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Padres, Dodgers making progress on Matt Kemp deal

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The 30-year old outfielder could be a Padre as soon as Tuesday afternoon.

San Diego is looking to add a bat this offseason, and Matt Kemp could be the squad's target. According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Padres and Dodgers are working hard on a deal that would send major-league ready prospects to Los Angeles in exchange for the 30-year old outfielder.

Kemp is one of three veteran outfield options the Dodgers were looking to trade heading into the Winter Meetings, and from the outset, the Padres were reportedly confident they would have a chance. Rosenthal notes that the Padres are expected to put together a package that includes catcher Yasmani Grandal, with names like Joe Ross (via Rosenthal) and Zach Eflin (via Jon Heyman) potentially involved as well.

In 150 games last season, Kemp posted a .287/.346/.506 batting line to complement 25 home runs and 89 RBIs. In any deal, the Dodgers would likely be in a position to pay some of the $107 million Kemp is owed over the next five seasons. Although he struggled to remain healthy in 2012 and 2013, Kemp appeared in all but 12 games last season. Kemp's best major league season was 2011, when he posted a .324/.399/.586 batting line in addition to driving in 126 runs.

Los Angeles is looking to split up an outfield that currently features Andre Ethier, Yasiel Puig, and Joc Pederson. The club also added Chris Heisey last week.

The Dodgers, a larger market team, lost Hanley Ramirez to free agency when he signed a four-year, $88 million contract with the Red Sox, and are seeking depth.

Although talks are ongoing, a deal between the two could be done on Tuesday. San Diego has the prospects the Dodgers are looking for, and even if conversations don't progress, the Padres remain the front runner to land Kemp.


Matt Kemp rumors: Dodgers, Padres reportedly discuss Zach Eflin, Joe Ross

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SAN DIEGO -- We are in the second day of baseball's winter meetings, and the rumor that won't go away - and in fact is gaining traction - is Matt Kemp getting traded to the Padres for Yasmani Grandal. Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman have the latest:

While it's important to note we don't know the full structure of the deal, a likely scenario has the Dodgers sending some money to offset the $107 million due Kemp over the next five years  - Bob Nightengale of USA Today speculated on MLB Network that the Dodgers would send $30 million to San Diego on Monday night - with the amount of money affecting the rest of the deal.

The right-handed pitchers mentioned above as possible for a deal are Zach Eflin (not Elfin) and Joe Ross, the latter the brother of Padres All-Star starting pitcher Tyson Ross.

Ross the younger was tabbed by Baseball America as the No. 10 prospect in the Padres' system prior to the 2014 season. He'll be 22 in May, and was a first-round draft pick in 2011, No. 25 overall.

Ross was 10-6 with a 3.92 ERA in 23 starts in 2014, with 19 of those starts coming in Class-A Lake Elsinore. Ross finished up the season in Double-A San Antonio with a 3.60 ERA in four games, including three starts, along with 19 strikeouts and just one walk in 20 innings.

"Since Joe is a good athlete, he can afford to speed up his delivery, which makes pitchers more aggressive," Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley said. "You can do that with good athletes and Joe is a good athlete. I’m not saying he’s not a good competitor – because he is – but there can be a little more aggressiveness on the mound,"  Balsley told Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune in February. "He should have a little more aggression when he pitches."

Here is video of Ross from the 2014 California-Carolina League All-Star Game, per Craig Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.

Eflin was a supplemental first-round pick in 2012 (drafted No. 33 overall) and will be 21 years old in April. Eflin was 10-7 with a 3.80 ERA in the hitter-friendly California League in 2014, in 24 starts with Lake Elsinore, with 93 strikeouts and 31 walks in 128 innings. Before the 2014 season, Baseball America rated Eflin's changeup as the best in the Padres' system.

"He's just a kid at 20 but is very advanced for his age and has a really good idea of what he needs to do," said Lake Elsinore pitching coach Bronswell Patrick, per Fox Sports San Diego. "When he needs a groundball he can place the two-seamer where the batter doesn't want it or when he needs to reach back in the tank and turn it up for his four-seamer, he can do it to get the strikeout. That 92 can turn into a 97 really quick."

Here is video of Eflin from Big League Futures:

We don't know the rest of the deal, which could include more pieces. But for now, get to know the names of these players, who just might be headed to Los Angeles sometime soon.

Padres Rumors: Joe Ross Could Be Involved In Kemp Trade

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Good news: Matt Wisler is apparently not part of the trade package the Padres may or may not send to the Dodgers for Matt Kemp. Bad news: Joe Ross might be, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Okay, it's not that bad, as the 2011 first round pick hasn't had a great minor league career thus far. In 23 games between Lake Elsinore and San Antonio last season, the younger Ross brother posted a 3.92 ERA over 121.2 innings. Sure he's just 21, but if you're going to let one 21-year old pitcher go, you'd rather part with Ross than Wisler. Still, losing Joe Ross would mean the Padres will have to wait even longer before fielding their first pair of brothers since 2010's Scott and Jerry Hairston combination.

Cubs Acquire Miguel Montero From Diamondbacks

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The Cubs picked up a veteran catcher for the young team.

The Cubs and the Diamondbacks completed a deal that sends catcher Miguel Montero to Chicago. It is not yet known who the Cubs are sending to Arizona, but from all accounts it is two Single-A minor league pitchers. Also, the Cubs would assume all of the remaining $40 million that Montero is due over the next three years.

