http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/15185482/griffey-sr-taking-long-road-back-to-bigs
Great story on Ken Griffey Sr. It's a great read for sure. Hope everyone had a great memorial day weekend. I know I'm super behind in my blogging; I keep making the excuse that it's been a busy term, but that's the truth. Luckily summer's right around the corner!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Downfall of the Mets Begins
I thought when I woke up on May 21st that I had missed the rapture. Even though it seems Familyradio was wrong, New York Mets fans might be feeling, or at least wishing, the opposite. Today the New Yorker posted an amazing article about Mets owner Fred Wilpon and the fallout of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme. In the article there are several quotes about Mets players. I'll post a link to the article, but it's awfully long, so I'll just post the player specific quotes as well.
Jose Reyes: “He thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money,” Wilpon said, referring to the Red Sox’ signing of the former Tampa Bay player to a seven-year, $142-million contract. “He’s had everything wrong with him,” Wilpon said of Reyes. “He won’t get it.”
David Wright: “He’s pressing,” Wilpon said. “A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”
Ike Davis: “Good hitter,” Wilpon said. “Shitty team—good hitter.”
Carlos Beltran: “He’s sixty-five to seventy per cent of what he was.”
Whether these comments are true or not is not the issue. The issue is that since 2006 the Mets have been in a terrible place, and with the current financial issues seem to be be going down an even worse road. Now is not the time when Wilpon should be making these comments about his ball players to writers. It just seemed like bad timing and I hope the Mets are ready to deal with the fallout.
Here's the link to the article:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/05/30/110530fa_fact_toobin?currentPage=all
Jose Reyes: “He thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money,” Wilpon said, referring to the Red Sox’ signing of the former Tampa Bay player to a seven-year, $142-million contract. “He’s had everything wrong with him,” Wilpon said of Reyes. “He won’t get it.”
David Wright: “He’s pressing,” Wilpon said. “A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar.”
Ike Davis: “Good hitter,” Wilpon said. “Shitty team—good hitter.”
Carlos Beltran: “He’s sixty-five to seventy per cent of what he was.”
Whether these comments are true or not is not the issue. The issue is that since 2006 the Mets have been in a terrible place, and with the current financial issues seem to be be going down an even worse road. Now is not the time when Wilpon should be making these comments about his ball players to writers. It just seemed like bad timing and I hope the Mets are ready to deal with the fallout.
Here's the link to the article:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/05/30/110530fa_fact_toobin?currentPage=all
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
All Time: Minnesota Twins (In Honor of Harmon Killebrew)
Harmon Killebrew passed away today, just days after announcing he would enter hospice and stop receiving treatments for cancer. Killebrew was 74. Upon his death Killebrew remains number 1 on the Twins list of career home runs with 559; second, is 293. This one goes to you Killer.
Lineup
C: Joe Mauer- Joe Mauer has been one of the most talked about players ever since being called up in 2004 as a 21 year old. In just eight seasons he's won an MVP award, four gold gloves (three in a row), and three batting titles (two in a row). That's a pretty impressive resume for a catcher in the 2000s.
1B: Kent Hrbek- It was tempting to put Morneau here, but his numbers aren't quite there yet. Hrbek is second in home runs, amongst all time Twin players, with 293. He's also second on the RBI list. His power wasn't as amazing as the Killers, but Hrbek got the job done as a middle of the order bat.
2B: Rod Carew- Mauer is good, but he has a ways to go to be Carew good. In twelve seasons with the Twins Carew won seven batting titles. He still holds the highest career average for any Twins player at .334; and though he wasn't known for his power he did have 271 stolen bases and 90 triples in Minnesota.
SS: Greg Gagne- Gagne couldn't hit much, but he is the slickest shortstop the Twins have ever had. He never won any gold gloves, which is a shame, because according to fangraphs he had a total career UZR of 86; that's an average of 6.14 per season.
