Baseball-All-Starlytics: Inside story on Matt Kemp

Last season, at the All-Star break, Matt Kemp of the Dodgers was doing whatever players do who have not been selected to the All-Star team (and are not subsitituting for the players who are selected). This year at the break, he's batting third in Bruce Bochy's lineup in the All-Star Game.

How did Kemp go from a .261 hitter with 16 homers  at this point last year to a .313 hitter with 22 homers this year?

The answer is quickness inside.

Compare 2010 and 2011 on inside fastballs

It is really something to see the difference in Matt Kemp.

Here is 2010:

Kemp at the 2010 breakHere is 2011:

Kemp at the 2011 breakVisually the difference is stunning and the pictures are backed up by the numbers. 

• 2010: 245 fastballs on the inside, 60 plate appearances, 50 at bats
• 2011: 225 fastballs on the inside, 66 plate appearances, 59 at bats 

• 2010: 14 hits, 2 homers, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
• 2011: 25 hits, 4 homers, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts  

• 2010: .280 avg., .350 OBP, .440 slug., .790 OPS
• 2011: .424 avg., .470 OBP, .729 slug., 1.199 OPS 

You have to admit, that is a pretty stunning turn-around.

And now, you have the inside story on Matt Kemp.