2010 Player Profile: Matt Kemp - STAR
by David Young on Mar 2, 2010 8:00 AM PST
in Community Projections
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PrintMatt Kemp: five tool player. When people use the term "five-tool player", they mean that the player can hit for average, hit for power, run, catch, and throw. Each word in that first sentence links to a video clip, illustrating each of the five tools possessed by Los Angeles Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp.
By any standard, Matt Kemp had a breakout year in 2009 in only his second full year in the major leagues at the age of 24, posting a "triple-slash" line of .297 / .352 /. 490, an .842 OPS (125 OPS+), along with 26 home runs, that all so impressed the managers and coaches of the National League that they awarded him the Silver Slugger for being one of the three best offensive outfielders in the Senior Circuit. Because the voters are allowed to consider their "general impressions of a player's overall offensive value", Kemp's 34 stolen bases at an 81% success rate could also have come into consideration.
It wasn't only at the plate that Kemp came of age. After watching the Dodgers sign big-money, free-agent centerfielders in consecutive off-seasons, Kemp entered 2009 knowing that the full-time job was his and his alone after taking over the position in 2008 from the offensively woeful Andruw Jones, and he flashed his defensive prowess enough - including catches like this one - for the National League managers and coaches also to vote for him as one of the three Gold Glove outfielders in the loop. (All the NL Gold Glove winners were primarily CFs, and fangraphs.com UZR rating had Kemp as the fifth best NL CF, still a fine finish.)
Centerfielder, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove: how rare is this combination? So rare, that the last Dodger in this realm was Hall-of-Famer Duke Snider, one of the three fine-fielding, power-hitting centerfielders that graced the outfields of New York City in the 1950s, along with Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. (Willie Davis comes close. In 1969 he posted a 134 OPS+ and was a couple years away from winning his first Gold Glove. The fielding awards for NL OFs were monopolized for most of the 1960s by Mays, Roberto Clemente, and Curt Flood.) Only ten times in the "Integration Era" (1947 - present) has a Dodger CF exceeded Kemp's 2009 OPS+ of 125, with Snider holding seven of those marks, and only Snider's 1950 season at age 23 was performed at a younger age than Kemp.
Kemp was drafted in the sixth round of the 2003 draft, more as a raw talent than as a ballplayer, as he was a latecomer to baseball, having been a successful high school basketball player. He showed some flashes of his promise in 2004, with 17 homers and a .499 slugging percentage in low-A, Sally League ball, then established himself as a Dodger power prospect to watch after bombing 27 homers and hitting .304 / .349 / .569, in high-A Vero Beach in 2005. Baseball America rated Kemp as the 96th best prospect following the season.
Matt Kemp connects for a home run against Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals in Game One of the 2009 National League Division Series. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
2006 must have been a whirlwind for the 21-year old Kemp as he played at three levels, AA, AAA and the major leagues, pressed into a rushed promotion when the Dodgers ran short of healthy outfielders on their roster. Kemp crushed the baseball at every level, at least at first. After 15 major-league games, he had already bashed seven homers, scored 13 runs, driven in 16, stolen three bases without being caught, and had a heady (and unsustainable) batting line of .378 / .420 / .867. Inevitably he slumped after that, but he had already captured the imagination of many, and had, in some circles, already been christened "The Bison".
During the second major league game of Kemp's career, on May 29, 2006, he stole second base in the fourth inning, after which Atlanta Braves television announcer and ex-Dodger Don Sutton said Kemp looked "like a big buffalo running around the bases." The observation was appropriate due to Kemp's imposing size - at 6' 2" and 230 pounds, Kemp would be a fairly imposing strong safety on a football team - and surprisingly fast footspeed. Commenters on the popular blog Dodger Thoughts modified the "buffalo" reference to the more correct "bison" and a nickname was born. (Here's a clip of The Bison running out a triple while wearing Jackie Robinson's #42, with a nice call by Vin Scully. Big and fast indeed.)
