Matt Kemp was removed as part of a double-switch during Saturday's game after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
Kemp was visibly upset with the decision, and he briefly left the dugout after being removed. The center fielder was likely frustrated with his performance of late, as Kemp left five runners on base and is now hitting .261/.313/.344 with just two homers in 47 games. Like the Dodgers, though, fantasy owners can't bench the star, even in the midst of his struggles.

Matt Kemp launched his second homer of the season Monday off the Dodgers' Yovani Gallardo.
All is right in the world; Kemp again has more homers than Juan Pierre. Kemp's previous homer came back on April 24. He just finished up a series against the Braves in which he went 1-for-13 as the Dodgers were swept.

Matt Kemp has just one home run through his first 127 plate appearances.

Matt Kemp slugged his first home run of the season but the Dodgers lost to the Mets on Wednesday.
Kemp drove in all three of the Dodgers' runs with a fielder's choice groundout in the first inning and a two-run shot in the sixth. After starting the season 1-for-18, Kemp is hitting .310 since. And it looks as though his power stroke is close to returning, too. It was only a matter of time before he got back in the groove.

Matt Kemp will bat third Tuesday against the Mets.
Kemp went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Sunday as the cleanup hitter, but Dodgers manager Don Mattingly didn't stick with at arrangement for long. Adrian Gonzalez will hit fourth Tuesday while Jerry Hairston, Jr. will bat fifth and play third base. The struggling Luis Cruz is on the bench.

Matt Kemp went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored as the Dodgers dropped the first game of a doubleheader Saturday.
While it's nice to see, all three hits were singles. Kemp has yet to hit a home run in 60 at-bats this season and has struck out 19 times. Fantasy owners will have to hope that the power returns as he continues to gain strength and confidence with his surgically-repaired shoulder.

Matt Kemp is not in the Dodgers' lineup Wednesday.
It's just a day off for the slumping outfielder. Kemp was on the field for early batting practice prior to Wednesday's game and will be back out there on Friday in Baltimore. Skip Schumaker is playing center field Wednesday.

Matt Kemp went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts before being removed from Tuesday's rout.
After 14 games, Kemp has 10 hits, no homers and 17 strikeouts. Even Jason Marquis was making him look bad tonight. It's still not a good idea to panic and sell low, but there's probably no quick turnaround coming. Maybe he'll gain more confidence in his surgically repaired shoulder as the weeks go by and start driving the ball again.

Matt Kemp was ejected from Thursday's game against the Padres for his involvement in a benches-clearing brawl.
The melee ensued after Zack Greinke hit Carlos Quentin with a pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kemp was one of the more animated players in the skirmish, but it's not clear whether he did anything more than yell at players and coaches on the Padres. However, he did appear to touch an umpire, which may explain the ejection.

Matt Kemp went 0-for-4 on Wednesday and finished 0-for-10 in the series against the Giants.
There's reason for concern about Kemp, given that he's yet to show much power as he completes his recovery from shoulder surgery. He hit just one homer in 52 at-bats in spring training. Still, even if he does struggle throughout April, owners can take heart that he'll probably get stronger as the year goes on.

Matt Kemp went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored Friday against the Padres.
Kemp struck out swinging in the first, flew out in the third, and singled and stole a base in the sixth before coming around to score on a sacrifice fly by Skip Schumaker. He has been a little slow to get going following shoulder surgery, but he shouldn't slip out of the first round in mixed fantasy leagues.

Matt Kemp went 0-for-2 with a walk in Thursday's loss to the Cubs.
Kemp grounded out in the first inning, flew out in the fourth, and walked in the sixth before leaving for a pinch runner. While he's just 2-for-19 (.105) over seven games since returning from shoulder surgery, but he still has plenty of time to round into shape before the start of the season. In other words, it's too soon to panic.

Matt Kemp went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on Tuesday and is now 2-for-17 with eight strikeouts since returning from shoulder surgery.
"He just needs at-bats. Matt's fine," said Dodgers manager Don Mattingly. "He needs to get his balance and see more pitches." It's a logical enough explanation, so we would be very hesitant to downgrade Kemp based off his first 17 at-bats. If he somehow falls in your fantasy draft, we would suggest pouncing.

