Matt Kemp

Matthew Ryan Kemp (born September 23, 1984, in Midwest City, Oklahoma) - nicknamed The Bison - is a Major League Baseball outfielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kemp attended Midwest City High School in Midwest City, Oklahoma and was a standout in basketball and baseball. He played on the basketball team with Shelden Williams of the Sacramento Kings.

Kemp was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2003 draft and signed with the team on June 5, 2003.

Minor Leagues

He started his professional career for the Gulf Coast Dodgers in 2003 and followed that up with stints with the Columbus Catfish in 2004 and the Vero Beach Dodgers in 2004-2005. He was selected to the Florida State League All-Star team in 2005, and set Vero Beach franchise records for home runs (27) and slugging percentage (.569). He was rated the best athlete in the Dodgers farm system by Baseball America.


2006 Season

He began 2006 with the AA Jacksonville Suns, where he hit .327 with 7 homers, 34 RBIs and 11 steals, prompting a promotion to the major league squad. His promotion was spurred by an effort to provide regular rest for center fielder Kenny Lofton and oft injured right field All-Star J.D. Drew.

Kemp made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 28, 2006, against the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. He got one hit in 4 at bats in his debut, with his first hit coming in the 8th inning off of Jon Rauch. He slugged his first Major League homer on June 1 in his second Dodger Stadium at-bat off the Philadelphia Phillies' Gavin Floyd. He homered in three straight games from June 1-3 against the Phillies and homered twice on June 11 off Colorado Rockies starter Aaron Cook. He became the 1st Dodger and 5th major leaguer to hit four homers in his first 10 days with the team.

He was re-assigned to the AAA Las Vegas 51s in mid-July, but was recalled to the Dodgers when rosters expanded on September 1.


2007 Season

Kemp started the 2007 season on the major league roster but lost his place when he suffered an injury while running into the outfield fence at Dodger Stadium. Upon his return from the injury, he was optioned back to Las Vegas and did not return to the Dodgers until mid-June. Once Kemp was recalled, he enjoyed an outstanding sophomore campaign. Kemp batted .342 hit 10 home runs, and drove in 42 runs while splitting time with Andre Ethier.


2008 Season

Going into the 2008 season, Kemp was expected to battle for one of the corner outfield positions, though his spot in right field was essentially guaranteed. He was named NL Player of the Week for the week of April 28-May 4, when he drove in 11 runs and had 6 stolen bases.

After a knee injury to Andruw Jones, Kemp became the Dodgers regular Center Fielder. During the course of the season, Kemp managed to cut down his high strikeout rate and develop his speed. Kemp finished the year second on the Dodgers in stolen bases with 35.

Kemp's nickname is "The Bison". During the second major league game of Kemp's career, on May 29, 2006, he stole second base in the fourth inning, after which Atlanta Braves television announcer Don Sutton said he looked "like a big buffalo running around the bases". The observation was appropriate due to Kemp's imposing size and surprisingly fast footspeed. The nickname was modified to "The Bison", by the readers of popular Dodger blog Dodger Thoughts, as it is a more proper term for the North American mammal to which the moniker refers.