Everything Jarred Kelenic said about joining the Atlanta Braves

We got to talk to the newest member of the Braves outfield, and he's excited about joining the organization

New Atlanta Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic, formerly of the Seattle Mariners, took some time from his home out west to talk to Atlanta media about the trade, his reactions, and what he's looking forward to as a member of the Atlanta Braves organization for the next few seasons: 

(The following quotes have been lightly edited for clarity)

On if he was aware a trade was likely and what his reaction was:

"Yeah, I was I was actually watching the Packers game with a bunch of buddies of mine at my house here, and I got a phone call from our GM with the Mariners (Jerry Dipoto), and he just informed me that I was going to be going to Atlanta. Once I heard that, I was fired up because I knew I was going to go to a really good organization that you know, they've had a winning history the last however many years and it's no question that they were one of the best teams in baseball all last year and years prior."

"I was really looking forward to being a part of that and learning from those guys and kind of just, you know, having a fresh new start and with a new organization. I'm fired up."

What factors he attributes his hot start last season to:

[Kelenic was batting .308/.366/.615 with 7 HRs the through the end of April]

"Yeah, I think everything was just kind of synced up really well. You know, I'm someone that has - last year I had a lot of, I think, moving parts, I would say."

"And I had a bigger leg kick naturally, a hand palm thing that was kind of working for me. And I just think that I was being really consistent with my movements. My body was feeling really good. I was fresh from the offseason. It was early. And then so I think that was everything was synced up and I was just seeing the ball really well.

"And going into this offseason, that's something that I want to focus on is making sure that I'm a little bit more short and compact, so I'm able to be a little bit more consistent so that I can hopefully have those first two months of the season (results) the entire year."

What changed when he started struggling?

[Kelenic batted .173/.308/.280 in June prior to the injury]:

"Yeah, I honestly... it's like anything when you play 162 games. My hand pump kind of got a little bit bigger. My hands were dropping a little bit lower. My leg kick was kind of getting a little bit higher subconsciously. It wasn't something that I was working on or anything like that. And then I think when you have a lot of those moving parts, it can cause you to be...  it's hard to reciprocate that over and over again."

"And so for me, I think that I just, I got a little bit out of sync, and I wasn't, my body wasn't moving as consistently, and I think that if your body's not going to move consistently, I don't think you're really going to ever see consistent results and my main focus is how consistent can I be with how my body moves to give me the most consistent results."

On coming to Atlanta and hitting in a lineup that has such great protection for a hitter:

"Yeah, I mean, I think the most exciting thing for me is being able to not only be teammates with those guys (Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Ronald Acuña Jr), but also be able to just kind of watch how they go about their business on a day to day (basis) and really learn the ins and the outs of what they're doing because obviously it's working."

"I mean, they're some of the best players in the game on that roster. And that's one thing that I'm really looking forward to. And I think that it'll allow me to, just get comfortable in the box and really hone in on what makes me click and what makes me the best version of myself."

"And I think if I can just focus on that, I think, I'll be right where I need to be." 

On the challenges that came with being a high draft pick (1-6 in 2018) and the expectations:

"Yeah, I think, I would say that when I first came up to the big leagues, a lot of I didn't know what to expect, honestly, and looking back on the struggles that I had in the big leagues and stuff like that, like some of those struggles were some of the biggest lessons that I've learned and some of the ones that I needed to learn."

"Some of the biggest takeaways from my first like three years or three seasons in the big leagues would be that learning how to kind of turn the page and just let things go. (Breaking) my foot was a prime example of that, of a real turning point not just baseball, but also like just my life. Like granted it was a terrible thing, but it was one of the best things that had ever happened to me."

"You know, I look at the struggles that I had there (Seattle). They've made me who I am today, but also like they taught me a lot and I feel like now, anything, the more and more or the older I get, the more information I learn and the better off I'm going to be."

"I would say that I just (done) a lot of learning in the last three years, that's for sure."

Is the trade the turning point you were looking for? 

"Yeah, I'm just thankful for the opportunity to go to an amazing organization and have the ability to go out and learn from an amazing staff and just like the Braves culture in general. When I played there last year, last summer, seeing guys like Chipper (Jones) and those guys around was something that I thought was amazing. I definitely am looking forward to a fresh new start (after having) gone through the adversity that I went through and being able to just apply it in my day to day work as I move forward throughout my career. I'm really looking forward to, just being myself and having a clean slate."

On if he has any pre-existing relationships with Braves players or staff:

"Yeah, I mean, obviously I don't know any of them real personally, just because I've only played against them. But I have a few guys reach out, just welcome me to the organization and team and every single time that  we played those guys, whether it was with the Braves or when they were with somebody else, they've been great and I've heard nothing but great things. I'm really looking forward to, like I said, just learning from them and just kind of sit back and watch them and how they go about their business. I know that if I do that, they're they're going to teach me a lot and it's going to make me better."

If he still has his "swagger" and confidence, or if last season was a humbling experience:

"Yeah, I still believe in the ability that I have. I know what I'm capable of doing. You talked about my first two months last year. I think I'm capable of doing that throughout a season. And, at the same time I'm human, too. Like, when I, when you go through struggles you're gonna be humbled. And that's just the nature of the beast. But, one thing that I am thankful for is that I have a really good support staff behind me and my family is unbelievable to help me get through like tough times like that. But those tough times are things that I need to (experience), in order to give me that confidence moving forward."

"And granted, it was like - there's a lot of tough times. I'm (still) thankful for it all." 

"In tough times like that, I leaned on my family a lot. And one of the things that I just opened my eye to after something like that happened: I caused it. Like it was all on me. I was the one that chose to do it. It isn't until you affect other people, because I broke my foot, I wasn't able to go out and play every single day. And those fans that paid money to come and watch me play, like I took that personally that because I did something stupid, I wasn't going to be able to be out there and play for the fans that were coming to watch."

