At a Braves game in Minneapolis in 2010, I had Tommy Hanson and Kris Medlen sign a ball together. I figured somewhere down the line it would be a cool keepsake of the young cornerstones of the Braves rotation.
Tommy and Meds were best friends coming up through the Braves system. Both from Southern California and signed weeks apart in 2006, they were roommates as they ascended through the Atlanta minor leagues. In a surprise at the time, Kris, a good, but not great prospect made it to the majors a few weeks before Tommy, who burst on to the scene as the best pitching prospect in the game.
Tommy and Meds were best friends coming up through the Braves system. Both from Southern California and signed weeks apart in 2006, they were roommates as they ascended through the Atlanta minor leagues. In a surprise at the time, Kris, a good, but not great prospect made it to the majors a few weeks before Tommy, who burst on to the scene as the best pitching prospect in the game.
Both had early success in the majors, pitching the Braves to playoff appearances in 2010 & 2012. Both seemed to be smart, funny, decent young men. Both had a series of injuries befall them. While Medlen's right arm allowed him to return and succeed after each setback, Hanson's did not. In a one year span, Hanson was traded, released, and had his brother suddenly passed. His life and baseball career never seemed to recover.
A week after Kris Medlen became a World Series Champion, Tommy Hanson passed away. I've been trying to make any sense of the situation, but can not, other than to say to treasure every second with the people you love.
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