Matt Kemp

He “was slow to learn to be a professional,” someone who drew the ire of his manager and “infuriate[d] some members of the organization” with his approach. No, we're not talking about Matt Kemp, though similar things have certainly been said about him this season. Various reporters used those words to describe Yunel Escobar before and after the Braves traded him to the Blue Jays last month.

By all accounts Escobar did not fit into Bobby Cox's system. Now, on the other side of the country, Kemp is in a similar situation. Earlier in the week, Joe Torre benched him twice, ostensibly to keep Jay Gibbons in the lineup. That decision probably didn't sit well with Kemp, but it's not what his agent complained to the LA Times about. Dave Stewart, who represents Kemp, suggested that coaches Bob Schaefer and Larry Bowa criticize Kemp unfairly. A trade, Stewart said, might be best for Kemp and the Dodgers.

The Dodgers seem to realize that mid-twenties players who have hit well before will often rebound. Kemp's .777 OPS is less robust than the Dodgers would like and some in the organization have openly questioned his fundamentals, but he still has talent.

Escobar, who was struggling at the plate in Atlanta, has returned to form north of the border if his first 96 trips to the plate are any indication. He has his only three homers of the season as a Blue Jay to go along with a .315/.351/.461 line and strong, sometimes spectacular, defense. 

Just last month, Escobar appeared to be “a negative presence within an otherwise harmonious clubhouse,” a malcontent who wasn't playing fundamentally sound baseball or hitting as well as he should. Braves fans and players may be glad to have the steady Alex Gonzalez at short, but the Blue Jays are surely thrilled to have bought low on a young player with star potential. Plus, the criticisms that followed Escobar earlier in the year have quieted down.

Kemp and Escobar are individuals under different sets of circumstances, so the comparison only goes so far. As the Dodgers know, Kemp has both the talent that made him into an elite player and the tendency to make infuriating mistakes. 

Half of MLBTR voters say the Dodgers should seriously consider trading Kemp, but GM Ned Colletti has the vote that counts. He told the Times that Dodgers are not about to do anything drastic, and have no intention of dealing their center fielder. Kemp will probably continue to make the occasional mental mistake, as Escobar does, but it seems probable that his play will improve and it looks like that improvement will happen in a Dodgers uniform.

Dave Stewart, the agent for Matt Kemp, suggested to Bill Plaschke of the LA Times that the Dodgers should consider trading his client, but GM Ned Colletti says the organization does not intend to make such a move. Stewart says Kemp faces “a bunch of back-seat crap," particularly from Dodgers coaches Bob Schaefer and Larry Bowa.

"I'm almost to the point — and maybe so are the Dodgers — where I'm thinking that this just isn't going to work," Stewart told Plaschke. "The Dodgers have gaps on this team, and maybe they could fill them by trading Matt. It could be good for the team, and good for the player."

Stewart has not formally demanded a trade, but says it’s “very, very difficult to play under the circumstances that Kemp is playing under." Frustrated with inconsistent play from their center fielder, the Dodgers have benched Kemp, most recently this week. That doesn’t mean they intend to make a deal, though.

"No, I have no plans to trade [Kemp]," Colletti said. "He's got a chance to be one of the best players in the history of the franchise."

Kemp, 25, makes $6.95MM next year and is eligible for free agency after 2012. He has a .263/.319/.458 line in 489 plate appearances this year and UZR data suggests his defense has deteriorated.

The Dodgers have no interest in trading outfielder Matt Kemp, GM Ned Colletti told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.  Some have suggested that the club get rid of the embattled slugger, but Colletti says that he wants to keep him for the long haul.

"I've never floated his name," the General Manager said. "He's a gifted, five-tool player. He's getting better and better. He's had a tough couple of months. It's a baseball career. It's not a baseball two months.

"I have no intention of moving him."

Teams will unquestionably inquire on Kemp as the Dodgers look to upgrade their rotation at the deadline.  However, with injuries to Manny Ramirez and Reed Johnson, it wouldn't be wise to deal the 25-year-old at this time. 

Kemp, who has appeared in every game this season despite being briefly benched by manager Joe Torre, is having a down year by his standards.  In 400 plate appearances, the center fielder has a slash line of .258/.313/.463 with 16 homers.  His defense has taken a tumble as well, as demonstrated by his -29.9 UZR/150.