Dodgers: Matt Kemp Rooted All the Way for LA in the 2020 World Series
In case you need a reminder, your Los Angeles Dodgers are the 2020 World Series champs. For more than 3 decades, the organization had been chasing that title and along the way, there were some great teams and great players leading the charge.
One example: Matthew Ryan Kemp.
For 10 seasons in Dodger blue, Matt Kemp was a force in Los Angeles. And he was one of the leaders on the hunt for a championship. In his 10 seasons in blue, Kemp’s Dodgers made the postseason 5 times. 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, and in 2018 where he finally made it to the World Series as a Dodger after several seasons away.
In 2006, he didn’t play a role on the postseason team, but in 2008 and 2009, LA was so close to the October classic it hurt. And most of you know how things turned out in the 2018 World Series.
Now, after the Dodgers finally won it all in 2020, Kemp couldn’t be more excited for his former teammates.
“Those are my bros,” Kemp told am570 Dodger Talk host Dave Vassegh.
I was home watching the game — I watched every single one of the games. I’m definitely excited for them, happy for them. That was something that we tried to do for 10 years when I was with the Dodgers. We came close a couple times, but we never got over that final hump and finally it happened.
Matt Kemp was drafted by the Dodgers in 2003 and spent most of his adult life with the organization that made him into the man he is today. The Oklahoma boy became a Los Angeles man and was part of one of the last groups of great young players that learned the Dodger way from legends in Dodger lore. Maury Wills, Don Newcombe, and of course, Tom Lasorda.
Kemp had nothing but love for the iconic Hall of Fame manager Lasorda. And he was happy Tommy finally got to see the blue win it all one more time.
Tommy got his ring and now he’s in Dodger heaven watching down… it would have been cool for him to experience that ring ceremony but, shoot, I know he’s shining down over all the fellas and they’re playing good right now. They’re trying to go back to back.
Matty Kemp will always be among the top of the class when it comes to Dodger fan favorites. And it’s great to hear he’s still a Dodger at heart.
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Yes I remember those years of getting to the post season and coming up short, it was great getting there but a big let down not getting to the big dance… Matty was one of of our favorite players during that time.