Kemp made the 2007 Opening Day roster for the Dodgers, but in the team's seventh game of the season, he injured his shoulder running into the Dodger Stadium right-field wall. Once healed, the Dodgers optioned him to AAA, where he hit the ball at a .329 / .374 / .540 clip until the Dodgers recalled him in early June. He continued his hot hitting and finished the 2007 National League season hitting .342 / .373 / .521 (127 OPS+) in about a half-season's worth of plate appearances.
2010 Expectations
Optimism abounds with regard to the 25-year old Kemp. He fell only four home runs short of being the Dodgers first 30 HR, 30 stolen base player since Raul Mondesi did it in 1997 at the age of 26. He appears to be continuing to improve his game at the major league level. Browsing his statistics at baseball-reference.com or fangraphs.com, one finds that his strikeout percentage is decreasing from season to season, his walk percentage is increasing, and the percentage of pitches outside the strike zone that he swings at is also decreasing. Couple that with an astounding career BABIP of .361 in 1658 career ABs, and one can't help but think that maybe the sky's the limit.
| Year | Projection | Age | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | wOBA |
| 2006 | 21 | 52 | 166 | 154 | 30 | 39 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 23 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 53 | .253 | .289 | .448 | .737 | 85 | .317 | |
| 2007 | 22 | 98 | 311 | 292 | 47 | 100 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 42 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 66 | .342 | .373 | .521 | .894 | 127 | .383 | |
| 2008 | 23 | 155 | 657 | 606 | 93 | 176 | 38 | 5 | 18 | 76 | 35 | 11 | 46 | 153 | .290 | .340 | .459 | .799 | 110 | .349 | |
| 2009 | 24 | 159 | 667 | 606 | 97 | 180 | 25 | 7 | 26 | 101 | 34 | 8 | 52 | 139 | .297 | .352 | .490 | .842 | 125 | .367 | |
| 2010 | Bill James | 25 | 620 | 573 | 99 | 178 | 32 | 6 | 23 | 91 | 32 | 10 | 47 | 122 | .311 | .365 | .508 | .873 | .381 | ||
| 2010 | CHONE | 25 | 579 | 535 | 90 | 163 | 33 | 6 | 20 | 82 | 27 | 8 | 41 | 117 | .305 | .358 | .501 | .859 | .376 | ||
| 2010 | Marcel | 25 | 599 | 546 | 86 | 164 | 28 | 6 | 20 | 81 | 28 | 8 | 46 | 126 | .300 | .355 | .484 | .838 | .365 | ||
| 2010 | HQ | 25 | 600 | 97 | 179 | 31 | 6 | 29 | 106 | 32 | 46 | .299 | .350 | .513 | .863 |
(AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
What are your community projections for "The Bison", Matt Kemp?
My guess is .311 / .363 / .512 in 685 PA.
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Good stuff Dave
Speaking of Kemp, he is hosting a charity poker tournament this Saturday in Arizona, Ante Up For Autism. Should be a fun night.
BTW, my guess for Kemp 2010 is .314/.371/.531
If Kemp posts an OPS north of .900
while playing good defense in CF he should be easily a top 5 finisher for the MVP.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 8:26 AM PST up reply actions
I know it's for charity
- but just wondering if the MLB cringes when it sees players sponsoring events closely related with gambling.
vr, Xei
B game lineup!
11am…
Robinson 8, DeJesus 6, Mitchell 5, Restovich DH, Lindsey 3, Barton 9, Redman 7, Hu 4, May 2
White Sox lineup
per Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Mitchell lf
Danks cf
Flowers c
Viciedo 1b
Kroeger dh
Nix 2b
Lillibridge ss
Morel 3b
De Aza rf
Floyd p
Sox pitchers
Per Scott Merkin (MLB.com):
Gavin Floyd, Daniel Cabrera, Daniel Hudson and Carlos Torres will each throw two innings in Tuesday’s ‘B’ game vs. Dodgers
Is anyone else having trouble with their wide or narrow settings? Like, your preference won’t save? Just wondering.
