The Los Angeles Dodgers are the most expensive team in baseball and yet right now they are barely keeping their heads above .500. The team is off to an extremely slow start despite having some of the best players in the league on the roster. Is it chemistry? According to manager Don Mattingly, players just are not figuring it out which could cause some roster moves before the trade deadline.
Mattingly blames a lack of chemistry and cohesion to the recent losses for the Dodgers. Right now, the team has some of the pitching in baseball, but the position players are failing to find their roles, specifically in the outfield. Yasiel Puig is the starting right fielder without a question. However, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp are not sure where they fit. This has led to plenty of attention. Ethier and Mattingly got into a verbal spat over the recent struggles. Kemp has been very outspoken about his displeasure having to switch from center field to left field after getting benched for five games. Mattingly is downplaying any issues.
"It seems like we're talking so much about one guy or another guy or this or that instead of us being focused on winning a game and how we can win a game and what can we do to win a game," Mattingly said, via ESPN.com. "I think when we were able to start putting things together last year, you felt a real, true team focus, just a collective group. It's the thing we talk about when guys start throwing all the numbers out, all these things ... One thing you can't measure is that feeling you have as a team when everybody's playing together and everybody's going in one direction."
Kemp is on the trade block. There is no doubting that. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Dodgers will actually pull the trigger on a deal for the outfielder. Plenty of teams are ready if they do. According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, the Red Sox would love to take on Kemp given their recent issues in the outfield. Shane Victorino has missed 11 games. Daniel Nava looks lost at the plate. Jackie Bradley has not fit well filling in. Grady Sizemore is batting .225. Kemp is needed.
ESPN's David Schoenfield reports that the Seattle Mariners are another option for Kemp before the trade deadline. The Mariners need offense and they have payroll flexibility since Robinson Cano and Felix Hernandez are the only two players signed to long-term contracts. Kemp is owed $107 million on a five-year deal. The Mariners are currently at .500 with a real chance at making a run in the American League. However, they must start ranking higher than 11th in runs per game. Kemp would help.
