According to several media reports, Jonny Venters has torn his UCL again and may undergo a third Tommy John surgery.

I would expect this is the end of the line for Venters. He was simply phenomenal for the Braves for a handful of seasons, and will go down as one of the better left-handed relievers the Atlanta Braves have ever had. He was not expected to be much of anything, but once the Braves committed to him in 2012 he really took off and had two of the more impressive seasons from a set up man in recent memory.

This is likely at least somewhat discouraging for guys like Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy, who will be attempting to recover from their second Tommy John surgeries this offseason. On top of that, it shows that a guy like Alex Wood, who already has one Tommy John surgery, could be just one pitch away from having his career go right down the tubes. It's a scary thought, and is something the Braves will have to consider when they look at acquiring pitchers who have previously had the surgery.

With that said, here's to Jonny Venters. He was a great pitcher and if he retires today, will retire with a 2.23 ERA and one of the best two-pitch combinations I have seen from a late inning left-handed reliever.