YES! >:(
On my Mac and PC, both with Firefox. Everything defaults to narrow, which is annoying to me because I prefer wide. I thought that used to be a customized setting, but I can’ find that anymore. The table and the image in the story above are sized for wide.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Chris and Alex over at Dodgerfan.net are doing an interview series called “Five Tweets” where they interview Dodger bloggers. Here is my interview.
It’s called “five tweets,” so I stayed within the confines of 140 characters
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2010 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
If anything, I’m a slave to directions :)
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2010 11:06 AM PST up reply actions
Thanks
Thanks again Eric and Jon for participating in our little experiment. Any response length works for us!
by Dodgerfan.net Chris on Mar 2, 2010 11:23 AM PST up reply actions
Wow
Taylor Mays just ran his 40. His time? 4.24!
Al Davis will now proceed to draft him and put him at WR.
Haha!
Dan Shanoff tweeted this line, which cracked me up:
Taylor Mays’ 4.24 unofficial 40 time is the most thrilling public appearance he’s made since his bar mitzvah. #greatestjewishNFLplayerever
We'll see if thats the official time
Most of the official times are higher than the unofficial times, but that is ridiculous nonetheless. He will be a Raider.
Official vs. unofficial
Is the unofficial time taken from someone standing there with a stopwatch? If so, it seems like there would be significant margin for human error, especially when we are talking about a difference of a fraction of a second. The official time I assume is the machine which starts when you leave the block and ends when you cross the finish line.
Otherwise, how can there be a confusion between official and unofficial?
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 9:37 AM PST up reply actions
I believe there are two stopwatches and an electronic timer. I’m not sure how they arrive at the “official” time. Everyone runs two or three times. Most teams average them out, or take the median. Either way Mays put up an awesome “unofficial” time, but I’m guessing his “official” time will end up higher. Trindon Holliday ran an unofficial 4.23 on the first day and it ended up getting posted as a 4.34
Raiders need to release JaMarcus and draft Clausen. That will be a start. Then get some good receivers and fix their O-Line. Their Run D needs help, too. They are a complete mess.
I loathe Brady Quinn. I heart Derek Anderson.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 9:42 AM PST up reply actions
Same here
Brady Quinn is pretty ripped, but I don’t think he can ever throw the ball down the field like Anderson
I gave up on the Raiders a long, long time ago
They were my #2 team behind the Rams, but back in the day it was cool to have an AF(L/C) team to go with the Rams. And by “back in the day”, I mean the Lamonica and Blanda, Biletnikoff and Wells, Otto, Upshaw and Shell, Davidson, Brown and McCloughan, coached-by-Madden Raiders.
For Eric, Mr. Trojan Fan, I would have thought the Marcus Allen situation would have been the “enough is enough” point.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Bo was like a comet streaking briefly but brilliantly bright across the NFL sky. He was electric.
Bo knows NFL Films.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Can’t they just sign a passable quarterback for the time being? For example, David Carr is probably available for like $1MM or so. Unless you believe Clausen is legit of course.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 9:41 AM PST up reply actions
Clausen is legit. I think Mike Mayock (best draft guru) rated him as the top QB available. Mayock is the same guy that thought Leinart and Young were overrated and Cutler was the guy to get in 2006.
Clausen has the same problem as Quinn. His throws are only accurate within 15 yards, and doesn’t really have the arm strength or accuracy to be dangerous down the field, unless teams bite on a play-action.
Bingo
But then again, how many quarterbacks in the league can throw that hard “out” anymore, anyway? Half? It’s a “dink and dunk” league nowadays.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 9:51 AM PST up reply actions
Pretty much every good QB in the league can throw well down the field. That may only be half of them, but why pay first round money and bet years of your franchise on a dink and dunk guy.