3B: Harmon Killebrew- Killer is the all time home run hitter for the Twins with 573; that also places him 11th all time. He led the league in home runs six times, RBI three times, and walks four times, in his career. He won an MVP award in '69 and hit over 40 home runs eight different seasons. He's an all time Twins great and probably the best slugger they'll ever see.
LF: Kirby Puckett- the late and great Kirby Puckett leads the Twins in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases. Not only could he hit, he also won six gold gloves in his career. His final claim to fame: a game winning bomb in game six of the 1991 World Series; the Twins would win it all in game seven.
CF: Torii Hunter- Hunter has never been bad with a bad, but he's always been the best with a glove. Torii Hunter has played some of the best center field I've ever seen and seven gold gloves in a row at the position with Minnesota.
RF: Tony Oliva- There's something about Minnesota and batting titles that seems to go together. When Carew wasn't winning them it was this guy, Tony Oliva. Oliva won three batting titles in his career, including two in a row. He also lead the league in hits five times.
Pitching
SP1: Bert Blyleven- The recent hall of fame inductee was an innings master. In his two stints with Minnesota he went 149-138, with a 3.28 ERA, 141 complete games and 20 shut outs. That's 41% of his starts! Blyleven had less than 260 innings pitched only once in his seasons with the Twins.
SP2: Jim Perry- Perry was another innings machine in the 60s and 70s. As a Twin he went 128-90 with a 3.15 ERA. Out of 249 starts 61 of Perry's were complete games; that's roughly 25% of his starts. Perry also compiled 17 shut outs, with 4 in the season that he won his Cy Young.
SP3: Jim Kaat- Kaat went 190-159 in Minnesota with a 3.34 ERA. Kaat had 23 shut outs and over 3000 innings pitched. He never won a Cy Young, but he did earn 12 gold gloves in his 15 seasons with the Twins.
SP4: Johan Santana- Though he only pitched eight seasons in Minnesota, Santana was at the top of his game then. A rule 5 draft pick (yes, rule 5 draft pick) Santana went 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA as a Twin. He won two Cy Youngs and in 2006 he took the triple crown with 19 wins, a 2.77 ERA, and 245 punch outs.
SP5: Frank Viola- Not the most consistent, Viola still had a pretty good career. In '87 he helped lead the Twins to a World Series title, and in '88 he won a Cy Young with his MLB best 24-7 record.
RP: Joe Nathan- Nathan is second all time in saves amongst Twins with 249 (just five behind first place). He also has a 2.04 ERA. He's had a tough time getting back on track in 2011, but he's still an all time closing great.
Lineup
C: Joe Mauer- Joe Mauer has been one of the most talked about players ever since being called up in 2004 as a 21 year old. In just eight seasons he's won an MVP award, four gold gloves (three in a row), and three batting titles (two in a row). That's a pretty impressive resume for a catcher in the 2000s.
1B: Kent Hrbek- It was tempting to put Morneau here, but his numbers aren't quite there yet. Hrbek is second in home runs, amongst all time Twin players, with 293. He's also second on the RBI list. His power wasn't as amazing as the Killers, but Hrbek got the job done as a middle of the order bat.
2B: Rod Carew- Mauer is good, but he has a ways to go to be Carew good. In twelve seasons with the Twins Carew won seven batting titles. He still holds the highest career average for any Twins player at .334; and though he wasn't known for his power he did have 271 stolen bases and 90 triples in Minnesota.
SS: Greg Gagne- Gagne couldn't hit much, but he is the slickest shortstop the Twins have ever had. He never won any gold gloves, which is a shame, because according to fangraphs he had a total career UZR of 86; that's an average of 6.14 per season.
3B: Harmon Killebrew- Killer is the all time home run hitter for the Twins with 573; that also places him 11th all time. He led the league in home runs six times, RBI three times, and walks four times, in his career. He won an MVP award in '69 and hit over 40 home runs eight different seasons. He's an all time Twins great and probably the best slugger they'll ever see.