It has been no secret that the Cubs were looking to make an upgrade at catcher, and they fell just short of signing free agent Russell Martin earlier in the off-season. The Diamondbacks were looking to trade Montero and a reported earlier deal with the Dodgers for Andre Ethier fell apart. Arizona would not have shed any money in that deal, however.

Montero, 31, has spent the past nine seasons in Arizona. He was an All-Star in 2011 when he hit .282/.351/.469 with 18 home runs in 140 games and followed that up with a 2012 season that was just as good. That year, Montero hit .286/.391/.438 with 15 home runs in 141 games. He was also considered a strong defensive catcher, throwing out 40% of runners trying to steal in 2011 and 42% in 2012.

In the middle of that 2012 season, the Diamondbacks signed Montero to a five-year, $60 million extension. Of course, both Montero's offense and defensive skills began to erode as soon as the new contract started in 2013. This past season, Montero hit .243/.329/.370 with 13 home runs in 136 games. He was still named to the All-Star game in 2014, but that was as an injury replacement for Yadier Molina.

In Montero, the Cubs are getting an aging catcher with eroding skills who is owed a lot of money. So why would they make such a deal? For one, he's probably still better than Welington Castillo, especially defensively. He's considered an excellent handler of a pitching staff. And according to this at least, Montero was the best pitch framer among catchers in the major leagues. Castillo was the second-worst. There have also been several examples in recent years of players improving once they got out of Arizona: Justin Upton, Brandon McCarthy, Tyler Skaggs. Arguably Chris Johnson. The Cubs brain trust may feel that with better health and getting away from Arizona could lead to a rebound for Montero. On top of that, the Cubs seem to felel strongly that their young pitching staff needed a veteran catcher.

Additionally, there just isn't a lot of catching available at the moment. This is why Russell Martin signed for so much money and why the Padres are looking for a major haul for Yasmani Grandal. The Cubs are willing to take a chance on Montero because there were few better options out there and all Montero cost was, for the most part, money.

As far as what the Cubs are giving up, it sounds like it's mostly money. But we will update the information when the names of the two pitchers become available.

EDIT: As many of you have noted in the comments, the two pitchers are Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley. Mejia, 20, is a giant pitcher (6'7" and listed at 195 lbs, but reportedly now much heavier than that) with a nice fastball and a lot of upside. He pitched very well for the Cubs Rookie League team in Arizona last year. Godley is also big (6'3", 235) and has a mid-90s fastball. Between Kane County and Daytona last year, he struck out 12.5 batters per nine innings. But he turns 25 in April and needs to improve his secondary pitches. Both could be quality major league relievers one day, but neither are sure bets by any means.

Poll
Miguel Montero for Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley...

  826 votes |Results

Dodgers say Matt Kemp trade to Padres not close

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SAN DIEGO -- Despite rumors of the Dodgers and Padres getting closer on a trade that would send Matt Kemp to San Diego in exchange for Yasmani Grandal and others, general manager Farhan Zaidi said on Tuesday night that any report of a deal being close is inaccurate.

"I would not characterize it that way, no," Zaidi said.

Earlier on Tuesday, reports had the Dodgers and Padres discussing minor league pitchers - Zack Eflin and Joe Ross - as part of a potential trade package. But Zaidi said the two teams weren't anywhere near a deal, going so far as to label such talk as wishful thinking.

"The information that's coming out there," Zaidi cautioned, "may be driven more by either what people have heard in snippets or what people want to believe we're willing to do than what we're actually willing to do."

Zaidi said the Dodgers have had "multiple hits" from teams on his outfielders, and not just Kemp. But it sounds like the market could take some time to fully materialize before the Dodgers make a move.

"We haven't really moved aggressively on any one team or any one situation with that. There sort of continues to be some interest," Zaidi said. "Teams that are out there looking to fill outfield spots, there are still some pretty high-profile free agent outfielders still out there that teams are weighing trade-offs against. That's sort of affecting the timing of our exploration.

"It's counter productive for us to put a timetable on it. We have plenty of time to get something done. We're evaluating the same way we have all offseason."

Zaidi said he has received numerous calls for outfielder Joc Pederson, who is considered along with shortstop Corey Seager and pitcher Julio Urias the Dodgers' top three prospects.

"We're trying to sort of create a long-term plan," Zaidi said. "Those elite prospects are essential to that, but that doesn't keep teams from asking."

Those three were reportedly off limits at the trade deadline this season, but Zaidi said while the team isn't looking to deal those prospects, they could be moved if the price was right.

"We would be willing to [trade top prospects]," Zaidi said, "in the right deal."

Tony Gwynn and Jerry Coleman receive lifetime achievement awards

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Dick Enberg also.

Yesterday two San Diego legends Tony Gwynn and Jerry Coleman received lifetime achievement awards at a ceremony at the Hilton Bayside hotel hosted by Baseball America.  Dick Enberg won too.

I'm having trouble finding the entire list of GIBBY winners or even an article including the three previously mentioned but I'll continue to look.  If it weren't for Twitter and the #GIBBY hashtag I might have missed the news completely.  On a side note I just now found out that the acronym GIBBY stands for Greatness In BaseBall Yearly. So really this award is saying these two San Diego icons and Dick Enberg were great their entire lives.  I couldn't agree more.

Since both Gwynn and Coleman passed within the last year their families were in attendance to accept the awards on their behalf.

