Matt Kemp
Matt Kemp
Matthew Ryan "Matt" Kempis an American professional baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. He began his professional career in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 2003, and played with the Dodgers from 2006 until 2014. He played for the San Diego Padres in 2015 and 2016. He has been named to two All-Star teams and has won two Gold Glove Awardsand two Silver Slugger Awards...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth23 September 1984
CityMidwest City, OK
CountryUnited States of America
I never want to sit out. I want to play baseball games.
I didn't know if I could make it to the big leagues without going through Triple-A.
I've pretty much grown up to hide my emotions for the most part.
I'm pretty sure that China is way bigger than the Dominican.
If I could do it over, I'd want to come up to the big leagues like Mike Trout. He's exciting and I like watching him.
I don't do stuff to be a star. I do it because I feel it's important for kids, African American kids, to see an African American face that plays baseball.
I get bored real easy. I'm so used to L.A. and the pace that when I go home now I start thinking, 'Something's not right, something's not feelin' right.' I just gotta do what I gotta do in Oklahoma and get back to the fast-paced city.
If I'm in the car after a bad game, I may think about ways I need to improve. But the second I reach home, the game's over. Work doesn't come inside with me. Same thing in reverse - I don't bring my personal life into the ballpark. Learning to keep it all separate has made life easier.
One of the things I've done is tell myself I can't let bad things that happen to me on the field, off the field, whatever, affect me.
Everybody used to say that baseball players can't dress and athletes can't dress. You know, a lot of athletes now are trying to prove everybody wrong, though there are some athletes that try too hard and try to do over-the-top things. But me, I try to be simple and just make whatever I'm wearing look good.
Beast Mode doesnt make excuses. It doesnt complain. Whatever youre doing, go out there and get it done. Keep pushing. If I have a bad game, I think about what I have to do to return to form. Figure it out, go to sleep, and wake up a new man.