I agree with you. Which is why I advocated signing David Carr on the cheap. He is an excellent “dink and dunk” guy and you can sign him for the amount of an NRI.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 9:55 AM PST up reply actions
Another problem with Claussen
Has he ever really performed against legit opponents? He doesn’t get to run up the score against the likes of University of Hawaii or Fillmore in the NFL.
Though I guess his junior season probably addressed a bit of that.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 9:53 AM PST up reply actions
He beat up on
Nordhoff, Oak Park and Fillmore High Schools all the time back in High School. And as a 19 year old H.S. QB, he beat up on St Bonny and their 15 year old QB. :)
vr, Xei
My alma matter gets a mention on TBLA. Woo-woot!
2009-10 Kings Hockey: Delivering Milk Steaks from the Meat Train at an arena near you!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Mar 2, 2010 2:47 PM PST up reply actions
No on Clausen
I’m also a die-hard Raiders fan and Al better not draft Clausen. In fact, I don’t think they should draft at all until they get a proven evaluator of talent in there. Otherwise, it’s just more disappointment.
by Dodgerfan.net Chris on Mar 2, 2010 11:28 AM PST up reply actions
How do you think they became the butt of so many jokes over the last 15 years? Most of the people who hated them in the 60’s and 70’s are likely dead or too old to matter. Since then they have not done much to make people jealous, and I just do not get why they generate so much hatred among other NFL fans.
Mays' official time 4.43
Apparently they have someone with an itchy trigger finger (and mouth) working the stopwatch.
OFFICIAL TIME
per NFL.com is 4.43. Great time nonetheless, but it doesn’t mask being consistently out of position. He’ll play SS or be converted to a Will-LB in the League.
Damn
Per Ken Rosenthal:
Sources: Justin Upton close on multi-yr deal with #Diamondbacks. Deal believed to be 6 yrs in 50M range. Still would be FA at 28.
Comparison
Upton is one year behind Matt Kemp in service time, so let’s look at Kemp starting in 2009:
2009: $467k
2010: $4m
2011: $6.95m
2012: arb 3
2013: FA 1
2014: FA 2
Through the first three years, Kemp will have made $11.417m. Let’s speculate for the final 3 years:
2012: $12m (similar raise as 2010 " 2011)
2013-14: $16m each yr (reasonable for a FA of Kemp’s caliber)
So that’s about $55m or so for the same six years as Upton is about to sign for. Maybe I was too conservative, maybe Kemp could get $60-65m, but there is of course risk on both sides, so the $50m deal seems reasonable to me.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2010 10:50 AM PST up reply actions
kemp
should sign kemp now for 5years at 5 million per year-he would take it—eithier-loney too!
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:40 AM PST up reply actions
No, he wouldn't
Kemp currently has a contract that pays him an average of just under $5.5 million per year, and once that is done he has one year of arbitration before free agent eligibility.
kemp
make it 7mill per year then for 6 yrs! For Kemp only—eithier and Loney would do it though
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:58 AM PST up reply actions
Kemp
sign him anyway -make a deal he would want-if he sees that the Dodgers are looking to win and win for a long time he would stay
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:59 AM PST up reply actions
You don’t seem to acknowledge how baseball salaries work. After Kemp’s contract runs out, after 2011, he will likely make $12 million or so in 2012, his final year of arbitration. After that, he’s a free agent. For him to sign a 6/$42 contract, when he could make $42 million in about 3 years, is stupid.
Especially when Justin Upton just signed a 6 year deal for $51.25 million starting from a lower rung on the service time ladder.
