After making the NL All-Star team during something of a comeback season in 2018, 2019 was a much different story for Matt Kemp, who appeared in just 20 games for the Reds. Despite that abbreviated campaign, Kemp tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that he is hoping to return in 2020 for his 15th Major League season.
Kemp was released by the Reds in early May while suffering from a broken rib, and though he caught on with the Mets on a minor league deal, injuries limited Kemp to only eight Triple-A appearances before New York released him once more in July. “I still felt weird from when I broke my first rib. I was like, ‘I’m wasting your time right now. I need to go home and try to get healthy,’ ” Kemp said.
After taking some time to get back to full health, Kemp resumed baseball activities that included playing first base, working out with no less than Fred McGriff and Tino Martinez to learn the position. Kemp has played exclusively as an outfielder over his entire professional career, though it has been almost a full decade since defensive metrics have seen him as a positive contributor with the glove. Playing first base would be an additional point in Kemp’s favor for a team interested in seeing if he has anything left in the tank.
Kemp just turned 35 on September 23 and is already more than financially secure, as per the eight-year/$160MM extension he signed with the Dodgers that ran from 2012-19. But, as Kemp stated to Hernandez, he still feels he has another rebound left in the wake of his rough 2019 season.
“It ain’t about the money. I just love competing. I like to play baseball….It’d be different if I didn’t feel like I could go out here and contribute. I actually feel like I know I can still play,” Kemp said.
Kemp was part of three separate salary-dump trades in 2016, 2017, and 2018, yet while he was becoming known more for his salary than his contributions on the field, it’s worth noting that he has continued to be a decently productive hitter. While no longer the MVP-level hitter he was in his prime with the Dodgers, Kemp hit .274/.316/.472 over 2293 plate appearances from 2015-18 — including a .290/.338/.481 showing in 506 plate appearances just last year. Kemp has spent his entire career in the National League, though a move to an American League team that could offer DH at-bats could certainly unlock whatever pop still exists in his bat.
Dray? Please everyone is worried about you?
Dray!!??
Good luck with that Kemp. One thing is for sure he won’t be making 20 million next year like he has been the last few years…They all say it’s not about the money…
Miami could use another Granderson type outfielder/mentor
Wishing Kemp the best…
Same. Nothing but love for The Bison.
He is worth a look in ST. Could be a solid Bench bat for a team.
Lol
Why isn’t this dude in the AL yet?
I think/hope he gets another chance to play somewhere next season. He seems like a pretty solid guy and when he’s been healthy he has been decently productive. He could be a valuable part time player for a contender next year looking for a platoon OF/1B/DH or bench bat. His last health season – 2018 – he still looked to have decent pop and contact ability so assuming 2019 was just injury related I’d expect him to be able to offer above-average production again next season, albeit most likely in a part time/platoon type role.
Playing first base for the phillies.trade hoskins for pitching…
Definitely a prime example of players who’s raw talent and charisma led to an overblown celebrity status to go along with their massive contract, leading to a lucrative but professionally inert period where they keep making insane money but can feel just how irrelevant they actually are as a player in their game, so once the burden of the contract and the judgment behind it is lifted, they feel like they have a second chance at just playing the game the right way, for the glory of competition and to prove to themselves they still have plenty left to contribute.
Manny Ramirez, Jason Giambi, Mike Hampton, Brian McCann, Frank Thomas, Julio Franco (of course) and a decent list of other baseball players, to say nothing of other sports, where all they know is the game, they used to actually work really hard and care and somehow it just became about the paycheck, then once the money was secure and was no longer a primary goal, they rediscovered their passion for competition.
It’s a great microcosm of human nature.
Reminds me of how the Wire resolved Marlo Stanfield’s storyline, if anybody catches what I am referencing…
Total baloney. Kemp’s “celebrity status” and “massive contract” were founded on his being a tremendous athlete, which he was until he wrecked his shoulder and then his ankle. He was never the same player again, though in his last tour with the Dodgers he showed that he can still hit. Yes, it’s a great microcosm of human nature to try to reduce individual stories down to easily digestible types and memes. A sad one, actually.
BlueSky, every time you comment, you’ve been right on the mark. You are a well-informed fan. I appreciate your contributions here.
I think he could make it on a AL team . DH, 1B sometimes, LF or RF in emergency.. should go to a bad AL team for vet minimum that have openings. Tigers, Royals, Orioles , Mariners,
There is no such thing as a “vet minimum” in MLB. There is a minimum no matter what a player’s tenure status is.
I hope the Red Sox take a flyer in Spring Training. I would be comfortable rolling with Moreland/Kemp at 1B if Kemp proves he can still hit.