really it makes sense. You can’t just hand that job to Kimbrell, he is a rookie, and he does have control problems. You might be setting yourself up for some real blown saves there. Let’s let him build some confidence and let him split opportunities early on with Venters.
Venters really does have closer stuff, he can face lefties and righties, lefties whiff, righties hit grounders. And he has proven able to deal with extremely high leverage high pressure situations. As has Kimbrell. I mean this is great. But lets be gentle, let’s do it right. It wont hurt the team for Venters to get a good bit of save opportunities.

I am really hoping Sherill comes out and pitches like a closer for atlanta as well.

We used it well for a small period of time with Gonzalez and Soriano, then Bobby went and made Soriano the closer. But the lefty/righty thing makes sense. Look at the Phillies: whichever late inning, be it the 8th or 9th that Howard and Utley are due up (usually back to back), Venters should pitch. The other late inning, Kimbrell should pitch.

The only thing better than the closer platoon is that we do what we did late last year after Saito got hurt. Yes, that’s a pipe dream, but hey, pitchers and catchers report Monday, and there still is a guy with 400 saves on our roster who hasn’t filed any retirement papers.