From Bob Nightengale:
#diamondbacks Justin Upton’s six-year contract extension is scheduled to be announced Wednesday in Tucson, Ariz
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2010 11:44 AM PST up reply actions
Gee, it's too bad the Dodgers don't play in a large market like the Diamondback
if so, maybe WE’D be able to buy out the remaining years for our budding superstar(s).
lakers
remember when jerry buss signed magic for one million for 25 years? and everyone killed him for that? well lets keep our guys everyone forgets about chemistry-have they never played the game? martin-loney-dewitt-ss—3b—kemp-eithier and yes Manny—great starting 8
billingsly-kershaw-mcdonald—“Zack” from-KC-Broxton-sherrill-kuo—great pitching and that is a decent payroll and the only adds needed would be at SS 3b next year and maybe LF later to replace Manny-and we would have the money for those 3 positions or maybe even have them in the minors to replace them-room for 5th starter and a good bench—this team could do it and do it for a few years-in that time we would also be finding and drafting—(not Losing) new kids!
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:57 AM PST up reply actions
wtf
good for the snakes
bad for the west
by hirambocachica on Mar 2, 2010 3:13 PM PST up reply actions
Tony Jackson is giving us the rundown of the B game on Twitter. So is Joe Cowley, for the White Sox’ perspective.
Stults allowed one hit, but that’s it, in the first inning
2 K's in the first
Maybe Stults is getting more “aggressive” haha
I’ve converted over to the Stults Bandwagon and fully expect him to win (2nd lefty in the rotation is a good idea).
Elbert starts in AAA and McD returns to the Dodger pen (much to his chagrin).
I originally voted for McDonald.
But if Stults wins out the job and performs well, then great. I just hope that if there are injuries and/or Stults doesn’t perform, that McDonald and/or Elbert get their fair shots, rather than be relegated to the ’pen while Ramon Ortiz gets starts or there is a trade of DeJesus for Garland or something like that.
Ha! I didn’t even check. Veteran savvy on your part, SW
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2010 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
My guess would be a hanging knuckler. I saw him pitch against STL, and he had them looking foolish, but when he hung one for Pujols, it wasn’t even funny how hard he hit it.
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2010 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
Speaking of Kemp
It is going to be hard for me to not draft him early in fantasy. I will be stewing over that one for awhile.
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2010 10:36 AM PST reply actions
From Cub reporter Carrie Muskat:
Dodgers, White Sox, Reds & A’s boycotted Cactus League breakfast Tuesday, upset over ticket surcharge to help #cubs with new spring site
Any word if Belliard crossed the picket line for some sausage?
by kinbote on Mar 2, 2010 11:10 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I'm sure he didn't need to.
He keeps that shit under his bed like a kid at camp.
I just tuned to it
and its showing a Yankees game from sometime in the 70’s I think
I just looked at the box score
Mitch went O for 2 with a K.
Hanson had a nice spring debut… 2 innings, no runs, 1 hit, 3 K’s
Kemp: .287/.312/.399~ if he’s in the TMZ spotlight.
.317/.399/.510~ if I have it my way.
by Skunkburner on Mar 2, 2010 11:19 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Watching Mets-Braves
Rod Barajas is being interviewed by the SNY. Sounds like a future skipper, seems very knowledgeable about the game . Is it me or do catchers seem to make good managers after their playing career is over?
Some notes from Torre
Neither (Stults or Haeger) has options we’ll look hard at them.
On fifth starter:
Five starters seven relievers it should take all spring to narrow it down were going to give them as many games and inning as as we can. We’ll give them two innings to start and then three innings, try to graduate by an inning a game.
On Monasterios:
He looked good, we’ll get him the starters innings. Zerpa will be in more of a relief role.
On Stults seeing a sports psychologist:
I haven’t seen anything. He knows he needs to do something different and change what he does and how he does it. He’s quickened up his delivery a little bit.
On Haeger:
I’m not sure the air here helps him be at his best. I liked what I saw when we brought him up last year.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2010 12:31 PM PST via mobile reply actions
At least it is not 13 pitchers
2 bench guys after Ausmus, Johnson and Carroll.
Whoever wins second base will tell us the how one spot will play out.
And will Giles or Eyechart win the last spot.
