Kemp and Lopes 20/20 First Half

Earlier today, I tumbl'd this tweet from @STATS_MLB:

Matt Kemp joined Davey Lopes (1979) as only #Dodgers w/ 20HR & 20 SB before All-Star break since team moved to LA in 1958. #MLB

I was 8 when rooting for this guy

Kemp has been a favorite of mine for years, and Lopes was one of my favorite Cubs as a child, in the mid-80’s. He stole bases and seemed pretty cool. Who knew he ever had that kind of power?

I never thought Davey Lopes hit 20 HR's in a single season. In 1979, he finished with 28 HR's, 44 SB's, a .265/.372/.465 triple-slash line, and a 128 OPS+. Reinforcing my affinity as a child, in 1986, before the Cubs traded him for the cult classic, Frank DiPino, Lopes hit .299/.419/.490, with a 144 OPS+.

Matt Kemp is a completely different athletic specimen. Davey Lopes was listed at 5'9' 170 lbs, Kemp is 6'3" 217 lbs.

"I was born in East Providence!"

Kemp, naturally, has shown more power, as demonstrated by plate appearances per Home Run:

Davey Lopes: 47 PA/HR
Matt Kemp: 26 PA/HR

Neither player gained a big advantage from their defense, and their avWAR per 600 plate appearances are almost identical:

Davey Lopes: 3.5
Matt Kemp: 3.4

Now, we'd like to see Matt Kemp compete with Davey Lopes's old mustache. That would be something.

Good times and great hair, back in the day

Kemp and Lopes share a laugh.