LF: Kirby Puckett- the late and great Kirby Puckett leads the Twins in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases. Not only could he hit, he also won six gold gloves in his career. His final claim to fame: a game winning bomb in game six of the 1991 World Series; the Twins would win it all in game seven.
CF: Torii Hunter- Hunter has never been bad with a bad, but he's always been the best with a glove. Torii Hunter has played some of the best center field I've ever seen and seven gold gloves in a row at the position with Minnesota.
RF: Tony Oliva- There's something about Minnesota and batting titles that seems to go together. When Carew wasn't winning them it was this guy, Tony Oliva. Oliva won three batting titles in his career, including two in a row. He also lead the league in hits five times.
Pitching
SP1: Bert Blyleven- The recent hall of fame inductee was an innings master. In his two stints with Minnesota he went 149-138, with a 3.28 ERA, 141 complete games and 20 shut outs. That's 41% of his starts! Blyleven had less than 260 innings pitched only once in his seasons with the Twins.
SP2: Jim Perry- Perry was another innings machine in the 60s and 70s. As a Twin he went 128-90 with a 3.15 ERA. Out of 249 starts 61 of Perry's were complete games; that's roughly 25% of his starts. Perry also compiled 17 shut outs, with 4 in the season that he won his Cy Young.
SP3: Jim Kaat- Kaat went 190-159 in Minnesota with a 3.34 ERA. Kaat had 23 shut outs and over 3000 innings pitched. He never won a Cy Young, but he did earn 12 gold gloves in his 15 seasons with the Twins.
SP4: Johan Santana- Though he only pitched eight seasons in Minnesota, Santana was at the top of his game then. A rule 5 draft pick (yes, rule 5 draft pick) Santana went 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA as a Twin. He won two Cy Youngs and in 2006 he took the triple crown with 19 wins, a 2.77 ERA, and 245 punch outs.
SP5: Frank Viola- Not the most consistent, Viola still had a pretty good career. In '87 he helped lead the Twins to a World Series title, and in '88 he won a Cy Young with his MLB best 24-7 record.
RP: Joe Nathan- Nathan is second all time in saves amongst Twins with 249 (just five behind first place). He also has a 2.04 ERA. He's had a tough time getting back on track in 2011, but he's still an all time closing great.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
All Time: Boston Red Sox
Lineup:
C: Carlton Fisk- the one that got away. Fisk actually spent less than half his career in Boston, but his home run in the '75 series will never be forgotten. The Sox could have had him for life, but his contract was accidentally mailed out a day late; as a result he was granted free agency and trade his Red Sox for white ones.
1B: Adrian Gonzalez- The Sox have had some famous first basemen (Jimmie Foxx comes to mind), but A-Gon is a guy the Sox brass pursued for three years. He's been locked up for seven years and is so far off to a great start to his career in Boston.
2B: Bobby Doerr- I love Pedroia, but Bobby Doerr is Bobby Doerr. The man was the model of consistency with a bat. Anyone who's read The Teammates can't help but fall in love with the mild mannered man who was able to crack the secret of Ted Williams.
SS: Nomar Garciaparra- The Red Sox have some great shortstops, but for me the only name that has ever mattered was Nomah's. He was my favorite Boston player growing up, and for good reason. The tragedy is that he was kind of like Boston's Griffey Jr.; he could have been so much better, but injuries got the best of his talent.
3B: Wade Boggs- Boggs was a special kind of hitter. He was incredibly patient, but also had immense contact skills. He won five batting titles, lead the league in walks twice, and ended his career with 3010 hits.
LF: Ted Williams- does this one need any explaining? He was the best hitter the game ever knew, while being an infamous and honorable man. If he hadn't served his country he would probably hold all the records for hitting, but then he wouldn't be as special as he really is.
CF: Dom DiMaggio- another one that I picked purely out of my own personal love for this guy. Dom was a respectable hitter, but no where near as good as the other "Teammates," let alone his famous brother by the name of Joe. However, he was one of the best center fielders Fenway has ever seen; and, who could forget those glasses?
