So far, this year, Matt Kemp is the Dodger’s MVP! That’s quite a redemption for a player nobody wanted… who was supposed to just be a salary dump. Not many people even expected him to make the team this season. If the Dodgers couldn’t trade him (they couldn’t), it was expected that he would be DFA’ed (he wasn’t). I expected it and ever predicted it, not because I am clairevoyant, just because I know Matt Kemp a little bit. It’s no secret that I thought during Matt Kemp’s first tour with the Dodgers that he was an immature, moody brat (I am being kind), but it’s also no secret that Matt Kemp LOVED, I mean REALLY LOVED being a Dodger.
I believed that he would re-double his efforts and make the team… in fact I expected him to do well… maybe not this well. I had no idea he would lose 40 pounds and show up in the best shape of his life. What has not surprised me is that during Matt Kemp’ second tour with the Dodgers he has matured and is, by all accounts, a great teammate. Old Man Kemp is his new persona as he has grown out of that moody brat stage. Look at his stats:
- 151 AB
- 51 Hits
- .338 BA
- 6 HR
- 25 RBI
- .370 OB%
- .536 SLG%
- .907 OB%
- 1.3 WAR
If he keeps it up, Matt Kemp could well be the starting left fielder in the All-Star Game. Cody Bellinger will heat back up as he adjusts to how they are pitching him and Kemp will hit more HR going forward, but what is most encouraging is that Matt is taking what they are giving him and hitting it where it is pitched. Young Dodgers take note!
Do you think the Dodgers would trade Matt Kemp now? Hell no! They are hoping that he has one more year of this. He’s still only 33 – he will be 34 next year. He should have something left in the tank… especially if he continues to train and eat less, like he apparently has. He has also played over 150 games seven times. In 2016 he played in 156 games, so if you are counting on him being injured… that is not historically what has happened. Right about now, Matt Kemp has went from the Outhouse to the Penthouse and I love a good redemption story. Unlike in Tour 1, I am now a big Matt Kemp fan. Even his defense has improved – he’s not a Gold Glover, but he won’t embarrass you either. That’s all you can ask. After another year of this, Matt Kemp might be mentioned in the same breath as other Dodger greats!
Give Credit Where It Is Due
- Ross “Dodger Ace” Stripling!!!! Can he keep it up? He’s in a groove!
- Kenley is back to 100% Kenley!
- Don’t look now, but Chris Taylor’s OB% is up to .329 and climbing… ande he is tied for 14th in runs scored in MLB.
- That horrid Pedro Baez has a terrible 3.52 ERA which is great compared to Dylan Betances (4.71), Andrew Miller (4.40), Ryan Madson (4.15), Alex Colome (4.15 – still want him?) and a bunch of other relievers.
- Kike with another HR – all his hits are of the extra-base variety!
- Daniel Hudson has to go down… Please!
- The Dodger starters are 4th in team ERA WITHOUT Kershaw, Hill and Ryu, right now. Depth? Nahhhh… just blind luck is what many will say.
- The relievers have a ways to go, but are up from 29th to 17th.
- I still think the Dodgers need another bat to make up for Corey’s absence!
- Still 3.5 games back, but edging closer to .500.
Discussion (29)
Disagree, not disagreeable
1) CT3……SS
2) Max…..1B
3) JT)……..3B
4) Kemp…RF
5) Yas……..C
6) Cody….CF
7) Logan.2B
8) Joc…….LF
9) Wood..P
In the Rubic’s Cube that is Doc’s Lineup Selection: Top 3 Dodger hitters against Lyles lifetime all sit: Barnes, Utley and Puig. Never mind past predictors of performance, there is leftie vs rightie matchups to exploit! Muncy has never faced him, Cody, Logan and Grandal have not hit him well. JT and Joc have hit him and are in there, Kemp and Taylor hit him at .250 and are in there. Hope Wood is on his game today, Doc left a lot on his bench.
Going forward I think FRAZ think Joc’s best fit is in LF so they put him there more than he would play there otherwise. That said, Joc has started in CF more than any other player this year.
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If the team had Machado they could afford to keep Joc in CF against both lefties and righties and Kike would spell everybody.
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2B Taylor
CF Pederson
3B Turner
SS Machado
LF Kemp
1B Bellinger
RF Puig
C Barnes/Grandal
Kemp is and has been a good hitter. I expect Turner to end up with the higher average but kemp will be second. Keep an eye on rios if he gets hot he might be up sooner than later he can flat out hit.Bellinger will get it together but is not a high average hitter but he can provide the power needed. When Kershaw comes back I would keep stripling in the rotation until there is a reason not to. Kenley is definitely back. Just play Kiké he has a much higher upside than most. I would give Rios a shot soon he needs some at bats to get his timing down. That means bellinger to the outfield but if you are going to play Muncy bring on rios. Once the dodgers get back to .500 they will make a move to the top. Where is Yasiel Sierra?
