Matt Kemp Injury: Magic Johnson Suggests Dodgers Outfielder Rest Sore Hamstring

Magic Johnson let it be known that he intended to be involved with team operations as part of the new ownership group of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Apparently, he wasn't kidding.

The condition of Matt Kemp's sore left hamstring is currently one of the biggest stories in baseball. The presumptive favorite for National League MVP has lost his Triple Crown standing, due in large part to that hamstring restricting him in the field. 

Kemp is 0-for-13 in his past four games. On Sunday, Tony Gwynn Jr. replaced him in center field after grounding out to end the third inning versus the Colorado Rockies. 

The Dodgers center fielder underwent an MRI exam Monday morning to determine if any structural damage has been suffered. But, Kemp himself insists there's nothing wrong with his hamstring that would require a stint on the disabled list. 

"I'm definitely not going on the DL; that's not going to happen," Kemp told the Los Angeles Times' Steve Dilbeck. "The team needs me. I don't think this is a 15-day thing. It's maybe one, two, three days. It's not something that I need to go on the DL for."

However, if Kemp was considering doing anything besides sitting down for a few games to get his hamstring healthy—or worse, trying to extend his streak of 399 consecutive games while hurt—the Dodgers' new part-owner thinks his outfielder needs to take a seat and said as much on his Twitter account.

Magic isn't the boss, per se. But he could be E.F. Hutton, as far as the Dodgers are concerned. (If that reference is a bit old for you, and I know I'm skewing old, here's a commercial to explain it.) 

No, Magic probably isn't going to step on Don Mattingly or Ned Colletti's toes and try to influence a roster decision. That's the kind of hands-on ownership that would cause some problems down the line.

But maybe he'll talk with Kemp about the importance of getting healthy now to be stronger later. He could certainly speak to trying to play on a damaged hamstring, sharing his experience of going down in the 1989 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Detroit Pistons.

At the very least, however, it's entertaining to see a team owner chime in on an important issue publicly. Well, to a point. Baseball doesn't need Magic to go all Jim Irsay on us. 

But between this and Stan Kasten meeting the people last week, the Dodgers' new owners are fast becoming the most intriguing in baseball. 

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