April 23rd, 2012 at 9:11 am 
by Ron Cervenka Without question, the one name that strikes fear into every National League pitcher right now is Matt Kemp. The mere mention of his name causes them to break out in a cold sweat. And while there is little argument by most pitchers in the National League (perhaps even those in Milwaukee) that Matt Kemp rightfully deserved the 2011 NL MVP award, there isn’t one of them right now who will deny that Kemp is the odds on favorite to win this prestigious award this season – at their expense.
Up until 2011 it was a no-brainer on how to pitch to Matt Kemp, especially with two strikes on him. Every pitcher in the league knew that Matt was an absolute sucker for a slider or a curve ball low and away. Nearly all of his strikeouts in 2010 were on these two pitches (with an occasional change-up thrown in for good measure). It was like stealing or having the winning lottery numbers; you could almost hear pitchers giggling to themselves when they had two quick strikes on Kemp. Incredibly, everyone in the ballpark knew what pitch was coming – even Matt Kemp, yet he still whiffed a career high 170 times.
But then something happened; something absolutely wonderful for Matt Kemp and absolutely devastating for pitchers; Matt stopped swinging at these low and away pitches. As a result, pitchers now had to actually throw strikes if they wanted to try to strike Kemp out and the results were less than favorable for them, but extremely favorable for Matt Kemp. Whether it was the influence that first-year manager Don Mattingly had on Matt Kemp or great coaching by new hitting coach Dave Hansen, Matt somehow learned to lay off of these low and away pitches and take those that hit the outside corner of the strike zone to right or center field – DEEP to right or center field. In the course of one season, Matt Kemp transformed from being a relatively easy out to an MVP caliber hitter – and he is only getting better.
Eight of Matt Kemp's 9 home runs this season have gone to right or right/center field. This one in Houston, however, was his first to deep left/center field and his farthest of the season at 423 feet.(Photo by Jon SooHoo)
So, it’s your turn in the rotation and your team is facing the Los Angeles Dodgers; how do you pitch to Matt Kemp? You can bet that this questioned gets asked every single day in the opposing team’s clubhouse. Sure, Matt has struck out several times this season on low and away sliders or curve balls and he will undoubtedly continue to do so from time to time, but he has also deposited eight of them into the right field bleachers and one into left center field for a MLB leading 9 home runs only three weeks into the 2012 season. But just as Matt Kemp has adjusted his hitting to pitchers, you can bet your last dime that pitchers will adjust to Matt’s hitting, or at least try to.
Plot Map of Matt Kemp's nine 2012 home runs (courtesy of HitTrackerOnline.com)
Now I am certainly not a Major League pitcher, in fact I never pitched at all during my Little League or American Legion baseball days (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express), but if it was my multi-million dollar a year job to try to get Matt Kemp out knowing full well where most of his home runs have landed (thanks to HitTrackerOnline.com), I would pitch Matt high and tight. Every pitcher knows (or at least should know) that Matt’s wheelhouse is the outside corner of the plate at or slightly above the knees and that pitches made here usually end up in the right/center field bleachers. But because Kemp has an exceptionally long swing (and a beautiful one at that), he might (and I emphasize might) not be able to turn on inside pitches, especially those near the numbers. That said, if Kemp DOES manage get his hips around and turn on one of these inside pitches, you can again bet that last dime of yours that he will pull the ball into the left field bleachers. The thing to remember is that Matt has yet to hit one home run this (young) season by pulling the ball and it is this that would be first and foremost in my mind when I hear the stadium P.A. announcer say “Now batting, number 27, center fielder, Matt Kemp.” Unfortunately, second and second-most in my mind would be the golden voice of Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully saying “They pitched to the one guy who could beat them, and he does.”
So, how would YOU pitch to Matt Kemp?
Posted in 
I would pitch to him like this:
Or I would pitch to Kemp like this:
I guess it’s worth a try to go high and tight and it might even work for a while. But in time Matt has shown his ability to adjust, much like what Pujols is going to have to do. Great hitters adjust and over come !! And he’ll walk a lot !!
Obviously they can’t walk him every at-bat but a few more walks will just us a few more steals – closer to 50/50!! If I was the pitcher, I’d just close my eyes and pray.
I would pitch Kemp anywhere inside, it seems like all his power thus far has been to the opposite field on pitches on the outer half… but then he would probably adjust and take me deep to left!
I’d hope the manager would order me to walk him (nice picture Kevin) but if not I’d try to pitch him inside whether high or low, which’ll be my best bet, but I’ll occasionally miss or he may learn to adjust to it, (which’ll be great if he does).
I may even try to put one outside but outside the strike zone and low which he still has a tendency to swing at.
Sans the funny-guy remark this time;
Obviously Matt’s strength is out over the plate, outside, belt high and below. Pitching him in on the hands is the best way to set up that pitch, but pitchers moved away from going inside because Matt was killing those pitches. Mix up some off speed pitches with the fastball inside to make him aware of the zone, then go back away with more off-speed pitches in the dirt.