Dylan Hernandez' piece profiling Matt Kemp as the "king of the clubhouse" was really well done. Using locker room props as his opening device was smart:
Manny Ramirez used the space for two springs. After his drug-tainted departure, Rafael Furcal took up residence.
Now, with Furcal playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Matt Kemp is occupying this corner parcel of real estate that serves as the team's spiritual center.
Kemp understands the significance of where he sits.
"I'm not saying I have to be a leader, but I want to be a leader," Kemp said. "I want to win bad. If it takes me being a leader and stepping up and saying something that needs to be said, then I'm going to do it."At the northwest end of the Dodgers' spring-training clubhouse, several steps from the rear exit, is a wooden stall that shortstop Dee Gordon calls "the Big Dog locker."
Awesome, right? Filled with hope, ye Dodger fan? Well, you should be. That is, until you hit this part, late in the same article:
Kemp is now a role model himself, particularly to Gordon, 23, the club's second-year shortstop.
"We talk about everything," Gordon said. "Everything about being a professional. The stuff that Juan Pierre taught him."Kemp has said he models himself after Juan Pierre, who played with the Dodgers from 2007-2009. Pierre was pushed to the bench by Kemp and Andre Ethier but maintained his reputation as the team's hardest-working player.
Oh, God. Please don't go from an MVP-caliber season to a slap-hitting noodle-armed outfielder, Matt. Don't make me cry.
photo: Gary A. Vasquez / US Presswire
8 comments:
lol, that's some harsh shit y'all. Juan Pierre may have been a shit player with a massively overpriced contract but that's not his fault! Blame that on Ned Colletti.
I've no idea about Pierre's leadership qualities or work ethic.
Hey, uh, Sax?
Matt has talent to go with the work ethic.
Based on what I remember, everyone praised Juan Pierre to his dedication, work ethic, and leadership. It's the "tangibles" that we all found so distasteful.
Slappy McPopup went 0 for 2 with a strikeout against college pitching today.
Not to be completely outdone, that jackass, Victorino also went 0 for 2.
Matt Kemp would have gone 19 for 3 with 86 RBIs and 99 runs scored. Don't worry about my math, Kemp's a Shiny Golden God.
I once saw the silhouette of Jesus in a panini bread.
Damn. Just had a good one slip away from me. I needs booze.
Damn, that sure beats the shit out that fishstick I once ate that had the profile of Charlton Heston.
Soylent Green. It's people.
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