RF: Carl Yastrzemski- this one goes to my dad. Yaz has always been his favorite Sox player and I've grown to love him myself. He didn't have the clout of Williams, but the fans loved him just as much. He is also the last hitter to win the triple crown.
Pitching:
SP1: Pedro Martinez- take Lonborg's fearlessness, Tiant's fire, Schill's control, and what do you get? One Pedro Martinez. If the Field of Dreams does exist Babe Ruth better hope he's never got to face Pedro; if so he's gonna be sore in the morning.
SP2: Curt Schilling- for me this guy is superman. Without his bloody sock the Sox might have never ended the curse, and he stuck around long enough to bring home another title in '07. Boston was a short stint in his long career, but without a doubt his most memorable.
SP3: Luis Tiant- how could anyone deny El Tiante from a best Red Sox list? The guy was a freak and once threw 163 pitches in a complete game. And who could forget that ridiculous windup?
SP4: Tim Wakefield- Wake actually holds the record for wins as a Red Sox pitcher at 193. The knuckleballer has spent all, but two seasons of his career in a Boston uniform. Though, his numbers haven't always been the best, Wake is still loved by all of Red Sox nation.
SP5: Jim Lonborg- Longborg led the Impossible Dream rotation and had one of his best seasons in '67 when he went 22-9 with 15 complete games. My favorite thing about Gentleman Jim: he owned the plate and would protect it against anyone.
RP: Jonathan Papelbon- Since 2007 Pap has tested the patience of every Sox fan. However, there's still a lot to love. His intensity sets the mound on fire, and in just seven seasons he's set the Red Sox career saves record (currently at 194 and counting).
C: Carlton Fisk- the one that got away. Fisk actually spent less than half his career in Boston, but his home run in the '75 series will never be forgotten. The Sox could have had him for life, but his contract was accidentally mailed out a day late; as a result he was granted free agency and trade his Red Sox for white ones.
1B: Adrian Gonzalez- The Sox have had some famous first basemen (Jimmie Foxx comes to mind), but A-Gon is a guy the Sox brass pursued for three years. He's been locked up for seven years and is so far off to a great start to his career in Boston.
2B: Bobby Doerr- I love Pedroia, but Bobby Doerr is Bobby Doerr. The man was the model of consistency with a bat. Anyone who's read The Teammates can't help but fall in love with the mild mannered man who was able to crack the secret of Ted Williams.
SS: Nomar Garciaparra- The Red Sox have some great shortstops, but for me the only name that has ever mattered was Nomah's. He was my favorite Boston player growing up, and for good reason. The tragedy is that he was kind of like Boston's Griffey Jr.; he could have been so much better, but injuries got the best of his talent.
3B: Wade Boggs- Boggs was a special kind of hitter. He was incredibly patient, but also had immense contact skills. He won five batting titles, lead the league in walks twice, and ended his career with 3010 hits.
LF: Ted Williams- does this one need any explaining? He was the best hitter the game ever knew, while being an infamous and honorable man. If he hadn't served his country he would probably hold all the records for hitting, but then he wouldn't be as special as he really is.
CF: Dom DiMaggio- another one that I picked purely out of my own personal love for this guy. Dom was a respectable hitter, but no where near as good as the other "Teammates," let alone his famous brother by the name of Joe. However, he was one of the best center fielders Fenway has ever seen; and, who could forget those glasses?
RF: Carl Yastrzemski- this one goes to my dad. Yaz has always been his favorite Sox player and I've grown to love him myself. He didn't have the clout of Williams, but the fans loved him just as much. He is also the last hitter to win the triple crown.
Pitching:
SP1: Pedro Martinez- take Lonborg's fearlessness, Tiant's fire, Schill's control, and what do you get? One Pedro Martinez. If the Field of Dreams does exist Babe Ruth better hope he's never got to face Pedro; if so he's gonna be sore in the morning.
SP2: Curt Schilling- for me this guy is superman. Without his bloody sock the Sox might have never ended the curse, and he stuck around long enough to bring home another title in '07. Boston was a short stint in his long career, but without a doubt his most memorable.
