arred Kelenic strolled into the visitors’ dugout with a smile on his face, ready to discuss his departure from the Seattle Mariners and how he’s adjusting to his new situation in Atlanta.
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“It feels like only yesterday that I was sitting over there crying in front of you, talking about how I broke my foot. I feel like I’ve developed so much as a person and a player since then, and it’s all for the better,” Kelenic said Monday before the Braves began a three-game series against the Mariners.
Kelenic was originally regarded as a future Mariners cornerstone, but he never lived up to the high expectations put on him early in his career. He battled at the plate, dealt with disappointment, and had a memorable emotional outburst last season that culminated in a broken foot from kicking a water cooler.
Kelenic hit.204 in 252 games with Seattle, including 32 home runs and 109 RBIs. He was a terrific defender, mostly in left field, but his problems at the plate dominated the story of his time with the Mariners.
Kelenic was moved to the Braves this summer in a package that included pitcher Marco Gonzales as the Mariners attempted to reduce their payroll. It was a disappointing end to his time in Seattle, but also a new beginning.
“I tried to look at it as a new beginning and a new opportunity — no different than when I first got called up here,” he told reporters.
Kelenic returned to Seattle as a starter, playing left field and batting tenth. He had played in 21 of Atlanta’s 26 games, practically all of them against right-handed pitchers, and was batting.305 while typically hitting at the bottom of the order.
It’s a little different and less stressful than his time in Seattle, when he was frequently in the middle of the lineup.
“My mentality when I’m in the box is just trying to get on base, especially hitting ninth (and) you’ve got (Ronald Acuna Jr.) hitting behind me,” he said.
While returning to Seattle brought back memories, Kelenic said he isn’t concentrating on the difficulties he faced while with the Mariners.
“For me, I feel like a lot of the negative things that happened, I really learned from and they turned out to be really positive things in my life,” she added. So I wouldn’t say I have any regrets. Looking back, there are things I would have done differently.
