{"id":3476,"date":"2017-01-27T16:55:14","date_gmt":"2017-01-27T21:55:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/?p=3476"},"modified":"2024-12-28T10:36:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-28T15:36:20","slug":"kris-medlen-returns-braves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2017\/01\/27\/kris-medlen-returns-braves\/","title":{"rendered":"Kris Medlen Returns to Braves on Minor League Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"

in 2010, the Atlanta Braves were in great position to be competitive for a long while. The system was loaded with talent. Names like\u00a0Julio Teheran<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0C<\/a>raig<\/a> Kimbrel<\/a><\/strong> had hardly\u00a0even\u00a0gotten\u00a0the feel for a\u00a0big league mound yet. Freddie Freeman<\/a><\/strong> was still in Triple-A until that September. Kris Medlen<\/a><\/strong> was a young pitcher just settling into Atlanta. Today, Medlen is finalizing a minor league deal that brings him back to the Braves organization.<\/p>\n

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Kris Medlen is returning to the Braves with a Minor League deal that does not include an invitation to Spring Training.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) January 27, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kris Medlen Returns to Braves<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Medlen, now 31, was drafted by the Braves in the 10th round of the 2006 draft. The Braves have always done a decent job of scanning the junior college ranks. In doing, so they found Medlen at Santa Ana College, just down the road from his hometown of Cerritos, CA.<\/p>\n

The Braves first called on Medlen on May 21, 2009, when he made\u00a0his debut against the Colorado Rockies. He would go on to pitch in 157 games with an ERA of 2.95 in five years for Atlanta. His time with the club was turbulent. In the end, he required\u00a0two Tommy John<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0surgeries before being non-tendered at the end of 2014. Medlen’s story one of promise, yet decimated by injury.<\/p>\n

Braves Continue Stockpiling Arms<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The idea\u00a0behind this move is one that continues to follow the offseason trend for the Braves. In trying to pull together the remaining pieces of a bullpen with potential, the method of operation is to gather as many once-promising pitchers or pitchers with risk, in the hopes that\u00a0a few\u00a0will step up.<\/p>\n

Bringing back Medlen fits that strategy perfectly, and could have\u00a0immense payout if it works. It’s a cheap, low-risk signing that brings back an old fan-favorite going into the inaugural season at SunTrust Park. This deal brought Medlen back from the brink of retirement. If he ever wants to pitch in Atlanta again, he’ll have to force his case.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n