Tony Gwynn, Alex Jackson, Kris Bryant among those honored by Baseball America for achievements. | UTSanDiego.com

"He had a passion for whatever he did," said Alicia Gwynn. "He had a passion for coaching. When he played baseball, he had a love for the game. I thank you all for helping us, the Gwynn family, continue on his legacy."

Matt Kemp rumors may have more flash than substance

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After a month of Matt Kemp rumors, let's take a look at where we stand.

The have been a lot of tweets, newspaper articles and blog posts about a rumored deal between the Padres and Dodgers involving Matt Kemp. There is an expression that where there is smoke there is fire. But sometimes there is just some smoke whens someone only tries to start a fire.

Matt Kemp has been in trade rumors long before this offseason, but if we focus just on the most recent stuff you see that you will find that the rumor mill started churning for him about a month ago when Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweeted this:


You will find Rosenthal's name come up a lot in Kemp rumors. In this one, he is just focusing on the Dodgers side. It is they that are reportedly shopping Kemp. This fuels media fires as they speculate why the Dodgers are willing to deal the 30 year old outfielder. It's only shortly after this rumor and speculation pop up that reports come out of San Diego that the Padres would be willing to move a catcher. Follow this link to Dennis Lin's story on the subject on November 17.

Rosenthal, again in the driver's seat here, first connects a team to the Kemp rumors on November 18. That team is not the Padres. It is 3 days later when Rosenthal connects the Padres to Matt Kemp in an article that tells how they have put feelers out for many players with good bats. Jay Bruce and Jason Heyward are the others mentioned as trade targets as well as one of the initial reports that connected the Padres to free agent Pablo Sandoval.

Things quiet down for over a week, but on November 25, Ken Rosenthal was on to the Padres' week old rumors:


That's really not a Kemp rumor, but it helps connect the dots a little. The Mariners then sign Nelson Cruz, but a Tacoma News reporter, Bob Dutton, let's everyone know that the Mariners are still interested in Kemp. However, they have balked at the asking price of one of their top young pitchers. So, the asking price is established as being high.

Just after that Jon Heyman jumps into the fold and finally makes the connection between the Kemp and the Padres' catching prospects. There is talk of Austin Hedges being discussed, but a more of a willingness by the Padres to part with Rene Rivera or Yasmani Grandal. Not to be outdone, Rosenthal has to get back in the fray:



So, there we have have it. The dots finally connect. Padres, Dodgers, Kemp, Grandal. Of course, if you pay attention the bet is hedged here. There is that little modifier in there: Likely. What does that mean? Take it out and there is certainty. Leave it in and there is uncertainty. What does that uncertainty mean?

With dots connected, the rumors turn to speculation again. Jon Heyman talks about how the Dodgers did not go into the offseason with plans to move Kemp. He mentions how the club might just be doing their due diligence (a term we will get back to later) with Kemp, but speculates that with so much time being spent on finding a suitor for him that they might be serious about moving him. Back in San Diego, Dennis Lin talks about how Kemp (or Justin Upton) could be the ultimate prize in the Padres' offseason. Up in L.A., with the Winter Meetings approaching, Bill Shaiken of the Los Angeles Times writes that this could be when the Dodgers finally unload someone from their glut of outfielders. His take is that the Dodgers would prefer that be Kemp.

On Monday December 8 the Winter Meetings were well under way. The rumor mill was churning enough that it could generate its own smoke. Here are some tweets from the first couple days of the meetings:







My favorite part of all this rumor mongering is Rosenthal throwing out Matt Wisler's name only to retract it later and throw out another name. There is no context given to either. How much is his own speculation and how much is sourced information? Did a source tell him a right handed pitching prospect? Advanced pitching prospect? Anything? Nothing? Who knows? Heyman at least goes out on a limb and says Elfin (we have to assume he means Zach Eflin, a Padres pitching prospect who threw for Lake Elsinore last season) has been discussed. That's a little more contextual. Heyman also leaves in the idea of "bust". That even though the Padres are the only suitor for Kemp that hasn't been ruled that there may be no trade that gets worked out.

The Winter Meetings also bring interviews with the people actually making these deals. Farhan Zaidi,the new Dodgers GM, was quoted by many media outlets talking about a Kemp deal (but I'm using quotes from Dylan Hernandez' piece in the L.A. Times):

"I think the information that’s coming out there may be driven more by either what people are hearing in snippets or what people want to believe we’re willing to do than what we’re actually willing to do," Zaidi said.

Zaidi said the stories of a potential deal are a reflection of wishful thinking on behalf of the media.

"That’s how I would characterize it," Zaidi said.

The Dodgers are also entertaining offers for Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford. Zaidi said the Dodgers have received "multiple hits" on all three of their veteran outfielders.

This is where we get to the part about these rumors being smoke with no fire. Zaidi blames the media for creating that smoke. I think there is some truth to that. Look at how attached Ken Rosenthal is to this story. One could also get the idea that he wants it to be true so bad that he would make it be true if he could. It's a pretty easy storyline to follow. Dodgers have a glut of outfielders. Kemp has the most value. Padres need a bat and have an excess of catchers. Dodgers need a catcher. Try to fit the two together. The teams are definitely talking, but the deal is not as simple as the storyline.

Padres GM A.J. Preller also spoke with the media during the meetings. The Padres' own twitter account tweeted out some of the quotes:



Mighty 1090's Marty Caswell added some context with some additional quotes from the new GM:



Dennis Lin further added context in his recent piece:

And Padres GM A.J. Preller, speaking about possible deals in general: "We’re still progressing through conversations. I think at least it’s been a productive 24 hours, just to get a little better sense of what may be realistic and some other things that we’ve got to move past and probably aren’t going to work out."

