Matt Kemp Power

Once upon a time, DME coined the phrase "Matt Kemp Power" when referring to any player with an .180 ISO (that's isolated power for anyone who doesn't know *cough* Matthew Berry *cough*). ISO is a great judge of power because is measures total bases gained above those messily singles. Anyone can luck into a few bloop singles here and there, just look at Juan Pierre's whole career, but it takes a special talent to get a baseball to the wall, especially over it. It should be noted that Matt Kemp no longer has Matt Kemp power(.18o iso) as he has blossomed into a 30 home run hitter, but his name will forever be linked to his early year power numbers.

We at Game of Inches decided to expand the list of named isolated power numbers because it's so much more personable to say Tyler Colvin has Justin Morneau power as opposed to a .220 iso. It's not like we live in our mother's basement over the summers or anything. Without further adieu, I present the complete list of named isolated powers

Matt Kemp Power

"Matt Kemp Power" is a trademark phrase of the David "MVP" Eckstein Corporation, LLC. It refers to Matt Kemp's career ISO (.180-ish) and the ability of a hitter with a comparable ISO to reasonably post a 20 HR/60 XBH season over 650 PAs. Matt Kemp power refers to guys with ISO's ranging between .170 and .185. Hitters with such power can be expected to post 20 HR/60 XBH seasons. They are not "sluggers", but valuable hitters nonetheless, especially when paired with "Matt Kemp Speed." Guys with less then Matt Kemp power are, at best, guys with league average power and not sexy (see Dustin Pedroia). In short, Matt Kemp power is sexy gap power with the ability to go yard.

Now, when you see or hear us refer to a guy as having "Matt Kemp power" (ie, Jayson Nix in 2009), you will be in the know, and knowledge is power.

Kemp Watch

Today, Matt Kemp went 3-for-3 today with a walk, a home run, a stolen base and 4 runs scored. He's still batting in the bottom third of the Dodgers lineup.

At least Joe Torre bats him ahead of Brad Ausmus.

The White Sox announcers are fucking shit

We all know I hate Hawk "I invented the batting glove" Harrelson for various reason that range from poor analysis to obnoxious made up words to downright racism (he has often claimed on air, usually when the Sox play the Mariners, that Asians have patience built into their genetics). However, let's just put that stuff aside for now. Let's just pretend Hawk's announcer VORP is 0. Let's give him a clean slate and only use what he said in today's game as justification for why Hawk is just not a very good announcer.

What irks me so much as to write a post about his ramblings today? Well, amongst other things, Hawk tried to rationalize and justify Matt Kemp batting 9th (again) today because of his high strikeout totals (he has a team-leading 62). You do not rationalize the fact that Joe Torre is a fucking moron. You do not just ignore the fact that, despite a 24% strikeout rate (which is no where near as whiffingly as Chris Davis (45.3%) or B.J. Upton (29.6%) or Carlos Pena (36.3%), all of whom bat in the top or heart of the order), Matt Kemp CONTINUES to post a quality .165 ISO, clip line drives at an elite 21.3% rate, walk 10% of the time and post a .385 wOBA. To put those numbers in perspective, Matt Kemp leads the active Dodgers line up in offensive production. Only Manny Ramirez (.466 wOBA), who is currently serving a 50-game suspension for the use of PEDs, has more offensive value than Matt Kemp. And yet, Matt Kemp persistently bats in the bottom third of the Dodgers line up -- behind Russell Martin (.310 wOBA), Mark Loretta (.291 wOBA), Rafael Furcal (.295 wOBA), James Loney (.325 wOBA), Andre Ethier (.355 wOBA), Juan Pierre (.363 wOBA), Casey Blake (.371 wOBA) and Orlando Hudson (.372 wOBA).

Did I mention that Matt Kemp also has a ridiculous 7.0 speed score and Carlos Beltran-like 85.7% success rate with stolen bases? Cause he's also got that going for him.

So to everyone out there who hates Matt Kemp for whatever reason, I have just one thing to say to you. You simply cannot, no matter who you are (bad manager, bad TV announcer, etc) or how hard you try, justify batting Matt Kemp ninth. Or eighth. Or seventh for that matter. It's even very hard to make a case for Matt Kemp batting as low as fifth or sixth in the line up. Kemp is a heart of the order kind of guy with a top third of the order skillset. Plain and simple.

So fuck Russell 10 Extra Base Hits Martin.

Oh, and in case you didn't watch the game, Matt Kemp went 1-4 with a 3 run home run. Quite the bottom of the order material, right?

Joe Torre is fucking retarded

Pardon the language, but Joe Torre is fucking retarded. I do not care how many rings he has or postseason teams he has managed. He is a fucking moron.

You do not bat Matt Kemp, who is hitting .311 with a .376 OBP and .481 SLG (.383 wOBA) eighth. Or seventh for that matter.

Matt Kemp has the 3rd highest wOBA among not-suspended starters on the Dodgers. Only Orlando Hudson -- who is pretty good, but not this good -- and Juan Pierre -- who is playing way over his head with a career best .402 wOBA -- have higher wOBAs than Matt Kemp, whose career .360 wOBA and youthful upside makes him a more legitimate threat to continue his offensive production. If anyone not named Manny Ramirez should be batting somewhere in the 3-4-5 hole consistently, it is Matt Kemp, who, by the way, is batting .397 over the past 16 games.

Why is Matt Kemp a good hitter to put in the heart of the order? His prodigious line drive abilities (21.5 career LD%), above average power (.170 ISO, pre-2008 Youkilis-esque), ridiculous speed (7.2 speed score, 8th best in the majors) and increasingly improving pitch recognition (9.4 BB% in 2009) make him a legitimate all-around offensive threat at the plate and on the basepaths.

So why would anyone bat the rapidly declining Russell Martin (.321 wOBA, .050 ISO), the Manny-less Andre Ethier (.346 wOBA, .175 ISO), the laughably unintimidating James Loney (.321 wOBA, .093 ISO) or the abhorrent Rafael Furcal (.256 wOBA, .056 ISO) over Matt Kemp? Simple answer: they are fucking retarded.

Seriously. Joe Torre is a fucking moron.