clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Matt Kemp Enjoying Success Similar To Last Season

Even in its truncated form, Kemp is still having quite a season.
Even in its truncated form, Kemp is still having quite a season.

Matt Kemp on Wednesday hit his 17th home run of the season, which leads the team. In fact, Kemp has led the team in home runs all season, ever since hitting one on opening day in San Diego. His team lead even lasted through missing 51 of 53 games with a pair of left hamstring strains.

Through 60 games played, Kemp is having a similar season to his near MVP campaign of last year:

Matt Kemp Through 60 Games
Year PA 2B HR SB R RBI BB IBB K BA/OBP/SLG OPS
2011 254 11 16 14 38 48 30 7 55 .323/.406/.591 .996
2012 252 11 17 4 47 44 27 6 52 .351/.421/.649 1.069

Kemp isn't stealing nearly as many bases this season, but he is hitting 28 points higher. His 2011 campaign had 101 games remaining (actually, he had 102 games remaining but a rainout in Washington D.C. washed away one game), while there are only 50 games left in the 2012 season.

That gives Kemp a great chance to top a list on which he already ranks highly: the most home runs by a Dodger in 110 games or less.

Most Home Runs By A Dodger, 110 Games Or Less
Player Year Home Runs Games
Todd Hundley 2000 24 90
Mike Piazza 1994 24 107
Frank Robinson 1972 19 103
Mike Marshall 1986 19 103
Manny Ramirez 2009 19 104
Andy Pafko 1951 18 84
Manny Ramirez 2008 17 53
Matt Kemp 2012 17 60
Source: Baseball-Reference.com

Ramirez shows up twice on the list, which is led by a pair of catchers. Piazza's 1994 season was cut short by the strike, and that 2000 season was remarkable in its own right.

You may remember Chad Kreuter showing up as one of the eight Dodgers catchers to walk 50 times in a season, along with A.J. Ellis. Kreuter in 2000 split time behind the plate with Hundley, and the duo combined to hit .273/.393/.509 with 29 doubles, 30 home runs, 81 runs scored, 98 runs batted in, and 99 walks.

Pafko was a midseason pickup from the Cubs in 1951, while Robinson and Marshall missed time due to injury.

Looking at Kemp's season as a 110-game campaign, he is on pace for 31 home runs. The last player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season of 110 games or fewer was Mark McGwire, who hit 32 home runs in 89 games for the 2000 Cardinals.

Kemp hit one home run in 12 career games at the Marlins' old stadium, off of Jose Veras on April 10, 2010. But now that the Marlins have moved out of the facility known as Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, Land Shark Stadium, and Sun Life Stadium, Kemp has a new venue in which to homer: Marlins Park.

Game Time: 4:10 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket, MLB Network

MLB Gameday