Those look like the non-Panda OBPs of the Giants lineup :)
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2010 1:20 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
kemp projection 2010
.305/ .356/ .510 with 29 hrs..33 steals
Reason why you should follow Old Hoss Radbourn on Twitter:
Ah, spring-time team bonding rituals. In 1883 the Grays held an impromptu whaling expedition. Lost half the team. Tragedy lurks everywhere
Hilarious.
Kemp in 2007
http://www.truebluela.com/2007/7/25/14517/1873
I only bring this up because during Will Carrol’s BP chat today he was asked about Kemp and he said he was “Unimpressed”. Unimpressed!!! He then later backtracked and said he felt Kemp was pretty good and that he is probably somewhere between a 730 and 1000 OPS player. Talk about going out on a limb. I’m looking around major league rosters trying to find players who combine all his skills at his age and I see guys like Delmon Young who for years has been rated one of the best prospects in baseball. It would not surprise me in the least if Matt Kemp has a better career then Delmon Young even though he’s never been talked about like he belongs in the same room as Delmon.
Between 730 and 1000 OPS!
Nice wide range there, wow! Last year, 222 players amassed 400 PA, and 158 (71.2%) were in the 730-1000 OPS range. Only three were above 1000 (Pujols, Mauer, Fielder)
funny
I first glanced over that, and all I saw was, “Carrol…asked about Kemp…said he was ‘Unimpressed’.” For a fraction of a fraction of a second, my outrage reflex kicked in and I thought, “Who is JAMIE CARROLL to be talking about Matt Kemp like that?!” then instantly realized how ridiculous that sounded, and read the whole passage. :)
If I’d been around here back then, I would have said Kemp didn’t seem impressive because he wasn’t wearing pinstripes. Of course, neither was Young, but he was in the AL East, so close enough.
pretty much
I’m from New York originally, but have lived in SoCal for 12 years (since college). I was a very rare Yankee-Dodger hybrid fan (in that order) for a long time. Even before I moved here, I’ve always appreciated the Dodgers for the way they shocked the Mets in ’88. Then, once Torre & Mattingly defected, I never looked back. I have no regrets whatsoever, other than the fact that my family back east will never let me hear the end of it, and the McCourts actually disgust me more than Steinbrenner ever did, even at his worst!
ha! I just realized why you asked me that
While your question was spot on, I was really talking about the fact that star prospects back east- particularly with the Yankees- get more coverage (and usually, though certainly not always, favorable coverage) from the media. I guess my statement would work under your premise as well. :) Glad the Dodgers never made that deal, though I still wouldn’t mind seeing Robinson Cano wearing Dodger Blue!
What would you guys think about
trading for Lance Berkman in the middle of the season if Loney doesn’t finally start putting up those power numbers we’ve all been craving from him? Berkman still has some really good pop and is only 34 years old, and he would automatically zoom to the 1-3 best hitter on this team, or hopefully 4th with Manny, Ethier, and Kemp in front of him (meaning they are having killer years :D ).
I think it would be worth a look, because the price tag for the trade shouldn’t take more than a couple of our top 10 prospect arms (not the top guys, of course) and a lower guy or two.
All depends on whom we trade
Berkman is due $14.5 million this year plus a $2 million buyout ($15m option for 2011). If we acquire him on July 31, he’d be due roughly $5m this year, plus the buyout.
Or they could Garland his price down by selling off some higher-valued prospects, so we need to be aware of that possibility.
I've always been a big Berkman fan
So I’d do it if Loney had identical numbers to last year.
