Friday, September 20, 2013

Where To Fit Matt Kemp This Postseason

Amidst all the NL West-winning celebration is a sobering question: where do we fit Matt Kemp in the three-person outfield? Buster Olney has some perspective (link insider only):

Los Angeles Dodgers: What will they do with Matt Kemp?

He is going through a baseball version of speed dating: He has 11 days left to make himself attractive to Don Mattingly, to show that he can help, after missing most of this season. He had four hits, including two doubles, on Tuesday, and then on Wednesday he went 1-for-4.

As of this moment, the Dodgers would face the Cardinals in the postseason, which means L.A. would face right-handed starting pitchers, and it may be that Mattingly would prefer to use the left-handed hitting Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier in left and center, with Yasiel Puig in right. It’s up to Kemp to change Mattingly's mind.

The Dodgers will rest Hanley Ramirez as much as possible before the start of the postseason.

I say you hold Kemp on the roster even if it is the Cardinals we face. Ethier is still recuperating and Puig is...Puig.

11 comments:

Dusty Baker said...

I can't believe there is even any question of this. He clearly has the potential, he has the post-season experience...it's not like we've got Todd Helton or Hideki Matsui or someone like that with a bat off the bench who Kemp would displace! Would he be keeping Drew Butera from a spot or something? Jeesh.

Hideo Nomo said...

I love how Ethier can barely walk, but all the articles are about "WHAT DO DEY DO WITH KEMP DERP DERP?"

MR.F said...

Yeah, this is a stupid question.

Dusty Baker said...

Exactly, Nomo.

I mean, we have four OF'ers, all with their own baggage and liabilities. Why would we not consider recent and nagging injuries, Puigness, just coming off major time out, etc. and say between the four of them added together, we'll get three good ones.

QuadSevens said...

Keep all four on the roster. If one doesn't produce, they will sit. This will motivate each of them to work hard and stay sharp.

Paul said...

It is because we just have toooo much bench depth. Hairston, Skip...Hairston. We are loaded!

Neeebs (The Original) said...

We have both Harrison's now?

Paul said...

No just one...well Jerry's son was at the game yesterday.

Dusty Baker said...

And we can move William henry Harrison from the 40-man to the playoff roster.

Hideo Nomo said...

We'll only get 30 days out of him.

Fred's Brim said...

^ I love you Gnomes