Asked if anything was imminent, Preller said, "It’s hard to predict, really. I’m not saying that to be evasive. I think we’re working towards trying to get something done, but to sit there and predict this is imminent or this is coming down the pike, I have no real idea on that part of it, the time frame."

I said earlier I wanted to get back to that due diligence term, so here I go. A.J. Preller would appear to be a guy that is really big on that concept of due diligence. He needs to know about all the available opportunities before making a decision. This goes back to his scouting background. You need every bit of information before going forward. That means talking to several teams about several different players to acquire and probably proposing multiple offers that could be used to acquire those players (hence why the Dodgers are sick of his calls). He is not Kevin Towers where he can get on the phone and just work a deal until it is done. He is not Josh Byrnes where he shops a guy to various teams in order to take the best offer. He examines everything. That's mostly speculation on my part, but I'm not alone:


Dick Enberg Wins 2014 Ford C. Frick Award

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In spite of Padres fans' many criticisms, Dick Enberg has been awarded Major League Baseball's highest honor for broadcasters: The Ford C. Frick Award. Enberg is an interesting choice for the award, as he has spent less than half of is nearly 60-year career reporting baseball. After cutting his teeth calling football and basketball games for the Indiana Hoosiers, Enberg went on to call virtually every other sport, contributing to several Olympic telecasts, every one of tennis's Grand Slam tournaments (most notably Wimbledon), the NFL, and the NBA.

His first stint calling baseball was in Anaheim, where he was the voice of the much less ridiculously named California Angels from 1969 to 1978. He spent most of the 80s working for the nationally broadcast MLB on NBC before leaving baseball entirely for over 20 years. Enberg returned to the sport in 2010, joining Channel 4 San Diego after the Padres broadcaster muddled through the 2009 season without an adequate replacement for Matt Vasgersian.

Congratulations to Dick Enberg, and our condolences to Ted Leitner, who can't even get into the Padres Hall of Fame.


Oh My! Angels Announcer Dick Enberg Voted Into Hall of Fame

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Cooperstown Bound!

Radio and television announcer Dick Enberg has been awarded the 2014 Ford C. Frick award. This is the annual award that goes to an announcer and sends that voice to Cooperstown. This coming summer, Enberg will join Vin Scully and others in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Enberg has a long time national presence n the sport but covered the Angels from 1968 thru 1978 and again in 1985 and was inarguably the definitive voice for the franchise at least until Rory Markas called eight seasons form 2002 thru 2010. he resumed regular play-by-play duties again in 2010, this time close to home in San Diego calling Padres games.

He turns eighty years old in January. In addition to his local and national broadcast coverage of America's past time, Enberg called the NFL on NBC for much of the 1980s and did Wimbledon behind the microphone a few times, too. For younger Halo fans, he is the voice of the franchise's legacy... on the fiftieth anniversary of the franchise, Enberg was hired to narrate a year-by-year history of the team that is broadcast quite frequently during delays on Angels games.

And of course, he represented the Angels in the baseball scene of the Naked Gun movie...

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is July 25 in Cooperstown, New York.

Dodgers, Padres 'on verge' of Matt Kemp trade, per report

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SAN DIEGO -- If you thought the Dodgers were busy on Wednesday, ju st wait until you see what they do on Thursday. The team is reportedly "on the verge" of trading outfielder Matt Kemp to the Padres, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, though Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports quoted a source saying the long-rumored trade is "closer, but not done."

Heyman expands:

The Dodgers asked for catcher Yasmani Grandal plus young pitchers Joe Ross and Zach Eflin in trade talks that stretched for weeks. Grandal was believed to be the centerpiece of the package, though it isn't known what the final package was. It isn't known how much, if any, money is involved in the trade.

This is not much different than has been rumored before, though that the rumor simply hasn't gone away lends credence that it might actually come to fruition.

Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that a three-team trade involving the Dodgers and Padres had been discussed (which, coupled with the lack of an announcement of the Jimmy Rollins trade fuels speculation of a trade for Cole Hamels as well - using prospects acquired from the Marlins and Padres, plus someone like Zach Lee, for instance - though that's another story for another day, or another few hours).

Padres brass was quite open in discussing with media their talks with the Dodgers:

"I think it’s no secret that the Dodgers have been talking about their outfielders," Padres General Manager A.J. Preller said early Wednesday night. "We’ve examined all possibilities."

"I wish I could add some clarity," said Padres manager Bud Black, who met with the media Wednesday. "With this particular situation and this particular player, it’s been widely reported, but unless you’re A.J. and (Dodgers president of baseball operations) Andrew (Friedman), the truth and the real conversations are between those guys."'

The Dodgers were easily the most active team at the winter meetings on Wednesday. From the sounds of things, they might be the most active on Thursday as well.

Dodgers trade Matt Kemp/cash to Padres for Yasmani Grandal, Joe Wieland and Zach Eflin

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The Dodgers weren't finished trading, as they have traded outfielder Matt Kemp to the Padres for Yasmani Grandal and two pitching prospects.

Well, Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi certainly owned Wednesday at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, eh?

After trading for Jimmy Rollins, Andrew Heaney and prospects, he flipped Heaney to the Angels for second baseman Howie Kendrick, signed starter Brandon McCarthy to a 4 year, $48 million deal, and has now finalized the trade of Matt Kemp to the Padres.

