Atlanta Braves: Starting Lineup Season Projections
By Kit Anderson
- Matt Kemp
The trade for Hector Olivera may have been one of the biggest head scratching moves the Braves have made since the new regime has been in control. Turning Olivera into Matt Kemp and dumping the struggled slugger in the process was a good move and one that Kemp will continue to pay off on this season.
Kemp is no longer the star player he was with the Dodgers he is a power hitter with a big swing that can result in a lot of strike outs. While there already may be a small fraction of Braves fans who want to see Kemp traded they may want to slow their roll and see what type of production Kemp can give and how he will affect the rest of the lineup including Freddie Freeman.
Projected statline- .263 Average-.306 OBP- 63 Runs scored-89 RBI- 5 Stolen Bases-26 Homers
Kemp was having a bounce back season when he came to Atlanta last year so it is fair to expect just a bit of regression in some areas. The one area that Kemp should improve is on the base paths and in left field considering he is in better shape and has shown more agility. Kemp is a solid cleanup hitter who will get the job done for this season. After that?