My Favorite Dodger: Matt Kemp

Published: 15^th Feb 11 8:00 am

Tim Morris
Tim Morris

1 Rant »

Matt Kemp is my favorite Dodger, that’s easy enough to tell. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ve seen me say that he’s my favorite, I’ve even written a story or two about him but I’ve never said why. Well, the reason’s are kinda self-centered in a way but also kinda funny. It’s not because he’s good looking, or mega talented, it’s because I believe Matt Kemp is my baseball doppelganger.

You see, I love baseball, a lot. I practically worshiped it as a religion through my teenage years, I collected cards, and made baseball mini All Star teams out of them and I’d play games with a pen and a rolled up piece of tin foil, which works better than a rolled up piece of paper, much better smack to it, paper just goes thwop and doesn’t go very far, in order to get the true feeling of a home-run, I had to have something better, I later found out a rubber band within the foil was best. I also made imaginary teams, sitting in class on a piece of paper (i ruined a lot of paper like this) and i’d make a line up with stats, names etc and that’d be it. I’d have all 8 positions, a starting pitching staff, relievers, bench, etc, I was obsessed.

So, I say all that to say that when I got a chance to play I was excited. I started off horribly I didn’t get a hit my whole first season of baseball and I was a horrible fielder at that but I was a pretty good pitcher (my favorite pitcher was Roger Clemens, Roger Clemens MVP baseball <3 <3 <3). Then in my second season through the first half i was no better but I finally got a hit in my 7th game and after that, I was a machine! After that year I had some confidence and played about 3-4 more years of Pee Wee baseball before grades derailed me in my pursuits for the majors, I had the talent but not the focus, which brings me back to Matt Kemp and why I believe he’s my doppelganger.

In my final season, which was one of my more memorable and enjoyable, I wore the number 27, sound familiar? I also played RF, just how Kemp started off and which I believe is his best position, not CF. I was also a 5 tool player, I had speed (no CS’s over all my seasons and one pick off, thanks mom) power, had a great arm, good range, ok glove (when I focused…) and I got on base. I also struck out, a lot. I had issues with focus (getting the picture here?) but when I was on, I was on and I was scary good. You couldn’t get me out, so you’d walk me, but if you walked me, I’d steal 2nd base, then I’d steal 3rd, so what do you do? So, sometimes I see a lot of who I was (and could’ve become) in Matt Kemp and feel a connection, especially since he wears my favorite number.

So, yes that’s my crazy reason for being a such a big Kemp fan and why he disappoints me so. I see a lot of potential in him and I believe he can be greater, if he really wants to. I really feel this season is his coming out party, he’ll get that 30-30, and hit .300 and drive in over 100 RBI’s, make the all star game and become a fan favorite (all while walking about 50 times and striking out 150). So give Matty sometime, maybe he’ll be your favorite too.

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