The reported deal is Matt Kemp, $30 million and catcher Tim Federowicz to the Padres for catcher Yasmani Grandal, and two pitching prospects Joe Wieland and Zach Eflin.

Kemp's fantasy value takes a bit of a hit moving to the cavernous Petco Park, but i have a feeling he will still have solid fantasy value even in that park. Grandal's value improves a bit as he moves out of Petco and into Dodger Stadium which played as a decent park for home runs in 2014. Last year, Dodger Stadium was the 5th best park for home runs, increasing home runs by 22% according to ESPN Park factors, while Petco Park depressed home runs by about 19%.

I think park factors are impacted by the lineups that play there everyday, meaning the Dodgers had a bunch of power hitters in their lineup last season, so maybe that number comes down a bit in 2015.

The Dodgers have reshaped their lineup after a flurry of moves, and some may think their lineup is worse overall as they are losing Kemp's power and Gordon's speed, but instead you now have a few hitters in Rollins, Kendrick and Grandal who all could hit 12-16 home runs in Dodger Stadium. Here is a quick look at their lineup:

SS - Jimmy Rollins

2B - Howie Kendrick

RF - Yasiel Puig

1B - Adrian Gonzalez

CF - Joc Pederson

LF - Carl Crawford

3B - Juan Uribe

C- Yasmani Grandal

Kendrick's fantasy value doesn't change much, but he is a better second baseman all around than Dee Gordon, and Jimmy Rollins is a solid replacement at shortstop over Red Sox outfielder Hanley Ramirez.

Factor all that along with the Dodgers adding prospects in several of these deals and they now have assets that they can flip for either Cole Hamels, preferable, or Johnny Cueto.

Dodgers trade Matt Kemp to Padres for Yasmani Grandal, prospects

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Kemp has finally been traded after years of speculation, and the Padres have a serious hitter in their lineup once more.

There have been Matt Kemp trade rumors since before he signed an eight-year, $160 million extension with the Dodgers. In fact, that major commitment was meant to quell fears the superstar outfielder would be moved. Instead, all it did was create new questions about how difficult it would be trade Kemp and the contract attached to him, questions that were asked for three years. The Dodgers don't have to try to answer them anymore, though, as they've dealt Kemp and $30 million to the divisional rival San Diego Padres in exchange for Yasmani Grandal, Joe Wieland, and Zach Eflin. Kirk Kenney and Dennis Lin broke the news after everyone in San Diego fell asleep, and the man himself has been told by the Dodgers that the trade is a go.

Kemp gives the Padres their first elite offensive threat since Adrian Gonzalez in 2010. While he's not a center fielder anymore, Kemp can still handle left field well enough, and batted .287/.346/.506 for a 140 OPS+ with the Dodgers last year. Petco Park is more of a pitcher-friendly environment than Dodger Stadium, but he is used to an environment designed to hamper him and has thrived in spite of it. While it's only a 59 game sample, Kemp has also batted .322/.372/.495 over the years at Petco.

The Padres will now likely have to find a home for current left fielder Carlos Quentin and the $8 million remaining on his deal. Quentin was a favorite of former general manager Josh Byrnes, as the two were together on the Diamondbacks earlier in their careers and were reunited by Byrnes in San Diego. The market for hitters is shallow enough that even with Quentin's 2014 struggles and injury history, someone will be happy to risk it.

Grandal is the center piece for the Dodgers, a catcher who possesses a career 120 OPS+ over three seasons that makes up for any deficiencies in his game behind the plate. That's not to say he's bad, because he's not, but the bat outshines the rest of the package. The Padres were willing to move one of their best players at a tough position because prospect backstop Austin Hedges will be at Triple-A in 2015, Rene Rivera broke out in 2014 enough that he can be trusted to temporarily hold down the fort for Hedges, and, of course, because the Padres were able to bring Matt Kemp to them. Additional, the Padres also received backup catcher Tim Federowicz from the Dodgers in the Kemp deal.

Wieland has promise as a mid-rotation arm, but injuries have slowed his ascent. He'll still only be 25 in 2015, though, and if necessary could likely slot into a big-league rotation immediately. Eflin was the 33rd overall pick in the 2012 draft, and hasn't quite taken off in the minors as hoped. He just finished his age-20 season, however, and pitched in a high-offense league where the average pitcher was three years his senior. If he can start to miss more bats as he develops further, the Dodgers will have themselves a useful starter down the road.

Dodgers trade Matt Kemp to Padres for Yasmani Grandal in 5-player deal, per reports

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SAN DIEGO -- The most rumored deal of the winter meetings has finally happened, with the Dodgers trading Matt Kemp to the Padres in a five-player trade, per multiple reports.

Kemp is going to the Padres along with catcher Tim Federowicz for catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and possibly pitcher Zack Eflin, per both Corey Brock of MLB.com and Kirk Kenney and Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Dodgers are also sending $32 million to the Padres to help cover part of the $107 million due Kemp over the next five years, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

The deal has not yet been announced, nor confirmed by both teams, though Kemp has been notified of the trade per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.

Thus ends the Dodgers career of one of the best hitters in franchise history. Kemp, drafted by the team in 2003, hit .292/.349/.495, a 128 OPS+ with 182 home runs in parts of nine seasons in Los Angeles. The outfielder was injured for the bulk of 2012 and 2013 and was just okay in the first half of 2014, hitting .269/.330/.430 with eight home runs in 86 games.

