Quote of the Day: L.A. Times reporter on Kemp, Stewart - MLB

T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times published an incredibly revealing article on Saturday night about the relationship between the Dodgers, their fans, Matt Kemp and agent Dave Stewart.

In it you’ll find Stewart as an overbearing and overly self-conscious agent and Kemp as a talented but confused 25-year-old. Simers’ headline says it best: “Matt Kemp’s agent is an albatross around his neck.” And here’s your quote of the day:

“Do you think for one moment I care about the town of L.A. or the fans there?” Stewart wrote in an e-mail. [Kemp is] going to be a great major league player. It
doesn’t have to be [in L.A.]. …The big picture is he doesn’t have to
play [in L.A.]. There are 29 teams out there.”

That kind of talk is fine for an impending free agent, but Kemp is under contract with the Dodgers for at least two more seasons. Given the outfielder’s age and extraordinary level of talent, any sort of trade would be of the blockbuster variety. And we don’t see many of those these days.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.