What does Matt Kemp have to do to see a big bump?

[masonphillip]

**disclaimer, I own no Matt Kemp cards**

Each week, when I write the hot list, I run through some of the top MLB stat guys and see if anyone has made big moves up - often, their cards have done the same. While doing this, I also observe guys who have consistently been at the top of the list. Jay Bruce made a big run up and so did his cards and thus they make the hot list. Jose Bautista stayed at the top of the list and his cards moved up.

However, one guy has been at, or near, the top nearly all season long. Matt Kemp .328 BA (2nd), 20 HRs (T-1st) and 57 RBIs (3rd). Also, 1.037 OPS (1st), 17 SBs (T-5th), 86 hits (T-4th) and the list goes on and on.

Yet, his most recent chrome auto RC sale was a refractor - [phil:3l9plgk1]180679626399[/phil:3l9plgk1] for $78 and a base for $45 - [phil:3l9plgk1]260800379435[/phil:3l9plgk1]. Now prior to that, you had some base chrome autos for more like $70ish and Refractors for more around $100 but even at that, they are hardly at Manny Machado levels - [phil:3l9plgk1]220799509695[/phil:3l9plgk1] and [phil:3l9plgk1]140558910711[/phil:3l9plgk1].

Heck, if Machado came up to the big leagues and put up the season Kemp is, his cards would be quadruple that.

So my question is, in your eyes, what is it going to take for Matt's cards to make a big move up and become the next, Wright, Longoria, Braun i.e. older Chrome Auto would big bucks? This one perplexes me.

Maybe people are just waiting on the lower #'d parallels to end? [phil:3l9plgk1]120739239090[/phil:3l9plgk1], [phil:3l9plgk1]180681584890[/phil:3l9plgk1]? You tell me.

 

[MOFNY]

Re: What does Matt Kemp have to do to see a bump?

I watch Sportscenter almost every day. I rarely hear his name. I think more exposure would help. Plus, without doing any research, I would say the Dodgers are not a respected market right now. Kershaw deserves higher prices too. Wright and Longoria are in the East (nothing else needs to be said) and Braun is essentially the face of that franchise and has been much more consistent than Kemp.

 

[Jaypers]

What does Matt Kemp have to do to see a big bump?

Travel to Egypt.

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

As a past and potential future buyer of his cards from various sets, I'm very happy to see his prices stay low indefinitely.

 

[masonphillip]

Re: What does Matt Kemp have to do to see a bump?

I watch Sportscenter almost every day. I rarely hear his name. I think more exposure would help. Plus, without doing any research, I would say the Dodgers are not a respected market right now. Kershaw deserves higher prices too. Wright and Longoria are in the East (nothing else needs to be said) and Braun is essentially the face of that franchise and has been much more consistent than Kemp.

Fair point. The West Coast is probably a disadvantage - late games and all. Also, agreed on the Dodgers, the McCourts have done nothing to help and the team itself is playing horribly too.

 

[Zymco]

He'd have to be the NL MVP right now, he's season has been unreal. If he was playing in New York or Boston his cards would be 2.x5-3x higher.

 

[bradical]

If previous years play any part, Kemp typically starts out hot and then fizzles at the end of the season.

 

[Messier2]

Well, if he had stayed with Rihanna, he may have more publicity!

What a dope to let her go! :benson:

 

[alabamalongsnake]

put out a sex tape?

duh winning

yeah i had a white whale kemp that i got in a trade. i figured it would be a great time to sell. shocked that it didn't go over $100.

 

[Zymco]

If previous years play any part, Kemp typically starts out hot and then fizzles at the end of the season.

At this date last year Kemp was hitting .258 with 12 home runs and 37 rbi's

Right now Kemp is hitting .328 with 20 home runs and 58 rbi's with 17 stolen bases as well. In 2009 he was hitting right around .300 but only had eight home runs.

Its clear that he had more talent then just about anyone in the game and he just needed to figure it all out and put it together, the distractions look to be completely gone with him. There have been substantially less bonehead base running mistakes and bad plays in the outfield. He is being more aggressive on the basepathes, but taking more walks at home plate. He is legitimately a top 5 player right now.

 

[Zymco]

Well, if he had stayed with Rihanna, he may have more publicity!

What a dope to let her go! :benson:

Lets recap

1. She's absolutely crazy
2. He got dumped
3. He had an AWFUL year while he was with her the whole year 249/310/450 and was caught stealing 15 times in 34 attempts.

 

[masonphillip]

Well, if he had stayed with Rihanna, he may have more publicity!

What a dope to let her go! :benson:

Lets recap

1. She's absolutely crazy
2. He got dumped
3. He had an AWFUL year while he was with her the whole year 249/310/450 and was caught stealing 15 times in 34 attempts.

I don't know why that made me laugh out loud but it did.

