Soon after the trade that brought power-hitting outfielder Matt Kemp to Atlanta, Kemp hit up The Players’ Tribune to let the city know he’s committed. The letter to Braves fans cited a vow to be the player and person he once was. He’s pulled his weight so far.
Alex Wood is a cool guy. Atlanta Braves fans miss that competitive, unorthodox lefty. Hector Olivera was not a cool guy. Cool guys bring women to baseball games, not tears. Braves fans do not miss Hector Olivera. That being said, the heavily-criticized trade that brought Olivera to Atlanta was necessary in being able to bring Matt Kemp to Atlanta.
As Kemp arrived, he posted a letter to The Players’ Tribune stating this is his opportunity for a new start. The former MVP candidate addressed many things in Hello, Atlanta, among them being his diminished love for the game and lack of focus and work ethic. He told his new city the player everyone has seen him become over the last few years is not the player arriving at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
"The Matt Kemp of old — the kid who was the first at the park and the last to leave, the kid who would take cuts in the cage till his hands bled, the kid who would literally run through a wall for his teammates, the kid who was playing to win … not for a contract — that’s the kid who’s on his way to Atlanta."
In everything he said in that letter of his, it’s shown on the diamond. Atlanta started winning as soon as he arrived at Turner Field. Kemp was a formidable presence in a bare lineup. The San Diego Matt Kemp was hitting .262/.285/.489, with 100 strikeouts and just 16 walks. He also hit 24 doubles and 23 home runs. The power was always there, even if the speed and defense were gone.
The Atlanta Braves Matt Kemp woke up, poured himself a cup of ambition (in the words of Dolly Parton) and clocked in with a reborn inclination for filthy, unwavering, back-breaking, hamstring-tightening, downright punishing work. His bat and hitter’s eye came alive, hitting .280/.336/.519, with 15 doubles and 12 home runs. His walk rate doubled from 3.7 percent to 8.3 percent.
Reports began to surface that Kemp was told by Atlanta brass to lose weight and get into better shape. He most certainly arrived this spring in better shape.
"“He looks great,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “The first time I saw him I said, you look like you did when you played center field for the Dodgers, from what I remember. He’s in great shape. That’s really good."
Spring play brought some initial worry that the Matt Kemp/Atlanta experiment was a short-lived success. In 60 at-bats, Kemp hit just .200. The panic quickly subsided, as it happens every April.
The Atlanta Braves witnessed Kemp explode offensively. Right out of the gate, Kemp is 8-for-16. Four of those eight hits are doubles, and two more are home runs. He’s knocked in four runs and scored twice himself. It’s a small sample size, of course, but a .500/.529/1.125 slash line is still pretty cool.
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Here’s to Matt Kemp’s reinvigorated love for the game, and his turning over a new leaf. Braves fans have enjoyed every minute of Kemp’s presence. Make sure to thank both John Coppolella and San Diego for handing the fan base another glorious transaction on a silver platter.