MLB: Torre praises Kemp’s progress

Kemp credits hitting coaches Mike Easler and Don Mattingly, but he’s also gravitated to the new guy with the dreadlocks.

“I’m learning a lot from Manny,” Kemp said of Manny Ramirez. “He’s always talking about what the pitcher is doing. Hey, he’s one of the best right-handed hitters in the game. Who better to listen to? He talks about baseball all the time. I try to learn from people that have been there and done that. They know what it takes to succeed.”

Ramirez clowns around in the clubhouse before games, often speaking aloud his favorite phrase—“Go deep in the count.” “It’s not a joke,” Kemp said. “It’s his philosophy. It works.”

Yes...deep in the count.