 

[seitas]

Dodger fans are too busy showing up in the 5th inning and leaving in the 7th to care about buying the cards of their teams best position player. I swear the Dodger have the most casual fanbase I've ever seen;maybe the Chargers are worse...it's a toss-up.

 

[rico08]

Dodger fans are too busy showing up in the 5th inning and leaving in the 7th to care about buying the cards of their teams best position player. I swear the Dodger have the most casual fanbase I've ever seen;maybe the Chargers are worse...it's a toss-up.

Yes, people show up by the 3rd but have you ever tried to get to Dodger Stadium during rush hour?

As for Kemp's prices, I've been wondering the same thing. From my observations, the Dodger pecking order as far as fans are concerned is: 1) Andre Ethier 2) Matt Kemp 3) Clayton Kershaw.

The closer Kemp gets to 40/40 the better for his prices. Until then, he's a high-performing player on a disappointing team and we all know how that shakes out.

 

[David Campos]

Hit Rihanna harder than Chris Brown did?

Sorry ladies of the board...someone had to.

Disclaimer-I do not promote domestic violence. It is merely a joke.

 

[Hollywood]

As someone who has been waiting for that bump longer than anyone, it is certainly frustrating. Probably because he never gets hyped on here, because no one owns his rare rc stuff besides me and 1 or 2 other people in the world (if the cards i'm missing have even been pulled, I've never seen TCU super or Heritage Red so who knows if someone owns 'em). Followed his career everyday since he started mashing in the minors. This year definitely makes it feel all worth it, except for the fact his stuff isn't selling for much more. Yes, the Dodger fan base is horrible. Yes, for some reason Ethier gets more exposure and love from what Dodger fans there are. Why, I don't know. Because Kemp's bad rep that is completely false has carried with him his entire career. Last year didn't help, as people blamed it on his attitude and work ehtic again, which are both amazing. Espn obviously never talks about him, why would they talk much about a west coast team averaging less than 2 runs a home game over the last month.

The only thing I have bought this season with prices still low are 6 more TCU Refractors for an avg of about 13 a pop. And I picked up the Bowman White Rc 027/240 (though not in uncirculated case) $40 and X fractor auto 027/225 bgs9 $113 in February where he misspelled Mathew Kemp with one T and there was no Matt in the title. So that gives me tcu red x 27/65 chrome ref auto 27/500, plus those 2. Just need the Blue and Gold 27/150 and 27/50 plus TCU black 27/250. Already have most the 1/1's. As well as already having Braun Gold Chrome auto 08/50 and Verlander gold chrome auto 35/50 and ref 035/500 bgs 9.5. Almost had the Braun 008/500 bgs 9.5 to have perfect match with Ver, but seller decided to keep day after quoting me his price.

Honestly it makes zero sense. When Hanley was going good it wasn't even close to what Kemp is doing now and his base auto reached $200-$250. Hanley had Tribute, Bowmans Best Rc auto's etc. to go with chrome. Kemp has 1 auto, and it's Chrome. He also doesn't have many 06 "rookie" auto's like other players, and the only on card besides chrome from his first two years is the 52 topps auto. I was going to make a topic last week only title it, "You see, Chewbacca is a wookie" but he's from the planet Endor. Now that does not make sense.

All I can hope for is that the Home Run Derby and All Star game help his exposure. Unfortunately it looks like he won't be starting in the AS game because people are a$$ clowns. I'd give him MVP right now hands down, and it's not even close. Prince being second in my voting. Braun 3rd. Just looke at all the player raters out there espn, yahoo. I know it's just fantasy, but he's been no.1 the majority of the season and as of right now it's not even close. The only other player I've seen do what he's doing without any kind of protection at all besides Pujols a few years ago. Loney has even got his average up, him and Uribe both hitting about .200 with no power for almost the entire season. Ethier only really excelled when he started hitting in front of Manny, and now he gets to hit in front of Matty.

 

[brouthercard]

He needs to take a look at teammate Tony Gwynn's Jr.'s dad's belly.

 

[D-Lite]

If he were a Yankee or Red Sox, people would care. In all seriousness, that's the step up in publicity from the Dodgers.

 

[CraigsCards1]

Heck, if Machado came up to the big leagues and put up the season Kemp is, his cards would be quadruple that.

Obviously, but that's because Machado turns 19 this year and Kemp turns 27.

I think part of Kemp's lack of hobby buzz is that prospectors write off anyone who isn't a stud by the time they turn 22, and another big part of it is that he had a dud season last year so there's always the concern that he'll end up as one of those guys who has a great season here and there but most seasons is just a very good, not great, player.

 

[nikateen]

Same thing could be said for Rickie Weeks.

He's the best 2B in all of baseball this year and his chrome auto rc can be had for $20 bucks.