"And it just made me take a step back. Especially when you're hurt, you can't really do anything. And I was in a boot for four weeks. I took a step back and I just kept thinking to myself, what am I doing? I'm not... I'm gaining weight. I'm not happy. I'm way too frustrated. I'm letting my emotions get the best of me. I'm not even enjoying this."

"And I guess it made me take a step back and realize how lucky and how thankful I am to be in the position that I am. And I get to go out - ever since I was a young kid I wanted to play in the big leagues and here I am. And when I'm in the big leagues and I'm breaking my foot because of frustration - that just can't happen, and and it made me appreciate the game a little bit more. And when I finally got back, even when I was on my rehab assignment and I was just like back on a baseball field, I hadn't felt that joy just to be back out on the field, because I just truly felt thankful to have the opportunity to be out there and playing again."

"And it was just something that reminded me every single time that I went, or every single time that I took a step and I'm like, oh my foot or something like that, right away, I was like, you know what? I'm just happy to be here and I'm going to go out and give it everything I got and that's enough."'

If he recognizes how much the Braves organization truly believes in him, to go out and acquire him via trade:

"Oh, no doubt. I had some conversations with some people in the front office with the Braves and they spoke really highly of me when we talked on the phone. I was really happy to hear that. And at the end of the day, I know that I need to just go out and take care of business and do my job and that's all I can control. But to hear the support that I have from an organization that I haven't even played for yet was definitely reassuring."

"And it makes me like just super excited to get to work and get out to Florida and start spring training."

On if he's heard from manager Brian Snitker yet:

"Yeah, I haven't spoken to him yet. Obviously I've been so busy too, with holidays. I'm sure everyone has, but just what I've heard from, I have a few buddies that play in the Braves organization and are still playing in the Braves organization, but everything that they talk about is that they just: they (the Braves) do it the right way and that they truly care about their players and it's like a family-type organization."

"And that's something that I'm really looking forward to. It's something that I value a lot. I was raised a blue collar family that really, values relationships and just being a good person in general. And so to know that you're going to an organization where they really value that is really exciting for me."

"And I think it's going to help propel me to get the most out of me and just make me the best version, not only the best player, but the best individual person that I can be. And that's exciting because I'm still young. I'm only 24 years old. There's a lot of learning that I still need to do, but to know that I'm going into an organization that really teaches and values that, I think, is awesome."

If he lives in Seattle or Wisconsin or somewhere else:

"Yeah, so I have family up in Wisconsin. I own a house in Arizona. That's where I spend part of the offseason. I own a farm up in Wisconsin that I go to for right after the season's done."

"I go there for a few months. And then in the offseason, I'll start working out up in Wisconsin and then as the offseason goes on, I come to Arizona and once I start to hit and stuff, I come back down here"

On his thoughts about being in an outfield with Ronald Acuña Jr and Michael Harris II: 

"Yeah, I'm really looking forward to, hopefully teaming up with those guys and I, I can't - obviously, their resume speaks for itself. I don't really need to talk too much about them. They're unbelievable talents. And like I said, I'm looking forward to just having that opportunity to be their teammate. And just having the opportunity to go out and just play baseball with those guys is something that I'm really looking forward to."

On if he's excited to work with Chipper Jones, who consults with Braves hitters:

"Chipper is definitely one of the best to ever do it. And the knowledge that I'm sure he has, I'm looking forward to picking his brain here (and hearing) what he has to say."

If, given the Wisconsin heritage and the visible decor, if he's a hunter:

"Yeah, I'm a huge hunter. I that's part of the reason why I own a farm up in Wisconsin."

"So once the season's over, I go, hibernate for two straight months. And I'm a big outdoorsman and I just Not even just hunting, but just being outside, and that's just something that I value and I love being out there."

(That question was asked from the context of Chipper Jones and his known affinity for hunting. Given that he and Kelenic are both big outdoorsmen and into hunting, that relationship should develop quite quickly) 

On serving as an example for youth baseball players, especially from Wisconsin (his home state):

"Yeah not only me, but you have guys like Ben Horvath, Gavin Lux, Owen Miller and a bunch of other guys that I'm not even mentioning. I think that Wisconsin, like you said, being a cold weather state, there isn't a lot of baseball players that come out of it. And to know that you're setting an example every single day you go out on the field, you take pride in that."

"And again, I keep going back to lessons that I learned about breaking my foot. It's just like when that happened, I thought about all the kids back in Wisconsin that see something like that. That's not what I want them to see. That's not what I want them to be. And when I had time to really reflect on that, (it) made me realize that there's a lot of younger kids that look up to me as a baseball player, as a man."

"And like that just... that isn't something that I was going to let slide and I was never going to let that happen again. Because I want to be an example. [...] I don't want to be the example, I want to set the example and that's something that I really believe in and like I said, I take pride in being a role model for younger kids, especially in Wisconsin."

"I take pride in the way that I play the game and that's (role model status) is something that I really appreciate."

If he's dealt with frustrations before, and if the cooler incident is an isolated one:

"It's definitely something that I've worked on worked on a lot more now, obviously, once that happened."

"But baseball is a frustrating game. I think once you realize that it's all about your mindset and how you think about it, how you think about things and you realize what you have control over and what you don't, I think it frees up your mind a little bit. And that was something I really had a tough time doing, was understanding the things that I couldn't control, and that led a lot of of my frustrations."

"And with a lot of hard work and a lot of support from people that, that are in my circle, I think I've done a lot. I'm doing a lot better job of that. I still need work. I don't think it'll ever be something that I got it down. But I yeah, it's definitely a different mindset than I had in the past. "

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