Matt Kemp indicated on Friday that he's not worried at all about his slow start to the Cactus League schedule.
Kemp is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts in limited action to this point. He noted that the shoulder injury is still in the back of his mind, and he hasn't been able to fully "let it go" when swinging. He still has more than three weeks to get ready for Opening Day, and is still worthy of a first-round pick in most fantasy leagues.

Matt Kemp (shoulder) will start in center field Tuesday for the first time this spring.
Kemp made his Cactus League debut Friday as the designated hitter and played again on Sunday, but his shoulder is feeling good enough for him to return to the field. He should be ready for Opening Day assuming no setbacks, so he's a clear first-round pick in fantasy leagues.

Matt Kemp (shoulder) made his Cactus League debut on Friday, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
Kemp served as the DH in the game, and is expected to do the same on Sunday as he eases himself into game shape. He's still recovering from last October's surgery on his left shoulder, and the Dodgers are just being cautious with their dynamic outfielder. Expect him to start playing the field in a week or so, and he should be 100% by Opening Day.

Matt Kemp (shoulder) will make his Cactus League debut Friday.
Kemp will be the DH for the game against the Padres before eventually working his way into the outfield. The outfielder is recovering from last October's surgery on his left shoulder but is fully expected to be ready to go for Opening Day.

Matt Kemp (shoulder) will make his Cactus League debut either this Friday or Saturday.
Kemp will be the DH initially when he does start playing in games. The Dodgers are easing the outfielder back into things after he underwent surgery on his left shoulder in October. He's fully expected to be ready to go for Opening Day.

Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly said Friday that Matt Kemp won't play in any Cactus League games until at least early March.
Kemp admitted last week that he had only taken batting practice three times since undergoing surgery on his left shoulder in October. The Dodgers will play it safe and ease him back into action, but he's fully expected to be ready to go for Opening Day.

Matt Kemp said Friday that he has only taken batting practice on the field three times since left shoulder surgery.
"I need to get on the field and hit some more and feel comfortable," said Kemp, who had surgery in October to repair a detached labrum and rotator cuff damage. The 28-year-old conceded that he will likely be eased into spring training action, but he's confident he'll be ready for Opening Day.

Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports that Matt Kemp (shoulder) has resumed hitting activities.
Kemp is already hitting off a tee and doing soft toss, and is expected to advance to live pitching by next week. He remains on track to be ready for Opening Day. The 28-year-old center fielder has a .315/.387/.567 batting line, 62 home runs, 195 RBI and 49 stolen bases in 267 games since the start of the 2011 season and should be drafted comfortably in the top half of the first round this spring.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly told Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times that his request for his 2014 option to be picked up was declined.
Mattingly wanted to avoid entering 2013 as a lame duck, so he asked about the option last fall. However, the Dodgers apparently want to see results from their high-priced roster before they commit to him. "I've played many years on a one-year contract, so I'm good, but the one area you have to deal with is the questions you're asking me now," said Mattingly. "That's a potential distraction for my club. That becomes part of the story line. My job is to cut out all the noise for these guys. That noise can get us away from playing our best baseball." Mattingly has a 168-155 record over his first two seasons as skipper of the Dodgers, including a second-place finish in 2012.

Matt Kemp said Saturday that his surgically repaired left shoulder is healing "ahead of schedule."
Kemp hasn't reported any setbacks this offseason and is pain free three months after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery. He remains on track to be ready for Opening Day and there's no real reason to think that his issues will become chronic. The 28-year-old center fielder has a remarkable .315/.387/.567 batting line, 62 home runs, 195 RBI and 49 stolen bases in 267 games since the start of the 2011 season.

According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, both Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley have made it to this point of the offseason without any physical setbacks.
Kemp is pain free three months after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery, and is able to lift weights and do upper body work. Billingsley (torn elbow ligament), has improved nicely from platlet-rich plasma injections and appears to have avoided the scare of Tommy John surgery. Both are on track to be ready by spring training.