But after the All-Star break, further removed from the two hamstring strains, two shoulder surgeries that sapped his power and an ankle surgery that robbed much of his speed, Kemp went off in the second half. He hit .309/.365/.606 with 17 home runs in 64 games, looking much like the near-MVP year in 2011 that saw Kemp hit .324/.399/.586 with 39 home runs.

Though defensively Kemp was still well below average, and finally demoted from center field in 2014. After a brief and contentious move to left field he eventually settled in right field, his old position from his early years with the Dodgers. With the emergence of Joc Pederson, who many in the organization feel is the best center fielder on the 40-man roster, moving Kemp allows the team to move Yasiel Puig back to his natural right field, improving the team defensively at two positions, and depending on how Pederson hits (or the combination of Pederson and the right-handed Chris Heisey), the club could mitigate some of the offensive loss of Kemp. Some.

"Our ability to score runs is so intertwined with our ability to prevent them that there is a connection there. I'd be okay if we scored 200 runs if we allowed 100, just going to a crazy example. I'd be okay if we allowed 900 runs if we scored 1,300," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said on Monday. "It's about us trying to construct the best 25-man roster we can, with the requisite depth behind it, to put us in the best position to start the season."

The team will also gain on offense and defense with Grandal, who hit .225/.327/.401, a 112 OPS+ in 2014, with 15 home runs and 19 doubles in 128 games, including 76 games behind the plate and 37 at first base. In his limited time behind the plate - 157 career games - he has been rated as 30 runs above average in framing pitches, ranking among the top 19 in baseball in each of the last three years.

In parts of three major league seasons the 26-year-old has hit .245/.350/.412, a 120 OPS+, with 24 home runs and 34 doubles in 216 games. Grandal was also suspended 50 games to start 2013 for testing positive for testosterone, and was linked to the Biogenesis scandal. Later that year he missed the final 74 games after reconstructive ACL surgery in his right knee.

The switch-hitter has better numbers from the left side, hitting .252/.356/.424 in his career compared to .225/.335/.379 from the right side.

Current Dodgers senior vice president of baseball operations Josh Byrnes was the general manager in San Diego who traded Mat Latos to the Reds in December 2011 for Grandal, Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger.

Grandal has two years, 115 days of service time, and will be eligible for salary arbitration after 2015.

It is impossible to judge this trade without seeing the Dodgers' end game, which is believed to be a pursuit of a frontline starting pitcher - like Cole Hamels of the Phillies - using some of the prospects acquired from the Marlins and Padres.

But for now, all we know is that Kemp is gone, and the Dodgers are in the midst of one of the most remarkable two-day roster makeovers in some time.

Reds trade Mat Latos to Miami Marlins

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The big right-hander heads south to the up and coming Marlins.

According to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, the Cincinnati Reds have traded pitcher Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins.

There's been no official word to confirm from the Reds yet, likely because GM Walt Jocketty was finishing up his press conference following this morning's trade of Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers for Jonathan Crawford and Eugenio Suarez.  According to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, though, the Reds are getting a pair of solid prospects from Miami:

Latos heads into 2015 in his last season of arbitration eligibility before presumably becoming a free agent prior to 2016 (should he not re-up with Miami after this trade), and with the Reds in a pickle trying to sign multiple pitchers and shed salary, he becomes the second veteran starter to be jettisoned this offseason.  Since he fought through elbow surgery, a flexor mass scare, and a torn meniscus during the 2014 campaign, it'll be quite interesting to see whether the velocity dip he dealt with in 2014 was merely due to those injuries and missed time, or is something he'll have to deal with going forward.

In return for Latos, the Reds get a talented arm in Anthony DeSclafani, a player who joined the Marlins in the massive deal with the Toronto Blue Jays several winters ago that sent Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes, among others, to Vottoland.  He ranked as high as the 2nd best prospect in the Marlins system at one point according to MLB Pipeline, and reached the majors last season at age 24, appearing in 13 games with a stellar 5.2 K/BB despite an unsightly 6.27 ERA in 33 innings.  His rookie status is still intact, meaning the Reds get 6 years of his service time.  Also part of the deal is catcher Chad Wallach, a former 5th round pick out of Cal-State Fullerton who beat the tar out of A ball pitching to the tune of .322/.431/.457 in 2014.  He'll provide solid catching depth, which is something no team can ever have enough of.

More importantly, I suppose, as that the trade of Latos and the previous trade of Alfredo Simon should free the Reds of nearly $15 million in 2015 payroll, so they'll now have a considerable amount more flexibility in solving the still vacant LF position (as well as the bullpen.)

In his 3 seasons with the Reds after being acquired from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Yasmani Grandal, Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez, and Brad Boxberger, Latos went 33-16 with a 3.31 ERA in 522.1 innings pitched, good for a kick-ass 117 ERA+ and a solid 9.0 bWAR.

Thanks for a hell of a ride, Mat, and good luck in Miami.

Matt Kemp trade to the Padres is certified FRESH!

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The trade that brings in Matt Kemp, Tim Federowicz and $32M costs the Padres Joe Wieland, Zach Eflin and Yasmani Granda.  Critics agree it's fresh.  I happen to agree.  The Padres need an offensive threat and he comes to the team in the form of a sexy Matt Kemp.  The Padres will need at least one more bat now to cover Kemp but we'll let Padres GM A.J. Preller worry about that another day.

