The Dodgers have begun discussing a multi-year contract with Matt Kemp, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. However, his agent Dave Stewart says that Kemp might prefer to go year-to-year via arbitration.
Kemp is one of nine Dodgers eligible for arbitration this winter and one of five eligible for the first time in their careers. Gurnick writes that signing position players like Kemp, James Loney, and Andre Ethier to long-term deals would provide the club with a degree of cost certainty. GM Ned Colletti approached Russell Martin two years ago about a multiyear agreement but was rebuffed.
The 25-year-old Kemp hit .297/.352/.490 with 26 HRs in 2009 while playing an above average center field.
