Why Kemp not Braun should be the NL MVP....
1. Kemp has a legitimate shot at 40-40. Only 1 other player as ever done that without PEDs.
2. Kemp leads Braun in 3 of 4 Categories... HRs, SBs, RBIs & is immediately behind Braun in AVG.
1. Kemp has a legitimate shot at 40-40. Only 1 other player as ever done that without PEDs.
2. Kemp leads Braun in 3 of 4 Categories... HRs, SBs, RBIs & is immediately behind Braun in AVG.
3. Braun has TONS more support & protection in the lineup.
4. Kemp's doing it in a pitcher's ballpark.
5. Kemp is doing it on a losing team.
6. Kemp is more of defensive threat!
8. Kemp is more valuable to his team! If you replaced Braun with an average LF, the Brewers would still have Fielder & likely be in the playoffs. If you replaced Kemp with an average CF, the Dodgers would be as bankrupt as their owner!
The only battle should be between Braun & Kemp. Pujols Berkman & Fielder are batting less than .300 with fewer than 10 SBs. They don't belong in the discussion just because they are power h...itters. Upton's numbers are an impressive 3rd but he doesn't beat Kemp or Braun in any category! Now as between Braun & Kemp....
First, Kemp has a legitimate shot at 40-40. The only other players to do that in history are Canseco, Bonds, ARod & Soriano... 3 of those on 'roids! That makes Kemp's accomplishments storied in baseball history!
Second, Kemp leads in 3 of th 4 Offensive Categories... HR, SBs, RBIs and is close in AVG.
Kemp has more HR (32) than everyone but Pujols and is 3rd in the NL in this category. Braun is 11th in the NL with 27. DIFFERENCE IS EIGHT.
Kemp has more SB (37) than all other frontrunners & is 2nd in the NL in this category. Braun is 7th in the NL at 31. DIFFERENCE IS FIVE.
Kemp is 3rd in the NL in AVG (.319) ... of contenders, only Braun is ahead of him & 2nd in the NL (.332). DIFFERENCE IS ONE.
Kemp is 2nd in the NL in RBIs (107) behind only Fielder & Howard at 108. Braun in 5th (95). DIFFERENCE IS THREE. Given that the Dodgers have NO OFFENSE, the fact that Kemp has 108 RBIs means that he has far fewer opportunities to bring in any runners in scoring position yet has 12 more RBIs. Impressive!
Third, Braun has TONS more support in the lineup. Besides Braun, the rest of the Brewers have 127 HRs. In contrast, without Kemp's bat, the entire Dodger team only has 69 HRs. Braun's seeing some sweet pitches... Morgan's batting before him at .313 & Fielder is after him with a .293 avg & 31 HRs. I'm guessin' Braun gets just a few better pitches than Matty????
Fourth, in addition to doing it without any protection in the lineup, Kemp's doing it in a Dodger stadium, which is a pitcher's ballpark not hitter friendly Miller Park!
Fifth, and just as impressively, Kemp is doing it on a losing team. This means opposing pitchers are often ahead in the game and thus they can afford to go after Matty aggressively!
Sixth, let's talk defense... Kemp has only 4 Errors and 310 POs with that gun for an arm. He also has 11 Assists & 5 Double Plays. Braun is impressive too with only 1 Error but a paltry 228 POs. That's 82 more baserunners & potential runs that Matt saved the Dodgers! On top of that, Braun only has 5 Assists & 1 Double Play compared to Matt's 11 Assists & 5 DPs. Given that Braun plays in LF & Matt in the much deeper CF, Matt should have less PO, DPs & Assists. Three of Matt's five tools make a difference on D for the Dodgers as well.
And let's not forget, Matt's playin up the middle, which is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE a power hitting position -- making his contribution to his team even more impressive. Matt's line is 32 HRs 37 SBs, .319 and 107 RBIs. At his position, no one is close. Victorino's line is 15 HRs, 18 SBs, .300 & 56 RBIs. McCutchen's line is 22 HRs & 20 SBs but only .269 & 85 RBIs.