SP3: Luis Tiant- how could anyone deny El Tiante from a best Red Sox list? The guy was a freak and once threw 163 pitches in a complete game. And who could forget that ridiculous windup?
SP4: Tim Wakefield- Wake actually holds the record for wins as a Red Sox pitcher at 193. The knuckleballer has spent all, but two seasons of his career in a Boston uniform. Though, his numbers haven't always been the best, Wake is still loved by all of Red Sox nation.
SP5: Jim Lonborg- Longborg led the Impossible Dream rotation and had one of his best seasons in '67 when he went 22-9 with 15 complete games. My favorite thing about Gentleman Jim: he owned the plate and would protect it against anyone.
RP: Jonathan Papelbon- Since 2007 Pap has tested the patience of every Sox fan. However, there's still a lot to love. His intensity sets the mound on fire, and in just seven seasons he's set the Red Sox career saves record (currently at 194 and counting).
All Time Teams
Today I'm going to start running out some all-time teams. It's something that's sounded fun to me for a while. I will not be picking players off pure stats. Some players may be chosen because of popularity, or maybe even infamy. Love to hear your guys' responses on some of these, because I'm sure their will be disagreements. Right now I'm thinking of just doing some more famous teams. The list right now: Boston, New York (Yankees), Baltimore, Detroit, Cleveland, Seattle, Oakland, Atlanta, Chicago (Cubs), St. Louis, Cincinnati, Los Angeles (Dodgers), and San Francisco. If there's a team you'd love to see, let me know about it. Hope everyone has a great Saturday!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Sad News
Today, at the age of 74, Harmon Killebrew announced he would quit receiving treatment for his cancer. He has checked into hospice for the remainder of his days, which isn't expected to be too many. Killebrew was known, during his career, for his raw power. He dominated pitchers and is 11th on the list of all time home runs with 573. His best season came in 1969 when he wont the MVP award. That season he hit 49 bombs, had 140 RBIs, and an obscene 145 walks. I hope Killebrew gets to spend the rest of his days in peace, and here's to one of the purest sluggers the game will ever know.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Extension Candidate: Joey Votto
Season Averages: 98 games, .316/.406/.557, 19 home runs, 6 stolen bases
If there was one player in the entire major leagues I would want on my favorite team (Boston Red Sox) it would be this guy. Since coming to the major leagues he has never hit less than .297. He posted back-to-back years with an OBP over .400 in '09 and '10, and currently has an OBP of .468. His home run totals have increased each season of his career. Outside of Pujols you could argue that Votto is the best hitter in the majors. Last season, he actually outhit Prince Albert, leading him to his first MVP award.
During the off season it was announced that Votto had signed a 3 year $38 million extension; if Walt Jocketty is smart he'll sign him to a longer deal real soon. The Reds are a team with a lot of talent, but Votto surpasses all of them. He's everything sabermetric guys like me love: he hits for a lot of power, and is a beast when it comes to drawing a walk. Votto hits for a high average, so you could argue that's why his OBP is high, but in reality he's incredibly patient. Before going 0-4 last Sunday Votto had reach base in each of the first 33 games this season.
The biggest criticism of Votto has been his defense. In the minors he played mostly left field (a position for the most inept of fielders). However, since the Cincinnati outfield was full Votto was moved to first upon hitting the majors. Things were ugly for Votto right away, as he posted a -4.3 UZR in 2007. However, for each season since he's average a 4.4 UZR, going negative only once in 2009.
As shown by his increasing power, patience, and fielding Votto is a special kind of player. He is a guy who has such smarts for the game it doesn't matter what you do to try and get him out. His adjustments are fast and precise. Votto is the perfect player, and he continues to rise above the games best. Teams don't let guys like him get away, and it's just a matter of time before the Reds lock him up for his career.
