Yardbarker: Matt Kemp

A Look Back At Pedro Guerrero

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:20:07 -0500

via www.sculu.com View full size photo » MLB Network is showing a slew of old All-Star games and highlights this Thanksgiving weekend, and I stumbled across the 1981 All-Star Game on Friday. This game was on August 9, later than any other midsummer classic, because of the nearly two-month long strike. This game, from Cleveland's Municipal Stadium, was the kickoff to the "second half" of the season. I ...

Five Dodgers to Be Thankful For

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the holiday, SoSG presents a cornucopia of Dodger youngsters. Enjoy the bounty! 1. Matt Kemp. In 2008 (.290/.340/.459, 18 HR, -0.1 UZR), it was "He's got potential." In 2009 (.297/.352/.490, 26 HR, 2.6 UZR), it was a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. In 2010, it could be the Year of the Bison. It helps that Kemp seems to be enjoying himself when he plays (which is apparently "disrespectful" when you're a rookie, but evolves in...

Ethier Finishes 6th, Kemp Gets 10th in NL MVP Voting

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:43 -0500

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP Browse more photos » For the first time in 18 years, the Dodgers had a pair of outfielders receive votes for Most Valuable Player. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, who each won Silver Slugger awards last week, finished 6th and 10th, respectively in the balloting, which was won by Albert Pujols of the Cardinals. Brett Butler (7th) and Darryl Strawberry (9th), in 1991, were the last...

Dynamic Duo: Kemp & Ethier Each Win Silver Slugger

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:35:05 -0500

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP The dynamic duo each picked up a Silver Slugger award today Browse more photos » Coming into 2009, it was not unheard of to expect a Dodger outfielder to win a Silver Slugger award. In April, I would have pegged Manny Ramirez as the favorite, but instead his two outfield mates, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, each captured the honor today, which recognizes the top offensi...

Fantasy Baseball: Early Mock Draft-Round 1, Pick 2

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:39 -0500

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP 22 days ago: Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp (27) watches his solo home run with Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz and umpire Ted Barrett in the fourth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship baseball series Monday, Oct. 19, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Rob Carr) Browse more photos » After Ian's selection of Hanley Ramirez as the number 1...

Matt Kemp: The Bison As A Team Leader

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Remember a year and a half ago, when everyone was ready to give up on Matt Kemp? Because he had what was perceived to be a surly disposition? Because he couldn't hold up on the down-and-away pitches that struck him out at a crazy rate? Because he would make baserunning gaffes and take bizarre routes to fly balls that overshadowed his speed? How about you, Bill Plaschke, he whose opinion of Kemp blows with the winds? Those of us who have supported the full cadre of high-potential kids on...

Matt Kemp, Your Thoughts on the Fourth Estate?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Matt Kemp douses Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times in the visitor's clubhouse yesterday. Kemp giving a champagne baptism to MLB.com writer Ken Gurnick after the Dodgers clinched the division. top photo by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers; bottom photo by Amber Matsumoto/Dodgers

Love Connection(s)

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0500

Looking at this picture of Matt Kemp signing autographs before yesterday's game at PETCO Park, I can practically hear Barry White crooning in the background. Look carefully and you can see three women devouring Kemp with their eyes — not that Matty is exactly discouraging the attention. Apparently a smile and eye contact can work wonders. Is that the sound of ovaries dropping? In the wider shot of this same picture, notice how Andre Ethier is doing his best to dampen his natural ...

Matt Kemp Isn't Just Lucky

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:20:00 -0500

This article by Matt Swartz proves it.First, there's Matt Kemp. Despite Kemp’s power tendencies and relatively high strikeout rate, Kemp is also a BABIP Superstar, but he's unlike other players similar to him in those regards because of his speed; a reflection of that is that Kemp has a 12.8 percent rate of infield hits per ground ball this season. He also rarely pops out when he doesn’t miss, doing so only 4.6 percent of the time this season, and only 2.0 percent of the time in 2008....

THE ADVENTURES OF LIL' MATT

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:10:54 -0500

CHECK OUT THE ADVENTURES OF LIL' MATT! I LOVE LA!

Boosting The Bison

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:03:00 -0500

Jon Weisman over at Dodger Thoughts did a great job at highlighting Bill Plaschke's recent valentine to Matt Kemp, which reflects a change of heart from his earlier rips on Kemp. Writes Jon: Well, Plaschke's new column for Monday's editions of The Times shows he has come to appreciate Kemp's value – as have presumably Kemp's earlier detractors – although not without a few parting shots. "His infamous baserunning blunders? He deals with them." [...] Not every pr...

Bison and the Bobblehead

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:00:00 -0500

Matt Kemp, from a Dodgers television commercial promoting his bobblehead night.

Matt Kemp, Future Gold Glover

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 09:00:00 -0500

That's right, we said it. Matt Kemp makes a jumping catch of Matt Diaz's fly ball in the seventh inning of Friday's game. Kemp gloves a sinking liner by Kenshin Kawakami in the third inning of last night's game. Kemp's center field UZR: 8.0 first photo by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers