The Case for Matt Kemp

Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans. Today is a great day for baseball. Anyways, to pick up the theme at the end of my last post, I want to examine Matt Kemp's chances of being in St. Louis on July 14th for the 2009 All-Star Game. I have to admit, when I first heard about the possibility of Kemp as an All-Star, I was surprised. He has had a very good season, but I never really thought that the people within baseball noticed. The N.L. will probably carry seven outfielders. Let's take a look at the likely locks for the N.L. outfield:

1. Carlos Beltran- Beltran has had a terrific season, however he will probably miss the game due to the severe bone bruise in his knee.
2. Brad Hawpe- Hawpe is a Dodger Killer and a lock for this year's ASG.
3. Raul Ibanez- Ibanez has had a breakout season late in his career, although it's unclear if he will return in time from the D.L. to play.
4. Ryan Braun
5. Adam Dunn- 40 HR's and 100 BB's every season, one of the more underappreciated hitters in the game.

Now we look at the possibilities to round out the outfield for the N.L.:

1. Justin Upton- The 21 year-old has had a breakout season in obscurity. Upton has a .937 OPS with 14 HR's.
2. Hunter Pence- Pence has had a very good year, with a .870 OPS, 10 HR's and 8 SB's
3. Jayson Werth- The former Dodger has 16 HR's and 45 RBI's

And now the guy I'm endorsing: Matt Kemp

Kemp has an impressive .303/.365/.476 batting line. He has 10 HR's and 19 SB's while only getting caught stealing 3 times. His RBI total would probably be higher if not for batting in the bottom third of the order all season (side note: How ridiculous is it that a player of Kemp's caliber continues to bat in the 7 and 8 hole?). His .841 OPS ranks him 9th among N.L. OF's, but he isn't that far behind the last few players. But the real reason for Kemp's ASG chances? His outstanding defense in CF. Kemp has had his share of issues in the field in the past, but this season he has been spectacular. He leads all NL CF's in UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) as well as many other fielding metrics, and it really isn't all that close. His total package of good offense and tremendous defense puts him on the verge of being an All-Star. Carlos Beltran's injury should allow him to make the team. It wouldn't be a huge snub if Kemp doesn't make it, and it is safe to assume that Kemp will be in multiple All-Star Games down the road. But as one of the best players on the best team in baseball, Kemp deserves a legitimate look to play in the contest this year.

My N.L. ASG Outfield (excluding Beltran):

• Brad Hawpe
• Raul Ibanez (if healthy)
• Hunter Pence (if Ibanez can't play)
• Ryan Braun
• Adam Dunn
• Justin Upton
• Jayson Werth
• Matt Kemp

Considering Kemp is the only true CF in that group, if N.L. Manager Charlie Manuel decides to use a traditional OF, there is a shot that Kemp could start for the National League. Now that would be exciting.

What do you guys think? Does Matt Kemp deserve to be an All-Star this season?