Dudes, this is trade equivalent of 22 Jump Street!

84 fresh

Apologies to RottenTomatoes.com

Rotten_mediumPadres Acquire Matt Kemp | FanGraphs Baseball
I’ll have a full write-up on this soon, but suffice it to say that I love this trade for the Dodgers and don’t really get it at all for the Padres. They get a big right-handed slugger, but I’m not sure they got any better, and they spent $75 million for the right to be differently bad.

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@619Sports
Matt Kemp to the Padres for Grandal, Wieland and a piece. Looks like a steal for Preller in his first deal.

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@sdutPosner
My barely-awake bottom line: Hate giving up Grandal but I think this team, at this time, needed to get a "name" player like Kemp.

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@HeyScan
Wow, looks like A.J.P. and Pads stepping up and bringing in established impact RH power bat in Kemp. Very nice!

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@PadresJagoff
The more I think on it, the more I am ok with it. Wieland was depth & Federowicz partners with Rivera. If Kemp was a FA I'd be all for 5/75

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@Lobshots
There's "star power" - then there's "I've dated Rihanna star power" - Matt Kemp is HUGE for the

Rotten_medium@SacBuntChris
Sucks to sell low on Grandal. Reminds me of Rizzo. But excitement is also kind of weird and fun.

Rotten_medium@SacBuntDustin
The Padres basically gave up Yasmani Grandal-plus for the right to sign Matt Kemp to a near market value free agent deal.

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@LeftCoastBias
I think the Padres are better today than yesterday. Which is the point of trading. And I doubt they are done.

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@Jeremy_Nash
Ecstatic that the Padres picked up Matt Kemp. Bummed to see Yasmani go, though.

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@WoeDoctor
My thought on the Kemp trade are that it's undeniably cool having a headline name and legit offensive threat on the roster. I'm also not sure I entirely like a deal that clears enough payroll for a division rival to comfortably reshape their roster, as LA did yesterday.

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@VocalMinorityNV
Getting $30 million and not having to give up a top 7 prospect. It's an overpay, but it's not the worst, and it resembles a plan.

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@ParkAtThePark
I'm going to decide to like the Kemp trade. We didn't have a Matt Kemp in our lineup before.

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@PadresProspects
The Kemp trade will be a fantastic trade for the , guaranteed.

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@MickeyKoke
Preller's persistence, and waiting the Dodgers out, just paid huge dividends. Huge win for no matter how you spin it.

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@sdutCanepa
Preller appears to be a kid GM with patience. Cannot see the downside here, unless Kemp hikes into Petco National Park and just takes photos

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@DSmithShow
I like the deal

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@AndrewBurer
Landing Kemp is 1 of those instances where "it sounds too good to be true/I'll believe it when I see it." But damn, that's big time.

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@jparis_sports
Wow - AJ goes big in landing Bums slugger Matt Kemp! Just a suggestion but Padres should avoid any Rihanna songs for Kemp's walk-up music.

UPDATES:

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@RJsFro
My serious take: I don't like it from a baseball only perspective, however baseball is a business & I think it's a good deal for the

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@SI_LeeJenkins
They gave up a PED guy who hits .228 and one okay prospect for Matt Kemp. Not sure how you do better

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Dodgers new president goes buck wild at Winter Meetings | FOX Sports
The Padres, if the deal goes through, will be getting a steal – Kemp at $15 million per season for the next five years. Federowicz will replace Grandal, teaming with Rivera at a position where the Pads were strong. There is no other way to say it -- the trade will be a huge coup for new general manager A.J. Preller and the club’s ownership, one of the most inspired moves in club history.

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@MartyCaswell
Anyone arguing Padres would've been better off investing in Headley is out of their damn mind. So keep same guys you stunk with?

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@CoachKentera
Excited about Kemp. Padres fans should be pumped not giving up any of their frontline starters.

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San Diego adds a much-needed bat - ESPN
The Padres' 2014 offense was one of the worst in big league history, and acquiring Matt Kemp is a huge boost toward fixing that weakness (although I'm not sure that any one player, even Mike Trout, could do that by himself).\

Rotten_mediumDoes Matt Kemp = Vernon Wells? | FOX Sports
I can see taking a flyer on an ex-star like Kemp for a few months, or a year, if you're desperate. I can't see devoting a large percentage of your payroll to a player like Kemp in his 30s for five years. I just can't see it at all. If I'm a Dodgers fan today, I'm as happy as I've been since 1988. If I'm a Padres fan, I'm cursing the day Andrew Friedman left the Sunshine State.

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@SweenDog9
"Great news. It's really nice for Bud Black to put a hitter like that in the lineup..."

Poll
Is trade for Kemp fresh or rotten?

  231 votes |Results


Matt Kemp acquired by Padres: The Good

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A look on the bright side of the key player the Padres got from the Dodgers.

The Padres have acquired a hitter. 2015 will be Matt Kemp's 10th season in the major leagues and he has slugged over .500 in 4 of them. To put that in perspective, in that same time frame the Padres have had 7 such seasons. Three were by Adrian Gonzalez (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006), one was by Carlos Quentin (2012) and the other by Mike Piazza (2006). The highest slugging percentage on the team last year was done by Seth Smith who tallied a .440 by hitting 12 HRs, 5 3Bs and 31 2Bs. Kemp topped that number in 8 of his 9 seasons in the majors (2013's injury plagued season was the exception).

