All-Star Profile: Matt Kemp

Taken with the 181st pick of the 2003 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma, with a .323 batting average, and 22 homeruns to go along with 66 RBI’s, he is the starting center fielder for the 2011 National League All-Stars. Los Angeles, here is your MVP candidate, Matt Kemp.

Kemp, like fellow Dodger All-Star Clayton Kershaw, recieved his first ever All-Star selection this year, as Kemp’s strong first half gave the fans a reason to vote him a starter for the midsummer classic. Hep has had a long road and has worked hard for this berth, beginning back when he was a Vero Beach Dodger, when he set various franchise records, including homeruns in a season with 27. His major league debut came on April 5, 2006 in a game against Washington, and Kemp’s 2006 season took off when he hit his first major league homerun against the Phillies, a week later at Chavez Ravine. Gavin Floyd became the first victim of a Kemp homer, then Ryan Madson the next day, and Clay Condrey the day after. Then, in just his thirteenth career game, Kemp went yard twice off of Aaron Cook on June 11 for his first multi-HR game.

For Kemp, 2007 didn’t start out as planned for the young outfielder, as he began the season with a roster spot but was injured when he crashed into the outfield wall early in the season. He came back to the team in June, and managed to salvage the season, ending the year with a .342 average, 10 home-runs and 42 driven in. It was in 2007 when he had his first 4 hit game, with the Phillies once again on the recieving end of a first for Matt Kemp. He went 4-6 in a 15-3 victory at Citizens Bank Park on August 22, and in September, he had another 4 hit game against the Cubs. For a season that began with injury, Kemp managed to end the campaign with very high numbers, which gave Dodger fans hope for a strong 2008.

The 2008 season began with Kemp fighting for a starting role in the outfield, yet his luck changed somewhat when Andruw Jones was injured. Kemp was then granted the center field spot and did not disappoint. He put together his first full season and ended up with a .297 average, 18 homers and 76 RBIs. His 35 stolen bases showed that he had speed to go along with the bat, and he was nicknamed “the Bison” because of his large frame, yet stellar speed. Kemp suffered his first golden sombrero when he struck out 4 times against the Atlanta Braves in a mid-season series, yet for every negative, Kemp would give a positive response. The budding outfielder put together his first 5 RBI game against the Colorado Rockies in April, and with his first career grand slam, Kemp showed that he was here to stay.

After the Dodgers were eliminated in five games against the Phillies, the 2009 season could not come quicker for Matt Kemp. If his career was lacking proof that he was quickly becoming an elite outfielder, Matt Kemp made this season quite a show for his critics. He became the first ever Dodger to hit at least .295, with at least 25 homers, 100 RBIs and 30 steals, ending the season at third in the NL in stolen bases. He walked off the Dodgers for the first time in his career against the Oakland A’s, and October saw him hit his first career post-season HR. When the season ended, he was awarded both the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards, despite a season that ended with another disappointing NLCS elimination at the hands of Philadelphia.

In 2010, Kemp’s production was down even after he got off to a hot start. April came and went and Kemp had already racked up 7 homers, but he cooled down in the second half of the season and ended the season with a sub-par .249 average, 28 home-runs and 89 RBIs. He set a single season record for the Dodgers with an awful 170 K’s, forcing the 25-year-old to make changes during the offseason.

Matt Kemp got off to a hot start again in April of 2011, finishing the month hitting .368 with 6 homers and 19 RBIs. Through July 7th, he had yet to sport a sub-.300 batting average, and his .323 average near midway through the season along with his 22 homers and 66 RBIs have earned him an All-Star Game and Home Run Derby berth. Like his fellow outfielder, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp has given the Dodger faithful something to enjoy in a season that has been otherwise disappointing. He is on pace for his first 40-plus homer season and second season with over 100 runs driven in. If Matt Kemp can continue his success from this amazing first half, he might be able to spark enough of a second season surge at the NL West lead,  despite the Dodgers being 11 games back. It only takes a spark to light a fire, and that spark might be in the form of an All-Star.