Comeback complete, Madson is a key reliever for Royals

NEW YORK - The impressive comeback for former Phillies reliever Ryan Madson began with him in catcher's gear, throwing on a mound in an attempt to demonstrate proper technique to a high school pitcher.

That was last June in Temecula, Calif., about an hour north of San Diego.

But after three years in which he threw just one minor-league inning, Madson is indeed back. The Kansas City Royals righthander has added significantly to what already was considered baseball's deepest bullpen.

Madson has a 1.74 ERA in 18 appearances, with 21 strikeouts and five walks in 201/3 innings.

"You see that the juices get flowing and he competes," Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland said Tuesday. "It is that closer's mentality."

In his last four seasons with the Phillies from 2008 to 2011, Madson was dominant either as a setup man or closer.

During that span, he was 19-11 with a 2.86 ERA in 272 games over 2732/3 innings pitched. He averaged 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

Then his elbow woes mounted.

First it was Tommy John surgery in 2012 after he signed with Cincinnati. He then signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2013, but his elbow never improved and he pitched just one minor-league inning.

Last season he was away from the game and that's where he received his comeback inspiration.

"I considered myself retired," he said.

Madson was working with high school junior Johnny Morell, an Auburn recruit. "I got on the mound with my shin guards on and threw a few," Madson recalled Tuesday before the Royals dropped a 5-1 decision to the Yankees.

Madson said Morell was throwing 90 m.p.h. at the time. And Madson's pitches were going even faster, which brought a similar response from the high school pitcher and his father.

"You sure you don't want to still pitch?" they asked.

From there, Madson got the itch. He signed in January with the Royals and is again mowing down big-leaguers.

He made the defending American League champions' roster out of spring training, although manager Ned Yost said he wanted Madson to have a few weeks of minor-league seasoning. Standing in the way was a gentleman's agreement.

"We told him if another team wanted him at the end of spring training to make their major-league roster, if we weren't going to put him on our team, he could go," Yost said. "There were two to three teams that were willing to take him, but he was throwing so well at that point that I couldn't ever see us letting him go."

Madson, 34, said a back injury he suffered in 2010 with the Phillies altered his mechanics. He felt that it contributed to his elbow problems.

Through diligent training, Madson is throwing almost as hard as before. According to the PITCHf/x pitch-tracking system, his average velocity on his fastball is 93.7 m.p.h. for his career. This year that average is 93.6.

"Knowing what he has gone through, it's awesome to see," said Royals pitcher Joe Blanton, who was also with Madson on the Phillies and when he attempted his comeback with the Angels.

Madson, who still has a killer change-up, says he can reflect on his comeback later. His focus is day-to-day consistency, but getting off to this quick start hasn't hurt this story's narrative.

"The whole comeback thing and making the team was great, but if I had started out badly, then everything would not have been as accomplished," Madson said.

"I didn't do this to come back and get hit around," he added. "I did it to be good, come back to where I left off."