When will Matt Kemp get some respect?

If you were with us last year you probably remember the now infamous comment by reader Chuck Savnil of Ft. Lauderdale Florida regarding Matt Kemp and his fantasy frustrations with Joe Torre pinning Matt Kemp so far down in the batting order.

"Even though he's been stuck in the 6/7/8 position all year, now that interleague play has begun, Joe Torre's dream has finally come true. He batted Matt Kemp ninth today. Clearly Kemp viciously sodomized Torre's daughter, or Torre, or something."

So where will Matt Kemp bat this year?

When Torre was asked about his projected every day batting order, while he was somewhat non-committal and declared that he would make up his mind in spring training, he said that at this point he didn't see many changes from last year. I almost fell out of my chair.....

1. Furcal
2. Belliard
3. Ethier
4. Ramirez
5. Loney
6. Blake
7. Kemp
8. Martin
9. P

Despite Joe Torre burying him in the line-up, Matt Kemp was one of the most productive offensive players in all of baseball last year. His line of .297 / 26 HR's / 101 RBI / 34 SB / 97 RS / SLG .490 was a fantasy players dream.

This might be the biggest misuse of an impact player that we've seen in our lifetime. Can you think of another player that could hit for average, power and run like Kemp can that batted so consistently so far down in the order?

Tore said yesterday that he planned to rest Casey Blake and Manny Ramirez more during the season. I'm guessing that Kemp will be moved up on those days (but who knows.)

Belliard and Kemp need to be switched. I don't see how you can look at it any other way. If someone can provide some sound logic on why Kemp should be hitting so low, I would sure like to hear it.

If it's any consolation to Kemp, at least got to do the Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee thing in Mexico with Rihanna this winter..... - Jason Lockhart

Jason is an aspiring sports journalist currently enrolled at Stanford University.

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