Matt Kemp Triple Crown

[Ironman92]

6 HR
16 RBI
.487 avg

Great defense and base running....We'll take 2

[R_Webb18]

freak

[Maker_84]

best player in baseball by far. he's the type of player that should of gotten that Joey Votto type contract

[MBZags]

He's single-handedly carrying my fantasy baseball team right now.

[Ohioballplayer]

and if you can remember a few years back nobody on this board wanted him instead of Dunn, we probably could have gotten him cheap at the time too.

[Cant Touch This]

and if you can remember a few years back nobody on this board wanted him instead of Dunn, we probably could have gotten him cheap at the time too.

Not nobody. I've been pining for Kemp since way back when we were allowed to post on the big boy board.

Thread from November 2006 (http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52444&page=2)

[Ironman92]

Still killing it.

11 HR
24 RBI
.442 avg

Walk-off 440 foot HR in the 10th tonight

[R_Webb18]

he's unreal. should won mvp last year.

[Magdal]

he's unreal. should won mvp last year.

It was a travesty for Braun to get it. But I take all other worldly hitting feats with a grain of salt since you never know WHO'S rolling the dice and juicing. I suspect that Kemp is as dirty as Braun.

Back to topic: I think last year is the closest we will ever see to an NL triple crown...when you think of how few there have been, with guys like DiMag, Musial and Mays never doing it, it shows just how hard it is to balance BA with power. Also, you gotta have the guys in front of you getting on base for the RBI's.

[Ironman92]

Was Kemp closer than Gary Sheffield back in (1992?) for the Padres?

[Ironman92]

Yeah....Kemp missed the triple crown by .013

Sheffield missed it by 2 HR and 9 RBI....teammate Fred McGriff passed him late in the HR race and Sheffield struggled getting RBI the last two weeks of the season. I believe he had it for a while in the middle of September but couldn't produce the last two weeks.

[lidspinner]

yeah Sheff was a true superstar in the making back then....I would have thought he would have proved to be one of the greatest of all time after that season.....I can remember sitting in senior algebra and arguing with friends who will be better, sheff or kengriff jr and all we would do is compile stats to back up our argument....our teacher was a baseball sabermetrics guy and he would do this all class long with almost any player......made algrebra fun.....

If Gary would have learned how to lay off the first pitch fastball I think he could have set some records for all kinds of offense stats....his downside was wanting to swing at that fastball no matter the count, usually first pitch...it wasnt till 1996 with the Marlins did he learn that you were actually allowed to walk to first if the pitcher threw you 4 balls.....

I am not saying Gary is/was not a stud, just saying that a few little tweaks here and there and he would've went down as a all time stud.....imo.

[DGullett35]

Kemp is a freak. Guy said he was going to go 50/50 this year and he may back that statement up.

[Magdal]

Kemp is a freak. Guy said he was going to go 50/50 this year and he may back that statement up.Yup, he's batting .400 with a .500 OBP, leading in RBI with 12 HR for April.

I have no doubt that he will win RBI and HR in a walk, but it seems like every season somebody has a career year and wins the batting title.

I seriously doubt he steals 50, or even 40. That old triple crown devil will get in his ear and warn him not to risk injury sliding into 2nd. ;)

[justincredible]

Comparing Braun and Kemp's 2011 season, I have no idea how Braun was named MVP. I guess those .011 SLG points were pretty crucial to the voting.

[Larkin88]

Comparing Braun and Kemp's 2011 season, I have no idea how Braun was named MVP. I guess those .011 SLG points were pretty crucial to the voting.

Like it or not, I think it comes down to the Crew winning their division. I remember the same sort of arguments between Pujols and Votto in 2010 when Joey won his MVP.

He barely outslugged Pujols and had a better average and OBP. Pujols had more runs, RBIs, and HRs. Albert had more plate appearances too, though, - I just remember there being some gnashing of teeth over that one. (Obviously not from me, though)

[wabashfalcon]

Not saying anything... but what's his pace compared to "He-who-shall-not-be-named-BALCO-product-73-dingers-in-one-year"? He have an outside shot?

[R_Webb18]

he's on pace to hit 85 hr's

[wabashfalcon]

he's on pace to hit 85 hr's

I'm okay with this.

[improbus]

Why is anyone pitching to him? I know he can run, but this is getting silly. Its not like anyone outside of Ethier is remotely scary.

[Ironman92]

Comparing Braun and Kemp's 2011 season, I have no idea how Braun was named MVP. I guess those .011 SLG points were pretty crucial to the voting.

The division put him over and his insane HR to seal it....the Brewers park was just nuts for about 4 or 5 monster wins deep in September and Kemp was killing it in meaningless games. Both also had the great doubles and stolen base numbers.

[Ironman92]

FWIW

Gary Sheffield

1630+ runs
1675+ RBI
509 HR
1,000+ extra base hits
2689 career hits
250+ stolen bases
1475 walks

16 times he had more walks than strikeouts....never struck out more than 83 times

[New York Red]

FWIW

Gary Sheffield

1630+ runs
1675+ RBI
509 HR
1,000+ extra base hits
2689 career hits
250+ stolen bases
1475 walks

16 times he had more walks than strikeouts....never struck out more than 83 times
Yes, but ... "Steroid Era".

[texasdave]

FWIW

Gary Sheffield

The Clear and the Cream

[Ironman92]

FWIW

Gary Sheffield

The Clear and the Cream

Asterisks or not....hell of a talent and player for a very long time. Bat speed was just silly.

One of my favorite Gary Sheffield moments was as a Padres player he was batting and the pitcher threw a fastball at his head forcing him to hit the ground.....very next pitch he hit a ball about 15 rows deep into the 2nd deck of Jack Murphy stadium....only a dozen or so balls ever made it to that deck in JM. He did similar acts with the Braves....but never witnessed one quite that impressive.