
After being hit in the left knee by a throw in the ninth inning Tuesday, Prado was out of the lineup for the second game of the series against the Marlins. He has a contusion on the outside of the knee and hopes to play Thursday.
It was only the second missed start for Prado in the Braves’ 62 games this season. He spent much of the afternoon in the training room.
“He’s walking around in there like Bobby [Cox],” Gonzalez joked.
Prado’s two-out single was only the Braves’ second hit in a 1-0 win Tuesday. He stole second base and the ball caromed off his leg as he went in awkwardly without sliding. After Gonzalez and head trainer Jeff Porter came out to check on him, Prado insisted on staying in the game.
Snitker’s unique draft day
Few players will ever have a draft day quite like catcher Troy Snitker.
When he learned Tuesday that he had been selected by the Braves in the 19th round, Snitker was in a Braves uniform, standing in left field, shagging balls hit by the Braves.
The son of Braves third-base coach Brian Snitker, the younger Snitker was hanging out with dad on the team’s road trip when scout Braves Brian Bridges called to tell him he’d been drafted.
“I got the call while I’m in the big leagues,” said Troy Snitker, a Parkwood High graduate who played two years of college ball at North Georgia. “I’m getting a demotion tomorrow. It’s going to be fun, though.”
He’ll attend a Braves mini-camp in Orlando later this week before he’s assigned to rookie ball to begin his pro career.
Snitker, 22, hit .340 with a team-high six homers and 44 RBIs for North Georgia this season. He has grown up around baseball, working as a batboy and around the clubhouse for minor league teams when his dad was working his way up through the organization, first as a coach and then manager.
