The Number 27
My Thoughts About It’s Impact On The 2012 MLB Season in SoCal

Entering the 2012 season I swore that there was no better player than Matt Kemp that his ability to swing past the fences and steal bases was going to get him the NL MVP and Triple Crown. He looked every bit of the five-tool speedy slugger he has been advertised to be. With a torrid start putting up arguably the greatest April in baseball history. Finishing with 417 AVG/.490OBP/.893 SLG, 25 RBIs, 12HRs, 24 Runs, and 2 stolen bases.

Kemp was on pace to be a legitimate threat at being the first triple crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Unfortunately Kemp suffered a hamstring injury that landed him a few stints on the DL making his run at the 50/50 club impossible.

During Kemp’s visit to the DL just a few miles outside of Los Angeles county limits there was another #27 doing it big. A 20 year old Rookie was stealing bases and hitting homers. Not to mention stealing home runs in the outfield. As a rookie that missed nearly the entire month of April, Trout leads the Majors in steals, runs, and is currently the runner up for the batting title. His most ridiculous stat his WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 10.1. Trout's WAR nearly double that of the current runner up.

The Rookie of the Year is a lock. The American League MVP - maybe? Trout has a chance to reach the 30/30 club this year and shows potential of making it to the 40/40 club in the years to come.

I’ve been following both players very closely. As much as I hate watching the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem. I now spend my evenings flipping between Vin Scully telling me about which farm the current pitcher grew up on, answering the Aflac trivia question of the night, and watching Mike Trout's at-bats. At 20 years old I believe there is nothing he can’t accomplish. 

I love the fact that he has out shined the over-paid Albert Pujols and single handedly brought down the annoying “El Hombre” billboards that where supposed to get the hispanics in Los Angeles intrigued to watch an Angels game. Trout isn’t the best hitter, he is the best player. He gets my vote for AL MVP. Yes, over Miguel Cabrera and his near Triple Crown. Why? Because Trout leads baseball in the two most important statistical categories WAR( Wins Above Replacement) and Runs. 

Why are these the two most important statistical categories? Because WAR is a true statistic that measures a players actual value compared to his peers. Runs are important because that's what decides a ball game not BA, HR, or OBP - those are statistics to gauge a hitters ability at the plate. 

So give Miguel Cabrera the batting title the silver slugger award he’s definitely earned them. Give Trout the MVP he’s definitely proven that no one is more valuable than him. 

Ask any GM in Baseball if they can start all over today and select one player to have right now as the focal point of the team, the majority answer would likely be Trout.

Back to Kemp, he’s definitely had an off year plagued by the injuries and all the awful at-bats. He seems to have lost his confidence and will more than likely need a legitimate off-season to get back to his April ways. It could be worse, he could be dating a pop singer, full of distractions, and be missing routine fly balls in front of thousands of people. What a long road its been for Kemp since that awful 2010 season. I’m still not over 2010 and will hold it against him every time he goes hitless why because I’m a bitter Dodger fan, trying to walk off the Frank McCourt shafting. Will I still watch every game convinced that Matt Kemp is going to reach 50/50 next season? Absolutely! 

I would love nothing more than to watch the impossible possible. Isn’t that why we watch sports, because we love to see what no one has done before we love to see records shattered and curses broken? All the 50/50 nonsense, next year Kemp gets a clean slate to make a run at greatness. For now he needs to refocus on contributing enough to get his team into the postseason.

-Daniel