Sporting News writer Ryan Fagan is traveling through Florida and Arizona this spring, stopping at camps and chatting with the players. One of his side projects is a quick-hitter Q/A we’re calling “Two Minutes With …”
Previous editions: Anthony Rizzo | Max Muncy | Touki Toussaint | Clint Frazier | Pat Neshek | Ben Gamel | Chris Iannetta | Cal Quantrill | Robert Stock
Up now: Braves reliever Jonny Venters
What’s one of your first baseball memories?
VENTERS: My first real memory was seeing Michael Jordan play baseball in Orlando when he was playing for the Barons.
What’s the last show you binge-watched?
VENTERS: "Narcos."
Any superstitions?
VENTERS: Nah.
What’s your favorite free-time activity?
VENTERS: Fishing. Here, it’s bass fishing. I usually hit all these Disney ponds. They’re full of bass. They’ll kick you off, but we just go to another one. I’ve been using a soft-plastic fluke, watermelon red. My biggest one is 11 pounds, on a golf course. I caught a 10.6 pounder on Lake Toho when I was in the minor leagues. Me and my dad were fishing. That was the biggest lake, legitimate fish. Golf course, I guess, is kinda cheating.
What’s one talent you’d most like to have?
VENTERS: I wish I could be good at golf. I’m terrible. I’ve never really tried to be good, but it seems like it would be a fun game if you’re good at it.
What’s your most useless talent?
VENTERS: I don’t know. I don’t have that many talents.
What’s one thing you’d do if you were MLB commissioner for a day?
VENTERS: If I was the MLB commissioner for a day, I would make free agency come earlier.
What’s your best purchase ever?
VENTERS: Probably my wife’s engagement ring.