The Dodgers need Bellinger’s bat and they need it soon. after the next 2 games with SD, the Dodgers play 4 with Philadelphia, followed by the Rockies, Pirates, Braves, Rangers, giants, Cubs, Mets, Cubs, Rockies, and the Pirates.
If the Dodgers are going to leave Taylor at short then move Bellinger back to first and bring up Verdugo to play center every day.
Would love to see the Dodgers bring up Locastro and play him every day at second.
Are the Dodgers going to trade for Machado this season,? No.
Hernandez is a super sub and that’s where is value is to the Dodgers, not playing every day.
Kemp is fine right now on offense. Though he has done an average job in left field, to me he looks stiff and, can I say it , brittle out there. As long as whoever’s playing centerfield takes left center too, he’ll be OK. And he hits more 3 run homers. Pitching coming along wonderfully in my opinion. Dodgers gonna keep getting lucky if the pitching stays good.
The recent run has been fueled by great starting pitching and just enough offense. Look at the last 8 starts:
Maeda-8IP-2H-0BB-8K
Strip-6IP-4H-0BB-9K
Bullpen Game
Wood-6IP-3H-1BB-4K
Buehler-7IP-2H-0BB-6K
Stewart-4IP-5H-1BB-1K
Maeda-6.2IP-2H-4BB-12K
Strip-6.2IP-6H-0BB-10K
This has left the BP with less work to do and they have stepped up nicely. When Kershaw returns Stewart becomes the long man replacing Hudson (hopefully) When Hill returns what to do with either him or Stripling? Ryu and Urias are farther away but the starting pitching has been a nice surprise. Maybe the excess could solidify the bullpen and keep everyone fresh. Jansen has looked like his old dominant self.
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Last 10 games Dodgers are 7-3 and gained 2 games on the Rocks and Pads, 3 on the Giants and 5 on Az. They could move into 3rd place today but would be in last place in either the East or Central.
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Best against Lyles: Barnes, Utley, Puig, Joc and JT. If there was ever a game to put Joc in CF flanked by Kemp and Puig this is it. Best against Wood: Galvis and Pirela.
I still wonder about the added muscle that Cody put on in the off season.
That is something that is different from what he did, last year.
Muscle will take away some flexibility, so I wonder where Cody bulked up at, and has that effected his swing, or the quickness of his swing?
I was looking at the Boxscore last night, and at one time last night, Cody’s and Kike’s OPS were the same.
But after Kike didn’t do anything the rest of the night, and Cody picked up a walk, Cody’s OPS ended up, higher.
21st best record in baseball but they’re on the move. Love what Kemp is doing, but the offense is still suspect. 5 hits last night with Kemp collecting 3 of them. I like Barnes’ OBP but his avg is mendoza like, Forsythe is still mendoza, Bellinger’s avg is dropping like a rock but we’re winning and everything is good in the world.
Call me a “chicken little” and believe me I want to be wrong but this team still has too many offensive holes that will prevent them from long-term success, if they don’t get their offensive game plan in order. They need a consistent bat at 2b that’s not Forsythe/Utley. Just feels like the one through eight line-up is not competitive enough to churn out good/competitive ABs that lead to quick innings and poor baseball fundamentals like not hitting behind a runner, hitting a sac fly with a runner at 3b etc.
I want nothing more than a 42-8 run so we can prove the baseball world wrong, but I remain highly skeptical this team has enough offense in its present format to make that run.
I don’t care what Baez’s ERA is. He’s terrible. As is Hudson. Kudos to Kemp. Let’s hope he keeps the weight off and his body holds up.
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I think I might find powerless Joc more frustrating than old Joc. I’m not sure. I don’t care what the metrics say. I think Joc has looked good in LF defensively. He’s made a few plays this year that the new and improved Kemp wouldn’t have got to. I found some of the comments in April like Joc not working in the off-season on his swing to be absurd. He’s actually cut his K rate down the last couple of years. However, powerless Joc is nothing more than a #5 outfielder. Maybe a #4. It’s like he’s been neutered.
Hanging here in Cleveland . What was once called the ‘mistake by the lake’ is actually pretty cool. Kluber vs. Altuve doesn’t get much better in my mind.
I love him but I’d DFA Orel for Kennedy.
Why isn’t Kennedy managing somewhere?
Orel and Joe Davis are doing fine together. Orel has earned the right to be here in my view.
Might be to early for a trade, but I’d like to propose a 2 for 1. Trade Hershiser and Garciaparra for Kevin Kennedy so that we are not put to sleep with cliche after cliche and we would be treated with some great baseball stories during the game.
Love the way the Dodger’s are coming around. I watch every game but we need a change in the booth.