Major League Baseball heard Jonny Venters' case and decided to completely erase the four-game suspension the Braves left-handed reliever had been handed after hitting Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder with a pitch on July 17.
"We're thrilled for Jonny that his side was heard and that his penalty was reduced," Braves general manager Frank Wren said.
MLB also opted to reduce a portion of the fine that was levied against Venters.
During an appeal hearing heard by MLB executive vice president John McHale Jr. in Washington D.C. Tuesday morning, Braves manager Bobby Cox, Wren and Venters used video to help support their belief that the rookie left-handed reliever wasn't intentionally throwing at Fielder during the eighth inning of the July 17 game at Turner Field.
They managed to provide an argument that was strong enough to negate the obvious suspicions that were immediately present. Venters began the inning by throwing a first-pitch slider that sailed over the head of Fielder, who had hit a game-tying home run just one inning earlier.
Further raising suspicions was the fact that Tommy Hanson had hit Fielder one night earlier immediately following a Ryan Braun homer.
A primary focus of the Braves argument was that plate umpire Angel Hernandez should not have issued a warning in response to a breaking ball (first-pitch slider). They were also able to show clips that proved the 25-year-old rookie reliever has occasionally struggled to control some of his pitches throughout the season.
While Venters has dented some backstops with a few of his pitches this year, he has also proven to be one of the game's most dependable relievers. The 1.07 ERA he has compiled in 44 appearances ranks third among all National League relievers.
In his past 20 appearances, Venters has posted an 0.42 ERA and limited opponents to a .143 batting average.
With the Braves struggling on their current roadtrip, they will need Venters -- and more than that -- some clutch hitting.
For an analysis of the series, go to Braves vs. Reds
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Source: MLB.com