Plus, with Manny leaving after the year, the McCourts need another aging star to offer a heavilly deferred contract to.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2010 3:00 PM PST up reply actions
if it'd be a no-brainer
then the Astros won’t do it. You’ll probably be sending Loney and two of the BEST power arms (non major-league level) to Houston to get someone like Lance Berkman- especially since McCourt will want the Astros to pay the rest of Berkman’s salary!
loney
Loney will be fine—he will hit 300 20hrs 100 Rbis—-and great defense-also has played OF-dont spend money on Berkman for just a little more pop-just the same for Gonzales at San diego—We need a #1 starter—trade for Zack Granick at KC—give them Stultz and maybe even 4 more rookies-just not Stultz and Mcdonald—Zack is close to one of the best in the game—and lets just start from there-we could start the season fine with that
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:14 AM PST up reply actions
Do you read the replies to your comments my friend? Several of us repeatedly tell you that that kind of package will not get Zack Greinke out of Kansas City. He just deservedly won the Cy Young in the DH league, so for that guy, the trade package has to be high quality, and major-league or near major-league for the most part. The Dodgers best prospects generally are not near major-league ready, so for LA to put a package together that KC would like, that fits KC’s budget, and that wouldn’t hurt LA at the major-league level in other areas.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
He doesn't read the replies
In addition to pointing out the fact that the Dodgers aren’t getting Greinke, people have repeatedly challenged him on his constant screeching that the Dodgers need a TRUE ACE!!!!
I do like how we wouldn’t give KC Stults and McDonald. Because that’s too much. If KC took Stults and McDonald for Greinke it would be one of the most lopsided trades in the history of baseball.
by Michael White on Mar 3, 2010 9:23 AM PST up reply actions
Robinson and Bison on the same card. Sweetness.
If Matt improves modestly on what he did in 2009, I’ll still be a very happy camper.
Is anything better than having your picture on the same card as Jackie? (No Rihanna comments).
by RawhideBlue on Mar 2, 2010 2:37 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
robinson
something that is very rarely mentinoed about jackie—-he played from 1947 to 1956—10 years—the dodgers won the penant-in 47-49-52-53-55-56 and and should have in 1950 & 1951—that would have been 8 of 10 years in the world sieries-dont you think he had something to do with that? the Only ones that can have that kind of success are Joe D-Mantle-Berra and Ford and Joe D was 10 for 13 the other 3 had more but not the % of Joe and Jackie—- Campenalla also-I realize there were only 16 teams then but still a remarkable feat! Probably wont be duplicated
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:26 AM PST up reply actions
Kemp
The Dodgers might go to the Play-offs for the next 5 or 6 years in a row-and MATT KEMP-will be there-DO YOU WANT THE DODGERS TO BE THE PHILLIES OF THE 70s! MAKE THE PLAY-OFFS BUT NEVER THE SIERIES? Without a #1 starter ie more pitching they will not make it to the sieries-the Yankees have all the power in the world as do the Phillies—but who did the Philies add? and who did the Yankess add?-with Halliday and CC they will probably both be back in the Sieries barring injuries—I love the Dodgers always have but we need a big Pitcher now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-we really have everything else we need including Torre and Mattingly will be very good for us later-get the damn pitcher—who cares about rookies that might help-we need the pitcher now and KC can use alot of help now and wont spend the money! Zack will cost much more later count on it
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:37 AM PST up reply actions
Brian Akin
Very nice spring training story on his “Dear (Tommy) John Letters” blog today.
What I forgot to consider in my explanation was the fact that James [Adkins] was a first rounder. Not only that, but he was a first rounder out of college. The rules are a bit different for his breed. So, I conceded “oh, then you probably will pitch. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I probably won’t pitch.”
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Hong-Chih Kuo, while trying to cure himself of “The Yips” last season:
Through it all, Kuo maintained his sense of humor.
Conte recalled how when Kuo, after being told he would be throwing a bullpen session that day, would jokingly cross himself.
“I hope I don’t hit anyone,” Conte said Kuo would tell him.
kensai also has up at MOKM a great photo of Kuo from a fashion show.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
I got this one today also. MBM
Does anyone know where I could get some of Manny’s old boots? Perhaps there are a few more leftover paychecks.
kemp
35 hrs—110 Rbis—35 2b—10-3b—35-SB—90-BB—325avg—400—ObP
Kemp cn do this nd be a gold glover-for at least the next 5 years!
by spc7@verizon.net on Mar 3, 2010 7:03 AM PST reply actions
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