If there was one player in the entire major leagues I would want on my favorite team (Boston Red Sox) it would be this guy. Since coming to the major leagues he has never hit less than .297. He posted back-to-back years with an OBP over .400 in '09 and '10, and currently has an OBP of .468. His home run totals have increased each season of his career. Outside of Pujols you could argue that Votto is the best hitter in the majors. Last season, he actually outhit Prince Albert, leading him to his first MVP award.During the off season it was announced that Votto had signed a 3 year $38 million extension; if Walt Jocketty is smart he'll sign him to a longer deal real soon. The Reds are a team with a lot of talent, but Votto surpasses all of them. He's everything sabermetric guys like me love: he hits for a lot of power, and is a beast when it comes to drawing a walk. Votto hits for a high average, so you could argue that's why his OBP is high, but in reality he's incredibly patient. Before going 0-4 last Sunday Votto had reach base in each of the first 33 games this season.
The biggest criticism of Votto has been his defense. In the minors he played mostly left field (a position for the most inept of fielders). However, since the Cincinnati outfield was full Votto was moved to first upon hitting the majors. Things were ugly for Votto right away, as he posted a -4.3 UZR in 2007. However, for each season since he's average a 4.4 UZR, going negative only once in 2009.
As shown by his increasing power, patience, and fielding Votto is a special kind of player. He is a guy who has such smarts for the game it doesn't matter what you do to try and get him out. His adjustments are fast and precise. Votto is the perfect player, and he continues to rise above the games best. Teams don't let guys like him get away, and it's just a matter of time before the Reds lock him up for his career.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Pitchers Refuse to Slow Down
Last year was the "Year of the Pitcher" and things don't seem to be changing too quickly this year. Just four days after Francisco Liriano threw his no-no, division rival, Justin Verlander, throws a no-no (the second of his career) against the Toronto Blue Jays. Verlander struck out four batters in his 9-innings and was a walk away from a perfect game. That walk came with one out in the 8th inning. It's been a great week for pitchers and I can't wait to see who throws the next big one.
Friday, May 6, 2011
My Take on the Dodgers
 |
| MLB public enemy #1 |
It was released earlier this week that the Dodgers are currently lacking funds to pay their May payroll (despite McCourts personal loan). Yeah, things have gotten that bad. Last September people were wondering how the McCourt divorce was going to affect the Dodgers offseason. However, they tried to prove they could still spend when Ned Colleti went out and signed Ted Lilly and Jon Garland. Now, it looks like those deals are catching back up to LA. What happens now?
First, I think McCourt is out. He vowed he would fight to keep his team and that the MLB could not kick him out; however, I think he lost all face when it came out that he can't even pay his May payroll. Second, I think the LA Dodgers will end up declaring bankruptcy. It seems ridiculous, since they are one of the MLB's hottest markets, but if they can't pay their payroll then the team is obviously in financial turmoil. Finally, I think we'll see the same process in LA that we saw in Texas. After the MLB takes over and declares bankruptcy the team will go up for "auction" and be sold to a new owner. This doesn't mean the Dodgers will become irrelevant. The MLB did a great job in Texas, while allowing the team to have flexibility and be a relevant competitor.
These are just predictions. I don't know where the situation will go from here, but one thing I am pretty sure of is that Frank McCourt is not going to stay the owner of the Dodgers for much longer. He wasn't qualified to buy the team; he failed to purchase the Red Sox, Angels, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before getting the Dodgers, and he financed the purchase almost solely on debt. His tenure as owner was mired by a divorce that destroyed the organization as well as multiple investigations into the Dodger's charities and taxes. Now he's finally getting the boot that he deserves.
It seems so ridiculous. Right now the biggest Dodgers news should be Matt Kemp's return to dominance and Andre Ethier's 29-game hitting streak. That's pretty impressive. It's no 54-game (yet), but if he hits 30 that will be as long as Ryan Zimmerman's streak in 2009 (which had been the longest since 2006), and the 7th such streak to hit 30-games in the last 10 years. Pretty cool stuff. Let's all hope Ethier keeps it going so the Dodgers can have some positive media for a bit.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
WOW!
