Matt Kemp News: Pro Sports Daily

Matt Kemp's home run impresses Charlie Haeger

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August 23

Los Angeles Times

"Casey Blake was walking by as Charlie Haeger offered his description of the 449-foot home run that Matt Kemp blasted over the Dodgers' bullpen behind the left-field fence. "That ball was hammered," Haeger said. "Thanks, dude, appreciate it," said Blake, who barely cleared the wall in left-center field in the fourth inning of the Dodgers' 2-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Kemp's home run was his 18th, equaling his career best from last season. The run batted in was his 77th, surpassing his mark of 76 from last season. Kemp is hitting .314. Hitting coach Don Mattingly singled out Kemp as the Dodgers' most improved player. "I think he's made the most strides of anyone," Mattingly ..."

Dodgers' Kemp runs wild in victory

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July 20

L.A. Daily News

""It's Matt Kemp versus the Astros." Or so the center fielder's teammates joked as Kemp bounced into the dugout in the bottom of the eighth inning after scoring his fourth run in the Dodgers' 4-3 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The 24-year-old Kemp, who went 3 for 3, didn't need any help with the final run he scored Sunday. He turned on a full-count slider from Astros reliever LaTroy Hawkins with two outs in the eighth, depositing it half way up the left-field bleachers to break a 3-3 tie and enable the Dodgers to salvage a split in the four-game series. "Manny and them like to say funny things in the dugout after people hit home runs," Kemp said. "I wish ..."

Dodgers outfielder Kemp carrying his weight

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July 8

L.A. Daily News

"There was 240 pounds of Andruw Jones. And there was 240 pounds of Matt Kemp. The scale appeared balanced, but these two no longer are on a level playing field. The Dodgers' Kemp is 6feet, 3 inches of fluid athleticism whose range hardly is contained to a single ZIP Code. Jones is a chubby designated hitter for the Texas Rangers whose 6-1 frame isn't exactly worth itsweight in gold gloves at age 32, much less the $36million the Dodgers agreed to pay him a year and a half ago. But Jones' downfall - the center fielder showed up to Dodgers spring training in 2008 some 30 pounds overweight - was Kemp's springboard. Six years into his professional career, the 24-year-old Kemp is the center ..."

Matt Kemp has potential to be a great center fielder

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June 22

Los Angeles Times

"Matt Kemp has the ability to become a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder. That opinion doesn't come from Kemp, Manager Joe Torre or anyone else in the Dodgers organization. It comes from the Angels' Torii Hunter, a guy who knows a thing or two about playing center field as an eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. "What's scary is, he's only 24 and he has tremendous upside," Hunter said of Kemp on Sunday. "He's good right now; he's going to be great later." Kemp showed remarkable range in the second inning Saturday when he made a leaping catch on the warning track after a long run to rob Erick Aybar of an extra-base hit. "A pretty good catch, I guess," Kemp said. Kemp is starting to make lots ..."

Kemp's dives help Dodgers rise to victory over San Diego

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May 1

L.A. Daily News

"Matt Kemp made a diving catch in left-center field and slammed the grass twice with his hands. Usually, such an emotional display is reserved for dropping a ball, but in Kemp's case it was a call for celebration. There's seemingly nothing Kemp can't catch. Kemp appeared to blanket the entire outfield on defense in the Dodgers' 8-5 victory over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, making running catches and diving catches and even holding onto the ball when he was upended by Orlando Hudson in a collision in shallow center field in which neither play was injured. No matter what Kemp does with his bat, it's overshadowed by breathtaking catches. He made five putouts and his ..."

Now isn't the time for Dodgers to give up on Matt Kemp

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July 20

Los Angeles Times

columnist T.J. Simers

"The trading deadline looms, and those who think Kemp doesn't work as hard as he should and who believe he's a bad influence on the other young players contend the Dodgers and the locker room would be much improved if they could use him in making a significant deal. How do you like the chances of Ned Colletti swinging a significant deal to help the Dodgers? There are some folks around here, Page 2 included, who still think Kemp is going to be a superstar, the best of the best young players on the roster, and it's only a matter of more time and experience. "I don't want to go anywhere," said Kemp, who turns 24 in September."

Comments by Dodgers' Kemp hit a nerve with Angels

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June 30

L.A. Daily News

"A day after the Angels suffered the unlikeliest of defeats by not allowing a hit and still losing, the postgame comments by the Dodgers' Matt Kemp were being dissected. Kemp, who reached base on an error and scored the Dodgers' only run Saturday, sounded downright giddy over winning a game without the aid of a base hit. "This is pretty exciting," Kemp said afterward. "I've never been part of anything like this. I'm pretty excited. It feels like we're going to a playoff game. I'm going to Disneyland." Angels catcher Mike Napoli seemed to take the most exception to Kemp's view. "Has he even been in a playoff game yet?" Napoli said Sunday. "So how does he know what it feels like?""

Dodgers' Matt Kemp puts his power on hold -- for an at-bat

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June 23

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers were clinging to a one-run lead over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday. They had runners on first and second with none out in the fifth inning, with one of their few power hitters coming up. But, with the chance to deliver a knockout blow, Matt Kemp tried to bunt.Not on his own. Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said he ordered the bunt, hoping for a bunt single at best and a sacrifice at worst, which would have advanced the runners to second and third and enabled the Dodgers to add a run on a fly ball."

Matt Kemp gets some on-the-job training

May 22

Los Angeles Times

"Asked about the play of Matt Kemp in center field in the absence of Andruw Jones, Manager Joe Torre started his response by saying, "Well, he's not Andruw Jones." But Torre said he was encouraged by the way Kemp is learning the position. Kemp, who started his 11th game at center Wednesday, robbed Ken Griffey Jr. of extra bases the previous night in the Dodgers' 4-1 victory when he crashed into the wall to make a catch. Kemp had two outfield assists in the series opener on Monday night, throwing out Bronson Arroyo from deep center as he tried to tag up from second to third and nailed Griffey trying to stretch a single."