I still think this guy is what makes our team go. If he continues to heat up, we will look good. His numbers is June: .319/.411/.511/.921 10 runs, 2 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 8 BBs, 11 Ks (still too high)
That sound is coming back off his bat. Starting to square them up more, hopefully the homers will start happening as a result.
Here's something interesting that pisses me off about how Mattingly has handled the situation. Kemp, for all the shit he's gotten, the benchings and what not, is 3rd on the team in both BA and slugging. If he continues trending upward, he'll be 2nd on the team in both categories behind only Puig by next week. It's pretty clear Kemp is one of those guys who, for whatever reason, needs to play in order to play well. Whether that's because he slacks when he doesn't play, or his rhythm gets broken easily is besides the point, we just need to win ball games. Ethier on the other hand, is the only starter besides Ellis to be slugging below .400 going into tonight (dee might fall below .400 at the end of tonight if he goes hitless). Yet he seems to get a free pass for his terrible play. why? He's not exactly willie mays in center either, guy lost us game 1 of the cardinals series last year playing a shitty CF. I shudder to think about what will happen when Crawford comes back. I think Mattingly will go back to the platoon, and Kemp will stop hitting again, and we'll be back to 2 out of 3 OF spots being dead weight instead of 1
Ethier is the only solid (or I should say average) defensive outfielder we have. He definitely needs to start hitting better, but it could be worse. I've been saying Kemp is still way better than Ethier and Crawford offensively from day 1 so I agree that he should be playing over those two.
Kemp has also been the worst player on the team this year when you factor in defense, no matter what metric you use, they all agree. He's been less valuable than Ethier, Crawford, FedEx and Jamie Romak. I'm glad he's hitting but he's still got a hill to climb to even be replacement level for the year.
^tend to agree if kemp were hitting .340 with 15 bombs then you could accept his defensive liabilities a bit better
Dude, Yeah haha. Honestly she's my ideal female. The most beautiful specimen I've ever seen. Her bf looks stupid af too. Like a British Danny Brown. FUCK him I'll gladly be the step father to her children and pay child support
Dude yes he's so weird looking I feel like he's some art major or French or whatever. Ugh I'm hating so hard
I know Kemp's D has always been below average, but I tend to believe that the more time he spends in left the better those metrics will get. He is relearning a position he has not played in a long while and his above average speed for the position should make him more valuable down the line. I feel like he has not really done poorly out there since being moved or have I missed something? We aren't seeing the misplays that he was making in CF and his routes generally seem better including a few nice catches. Also when looking at his value thus far, you have to look at what he has done lately not over the course of the year. He was coming off of injury early with no real ST and was out of position in CF. In LF he is one of the top 3 most valuable players in this lineup if he continues to hit.
This brings a smile to my face when you say his D has always been below average. Why a smile? Because twice other managers and coaches who might know a little more about the game than us twice voted him a Gold Gloves in center field. I guess they didn't get the email.