Five days after hearing the possibility of losing his roster spot Francisco Liriano goes out and throws a no hitter tonight against the Chicago White Sox. Liriano has been nothing but wild this season, despite an amazing rebound campaign last year. Liriano had TJ surgery in 2008 and returned to a full time starting gig in 2010. He was fantastic last year, despite some bad luck and a bad defense behind him. Analysts (as well as myself) had high hopes for him, but he's looked abysmal so far this season; going into tonight he had a 9.13 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 18 Ks to 18 BBs and 27 hits, while averaging less than 5 innings per start. Maybe he finally found the motivation he needed. However, it should be noted he gave up 6 walks, had only 2 Ks, and threw 123 pitches. None the less congrats Liriano for being the first no-no of the 2011 season.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Extension Candidate: Matt Kemp
Season Averages: 111 games, .289/.341/.478, 16 home runs, 19 stolen bases
Matt Kemp has long been one of my favorite players in the game and he has great tools. He began his career early as a 22 year old in 2006. As seasons went by he become a more and more refined player. In 2007 he hit .342 in 98 games, and in '08 he flash his speed stealing 35 bags, while also adding some power with 18 bombs. Then in 2009 he really came into his own; Kemp had a line of .297/.352/.490 while stealing another 30+ bags and finally showing big power with 26 home runs.
2010 was a season to forget for the young center fielder. Kemp's season started ugly and it didn't help that Dodgers GM, Ned Colleti, added a lot of pressure early on through comments to the media. The power kept up, as Kemp hit a career high 28 home runs, but his running game looked disastrous and his defense was as ugly as it comes. Kemp finished 2010 with a .249/.310/.450 line, 15 caught stealing, and a K% that jumped up 5.3 points.
So far in 2011 Matt Kemp is proving he still has amazing tools and 2010 was a fluke. The 27 year old has been a rock for LA; through 29 games he's hit .373/.448/.609 with 6 home runs and 8 stolen bases. He's been able to control his K% while showing new patience with a 12% BB rate (up from his career average of 7.4%). Kemp's defense still remains in the red (as far as UZR goes), but it is no where near as ugly as it was last year.
The Dodgers already have a stud outfielder in Andre Ethier, but Kemp is a game changer. He is developing into a 30-30 player who can easily hit .300+. If the walks keep coming, that brings a whole new element into his game which that could push his OPS to the .900-1.00 range. At 27 Kemp could be looking at a 6 year deal, with a couple options, around $18-20 million a year. The biggest obstacle in Kemp's way is the financials of the Dodgers. However, with the MLB take over in LA business can finally return to normal and Matt Kemp could be looking at the next big extension.
2010 was a season to forget for the young center fielder. Kemp's season started ugly and it didn't help that Dodgers GM, Ned Colleti, added a lot of pressure early on through comments to the media. The power kept up, as Kemp hit a career high 28 home runs, but his running game looked disastrous and his defense was as ugly as it comes. Kemp finished 2010 with a .249/.310/.450 line, 15 caught stealing, and a K% that jumped up 5.3 points.
So far in 2011 Matt Kemp is proving he still has amazing tools and 2010 was a fluke. The 27 year old has been a rock for LA; through 29 games he's hit .373/.448/.609 with 6 home runs and 8 stolen bases. He's been able to control his K% while showing new patience with a 12% BB rate (up from his career average of 7.4%). Kemp's defense still remains in the red (as far as UZR goes), but it is no where near as ugly as it was last year.
The Dodgers already have a stud outfielder in Andre Ethier, but Kemp is a game changer. He is developing into a 30-30 player who can easily hit .300+. If the walks keep coming, that brings a whole new element into his game which that could push his OPS to the .900-1.00 range. At 27 Kemp could be looking at a 6 year deal, with a couple options, around $18-20 million a year. The biggest obstacle in Kemp's way is the financials of the Dodgers. However, with the MLB take over in LA business can finally return to normal and Matt Kemp could be looking at the next big extension.
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