Several years ago outfielder Matt Kemp was the centerpiece for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2011, Kemp finished second in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting as he led the NL in home runs (39) and runs batted in (126). After the 2011 season the Dodgers rewarded Kemp with an eight-year, $160 million extension, but it has not been a bed of roses since then for Kemp. Since signing his big deal Kemp has only appeared in 179 games and he has only been able to produce 29 home runs along with 102 runs batted in for the Dodgers. An ankle injury kept Kemp off of the Dodgers postseason roster last month and his bat was missed in the team’s lineup as Los Angeles fell to the St. Louis Cardinals in six games in the National League Championship Series. With a talented and high-priced outfield consisting of Kemp, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, and Yasiel Puig, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti will more than likely move one of these players this winter and Kemp could possibly be the odd man out.
These four Dodger outfielders will account for $58 million of salary next season with Kemp earning $21 million by himself. The Dodgers are expected to once again be around the $200 million mark in payroll next season, but getting a big contract such as Kemp’s off of the books would be huge as they will look to fill other voids in the attempt to reach the World Series for the first time since 1988. The main thing for Colletti is to see if a Major League Baseball team would be willing to invest in the 29-year old from Oklahoma who is under contract until 2019.
The New York Yankees have been positioning themselves to get under the $189 million threshold, but failing to make the postseason in 2013 while watching the Boston Red Sox win the World Series last month could put some extra pressure on Yankee owners Hank and Hal Steinbrenner to be extremely active this winter. The landscape of free agency in MLB has changed and it is not as easy for the Steinbrenners to swoop in with their bag of money and purchase any free agent that they want.
After four seasons with the Yankees, outfielder Curtis Granderson is now a free agent and if he doesn’t return to the Bronx in 2014 that leaves the Yankees with a hole in their outfield. Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano has opted for free agency as he is seeking a 10-year, $305 million contract. The Yankees would love to bring Cano back on their terms, but if he walks in the same fashion that Granderson has it will be tough for the Bronx Bombers to field a competitive team next season.
2014 will more than likely be the last season for Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and the team is desperately looking to rid themselves of third baseman Alex Rodriguez as they are seeking to get younger. The Yankees farm system is not loaded currently, but a trade for Kemp would work out for them as they would not have to give the Dodgers a ton of prospects due to the fact that they would be taking on so much salary with Kemp.
After winning the 2013 World Series, the Red Sox have plenty of re-tooling to do before the start of the 2014 season. After leading the American League in stolen bases this past season Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsubry is a free agent that could garner $100 million on the open market. If Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington loses out on Ellsbury could he be in the market for Kemp? The Red Sox were able to put it all together this past season with a veteran ball club, but they have youth in their organization in the form of outfielder Jackie Bradley and infielder Xander Bogaerts. Kemp could be the bat in the middle of the Red Sox machine that keeps them competing in the tough AL East.
The past few off-seasons have seen the Texas Rangers miss out on big-time free agents. After winning the American League Pennant in 2010 and 2011, the Rangers have not won a playoff game since then and they are desperate to remain relevant in the AL. After eight seasons with the Rangers, outfielder Nelson Cruz is now a free agent. Cruz is 33-years old and he was also suspended 50 games this past season by MLB for violating their policy regarding performance-enhancing drugs. If Cruz’s asking price is too much would Rangers general manager Jon Daniels be willing to trade for Kemp? The Rangers hit 176 home runs last season which was 7th in the American League, but after losing outfielder Josh Hamilton to free agency in 2012, Daniels and the Rangers need a five-tool player like Kemp in their lineup to be sandwiched between third baseman Adrian Beltre and outfielder Alex Rios that can carry them back to the postseason.
The New York Mets have not made the playoffs since 2006 and they have not had a winning record since 2008. In his four seasons with the Mets, general manager Sandy Alderson has had his hands tied as the team has been financially strapped. In three of Alderson’s four seasons with the Mets, the team’s win total has decreased with the team winning 74 games in the past two seasons. Alderson has already said that the Mets are not looking to sign a player to a contract over $100 million, but the fans in Queens are getting restless and the Mets need to get creative.
What little hope that Met fans had heading into 2014 was shredded when starting pitcher Matt Harvey opted to have Tommy John surgery which will put him on the shelf for the entire upcoming season. Alderson and Met owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon are backing on young pitchers within their organization to carry the team, but this is a team that finished 11th in the National League in runs batted in (593) as well as home runs (130), and they were 14th in slugging percentage (.366) last season. The Mets offensive centerpiece is third baseman David Wright, but he is only one man in the Mets lineup and he needs protection.
The Mets have a wealth of pitching in their system, but like the Yankees, the Mets shouldn’t have to give up that much if they were to acquire Kemp. Since Citi Field opened in 2009 the attendance has declined in each season and it is time for the Wilpons to spend some of that money that they are guarding ever so tightly to put a competitive team on the baseball diamond.
After winning 98 games en route to the best record in the National League in 2012, the Washington Nationals were slowed down by injuries and a slow start last season as they failed to make the playoffs as they went 86-76. Nationals owner Ted Lerner has not been shy when it comes to spending money. Prior to the 2011 MLB season, the Nationals signed outfielder Jayson Werth to a seven-year, $126 million contract to be a veteran presence in their lineup. In just two seasons Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper is just beginning to tap his potential which was highlighted by him winning the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year Award. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo is not shy when it comes to acquiring players via a trade. Following the 2011 MLB season, Rizzo sent four players to the Oakland Athletics to acquire starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez. With a young core consisting of Harper and starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals have a team that could dominate the National League East for the next several years and putting Kemp in their lineup would make them a legitimate World Series contender.
It might not come this off-season, but you could see the writing on the wall that Kemp will not finish his MLB career with the Dodgers. Injuries have really affected Kemp’s play and a new start in a new city would be the best option for all parties involved.
Sources: Baseball-reference.com. Spotrac.com, Baseballprospectus.com
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