This last reason is why Matt is more valuable to his team than Braun is to the Brewers. Braun is an outstanding player on an outstanding team surrounded by outstanding offensive powerhouses, but is hitting for average and power as his position dictates. Kemp is an outstanding player on a crappy team where only one other player sporadically has any offense. And, he's hitting for power & average at a position that doesn't historically demonstrate either. Swap Matt kemp for Bourn, Victorino Maybin or Young and the Dodgers are even more pathetic. Swap Braun for Ibanez, Soriano, Holliday or Gonzalez and the Brewers are still a damn good team!
Kemp deserves the MVP and if he keeps playing like this... the Hall of Fame!
First, Kemp has a legitimate shot at 40-40. The only other players to do that in history are Canseco, Bonds, ARod & Soriano... 3 of those on 'roids! That makes Kemp's accomplishments storied in baseball history!
Second, Kemp leads in 3 of th 4 Offensive Categories... HR, SBs, RBIs and is close in AVG.
Kemp has more HR (32) than everyone but Pujols and is 3rd in the NL in this category. Braun is 11th in the NL with 27. DIFFERENCE IS EIGHT.
Kemp has more SB (37) than all other frontrunners & is 2nd in the NL in this category. Braun is 7th in the NL at 31. DIFFERENCE IS FIVE.
Kemp is 3rd in the NL in AVG (.319) ... of contenders, only Braun is ahead of him & 2nd in the NL (.332). DIFFERENCE IS ONE.
Kemp is 2nd in the NL in RBIs (107) behind only Fielder & Howard at 108. Braun in 5th (95). DIFFERENCE IS THREE. Given that the Dodgers have NO OFFENSE, the fact that Kemp has 108 RBIs means that he has far fewer opportunities to bring in any runners in scoring position yet has 12 more RBIs. Impressive!
Third, Braun has TONS more support in the lineup. Besides Braun, the rest of the Brewers have 127 HRs. In contrast, without Kemp's bat, the entire Dodger team only has 69 HRs. Braun's seeing some sweet pitches... Morgan's batting before him at .313 & Fielder is after him with a .293 avg & 31 HRs. I'm guessin' Braun gets just a few better pitches than Matty????
Fourth, in addition to doing it without any protection in the lineup, Kemp's doing it in a Dodger stadium, which is a pitcher's ballpark not hitter friendly Miller Park!
Fifth, and just as impressively, Kemp is doing it on a losing team. This means opposing pitchers are often ahead in the game and thus they can afford to go after Matty aggressively!
Sixth, let's talk defense... Kemp has only 4 Errors and 310 POs with that gun for an arm. He also has 11 Assists & 5 Double Plays. Braun is impressive too with only 1 Error but a paltry 228 POs. That's 82 more baserunners & potential runs that Matt saved the Dodgers! On top of that, Braun only has 5 Assists & 1 Double Play compared to Matt's 11 Assists & 5 DPs. Given that Braun plays in LF & Matt in the much deeper CF, Matt should have less PO, DPs & Assists. Three of Matt's five tools make a difference on D for the Dodgers as well.
And let's not forget, Matt's playin up the middle, which is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE a power hitting position -- making his contribution to his team even more impressive. Matt's line is 32 HRs 37 SBs, .319 and 107 RBIs. At his position, no one is close. Victorino's line is 15 HRs, 18 SBs, .300 & 56 RBIs. McCutchen's line is 22 HRs & 20 SBs but only .269 & 85 RBIs.
This last reason is why Matt is more valuable to his team than Braun is to the Brewers. Braun is an outstanding player on an outstanding team surrounded by outstanding offensive powerhouses, but is hitting for average and power as his position dictates. Kemp is an outstanding player on a crappy team where only one other player sporadically has any offense. And, he's hitting for power & average at a position that doesn't historically demonstrate either. Swap Matt kemp for Bourn, Victorino Maybin or Young and the Dodgers are even more pathetic. Swap Braun for Ibanez, Soriano, Holliday or Gonzalez and the Brewers are still a damn good team!
Kemp deserves the MVP and if he keeps playing like this... the Hall of Fame!
True to the Blue!
I'm shocked no one has commented on this! Even if to just say: GREAT JOB MICHELLE!!! I couldn't have written it better myself!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree Lonnie, Michelle knocked it out of the park with her post!
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