On December 18, the Padres finalized the deal with the Dodgers that makes Matt Kemp the new right fielder in Petco Park. Kemp will be the projected leader of the newly renovated Padre offense for 2015 and beyond. Coming off of a great comeback season, Kemp is practically back to his 2011 runner-up MVP form. Matt will not only jolt up the offense, but also the fan base, as San Diego has not had a superstar since Adrian Gonzalez in 2010.
When Padre fans come to Petco Park in 2015, they will no longer be watching a batting lineup that produced a batting average of .223 in 2015, but the fans will see their team score runs a lot more often now. Matt Kemp along with his new teammates Justin Upton, Derek Norris, and Wil Myers, will create some excitement, as there will very likely be some balls flying into the “beach” in right-center field daily, as all 4 new Padres produced a total of 70 home runs in 2014. Kemp not only will be a leader at the plate, but he will most likely be a leader in the field too, as he plays a good RF. In 2014 after moving from center to right field, he produced a fielding percentage of .980 with 92 putouts. The downside to his defense though is range factor, which was extremely low for Kemp in 2014 at the RF position (below league average). But, the smaller, less ground to cover RF at Petco will certainly help his range factor out, along with the whole 2015 Spring Training to practice his skills in right. With Kemp projected to bat in the cleanup spot for the Padres in 2015 while staying healthy, there is a good chance that Kemp will produce 25+ homers, 95+ RBI’s, 168+ hits, 30+ doubles, and 18+ stolen bases, all while batting a projected .284.
With Matt Kemp along with Upton by his side, attendance should rise and promotions should fly. Kemp will most likely be the leader not only on the field, but also in advertising for the new-look San Diego Padres. Matt’s leadership and success in a Padres uniform will reflect well on the youngsters in the locker-room, who, if they feed off the veteran vibe, will be a big part of San Diego’s possible run to the playoffs this upcoming season.
