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The Atlanta Braves are better with Matt Kemp

By Josh Brown

Jun 17, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Matt Kemp (27) hits an RBI single during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 17, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Matt Kemp (27) hits an RBI single during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Atlanta Braves just got better by adding Matt Kemp. It’s actually as simple as that. No, there’s not some mysterious hidden meaning in acquiring him. He’s a great addition to a team in desperate need of power.

If you think Matt Kemp is washed up then you simply have not watched Matt Kemp this season. And if you think the Braves don’t need Matt Kemp then you have not watched the Atlanta Braves this season.

The Atlanta Braves are terrible this season. The club is last in baseball in home runs and RBI. They just got a guy with the second most home runs, hits and RBI of any right fielder in baseball. If Matt Kemp is washed up, he doesn’t know it yet.

Following the trade, Jeff Schultz of the AJC wrote a mind numbing piece in which he blasted Braves GM John Coppolella on the trade, assuming that the Braves just traded completely evenly. He went on to say that “Kemp can still hit a little.”

Jeff Schultz should stick to basketball. This is the same guy who wrote a column last winter about how the “Braves blew it with Jason Heyward.” (Side note – Jason Heyward just hit his first home run since June 11 and has fewer extra base hits than Matt Kemp has home runs.)

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I am not under the illusion that 2016 Matt Kemp is still that 30/30 fleet-footed defender and base stealer that he once was. But, he’s immediately one of the best bats in a lineup that is currently terrible.

With runners in scoring position this year, Kemp is slashing .319/.340/.564. In his last seven games he’s slashing .320/.393/.560. He’s already got 23 home runs, 107 hits and 69 RBI this season. He’s on pace, at age 31, to have his best home run year yet.

Matt Kemp’s OPS this year (a down year for him) is .774. This is now the second highest on the team behind Freddie Freeman (.885). Atlanta Braves outfielders have hit 15 home runs in 2016. Matt Kemp alone has hit 23.

Matt Kemp is far from “washed up.” At least at the plate.

“But Josh, what about Kemp’s WAR?” 2014 Jason Heyward had a better “WAR” than 1956 Ted Williams. WAR is not a stat.

The Atlanta Braves were charged with the monumental task of going out and finding a right-handed power hitter this off-season. They just got Matt Kemp cheaper than if they were to land a “big bat” this off-season, and as mentioned before, Matt Kemp is still a “big bat.”

This worked out great for the Braves. And the Padres were able to save some money. And while the Braves are desperate for a bat like Kemp’s, the Padres are not.

The Padres were looking for creative ways to create room for their top outfield  prospects like Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe. The Padres have young outfield bats who are MLB ready right now (one of which, Renfroe, has hit 25 homers in Triple-A) while the Braves don’t have that luxury right now.

Next: Braves figured out how to get rid of Olivera

The Atlanta Braves just got better. It’s as simple as that.

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