Last season was one of those years where he slugged over .500. He hit .287, had a .346 OBP and had an oWAR of 3.8 while slugging 25 HRs and 38 2Bs. Only that On Base Percentage was bested by Padre in 2014 (Seth Smith had an OBP of .367). He did this while playing in 150 games, his most since 2011. He proved that he was healthy and an effective slugger in 2014.

A healthy and effective Matt Kemp easily becomes the first consistent source of high quality offense the Padres have had since Adrian Gonzalez. And as we know, the last time the Padres had Adrian Gonzalez in the lineup they were able to compete for a division title down to the last day of the season despite the rest of the team being mostly a patchwork group of non-stars and role players.

The good of this deal is that the Padres finally have something in the lineup to hang their hat on. Something they can build around. Someone that can drive in the other Padres hitters the few times they manage to get on base and can be a threat when no one is one base. It is something that was sorely missing from the club and (assuming Kemp stays healthy) is something that we can all be proud to root for day in and day out.

Matt Kemp acquired by Padres: The Bad

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A look on the not-so-bright side of the key player the Padres got from the Dodgers.

I already looked at the good side of the Matt Kemp acquisition. Unfortunately, there is a bad side too. The bad side can mostly be summed up in one word: defense. Matt Kemp came up as a CF and has thought of himself as a CF. Unfortunately he cannot play CF adequately enough to not be hindrance to his club. I don't want to reinvent the wheel here trying to analyze his defense because others have done it enough already. The easiest stat to look at with horror is the negative value he tallied in defensive WAR last season. If you pull up his baseball-reference page you can see that value was -3.1. His offensive value was 3.8. His defense was so bad that it almost negated all of his offensive value.

That's not to say he'll be that bad in 2014. Taking him out of CF (and hopefully the Padres will keep him away from CF) and moving him to a corner OF spot (I assume RF, but it could be LF) will help. However, even will the move you can't remove all the negative value out there. It will still transform him from being a solidly above average baseball player to a close to average one. The offense will still be helped, but some runs will be given back in the field.

This may be hard for some after already day dreaming about his offensive value. And I really don't want to discourage you from getting excited about the added offense to a team that had next to none. But when it comes to wins and losses, everything matters. And the value of a solo home run can be taken away by bad reads on balls like this when there's a runner in scoring position:

Kemp bad jump 1

Kemp bad jump 2

And Kemp isn't getting any younger. There are already signs that he's lost a significant amount of speed and athleticism and he's only going to be 30 years old this season. That has happened to other young stars (see: Wells, Vernon) with ugly results. And we've seen first hand with Carlos Quentin how injuries can take a toll on a player as he enters his 30s. Here's hoping Kemp can stave off father time during the length of this contract.

Matt Kemp acquired by Padres: The Ugly

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A look on the dark side of the key player the Padres got from the Dodgers.

We have seen the good and the bad, but that is only part of the story. The Padres did not just get Matt Kemp. They gave up stuff to acquire Matt Kemp. The gave up stuff to the Dodgers to get Matt Kemp. The gave up stuff to the Dodgers to get Matt Kemp which helped their rival alleviate a log jam they had in the outfield. The Dodgers lost Matt Kemp, but they had ready made replacements. In addition to having an outfield Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig, they also have a top prospect in Joc Pederson and some capable bench bats in Chris Heisey and Scott Van Slyke. The Dodgers could afford to lose Matt Kemp.

And all that is without considering that the Padres filled another hole for them at catcher with Yasmani Grandal. That is Yasmani Grandal that is projected to break out. You can find people writing about that here, here ($), here and here. He already began to do just that in 2014. He played in 128 games last year despite recovering from a knee injury that was supposed to have him miss a good chunk of the season. His On Base Percentage was second on the team at .327. A modest mark, but very nice for a catcher and over 100 points higher than his batting average. That's some real on base skill. It could be much higher if the baseball gods smiled on him a bit more since the stat (BABIP) that checks if balls are dropping in at a normal rate was a good chunk below average. He also slugged 15 HRs, which isn't overly impressive, but considering the injury he was coming off of and the lack of experience against major league pitchers going into the year it seems like the sign of much more to come. It's also worth noting that his numbers were dragged down by a sluggish start. One that likely had to do with that injury recovery. His second half was very good. Especially for a catcher.

That isn't to say that Grandal will be a future All Star (although there's a chance). He doesn't have to be. When you total up the good and bad for Kemp, he doesn't play at an All Star level anymore either. He hits like one, but his overall value isn't there. Grandal seems really likely to match that kind of value. And he would do it for way cheaper. And now he'll do it for the Dodgers. At a spot where they were lacking other quality options. The Dodgers. The team the Padres have to finish with a better record than in order to win a division. One that on paper, even if Kemp were an All Star, stacks up way better than the Padres and adding Grandal only helps that.

On fangraphs today, they compare this trade to the Angels terrible trade for Vernon Wells. A player whose best days were behind him, couldn't play CF anymore, but had a name and a hefty contract. The Angels took on that money and got a player that couldn't come close to playing like he had in his glory days. They gave up Mike Napoli, a sort of catcher who had some great years ahead of him at nowhere near the cost of Wells. Hopefully that doesn't turn out to be the case for the Padres, but it has all the makings.

Matt Kemp traded to Padres in 5-player deal

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The Dodgers on Thursday agreed to trade outfielder Matt Kemp, catcher Tim Federowicz and a reported $32 million to the Padres in exchange for catcher Yasmani Grandal, and pitchers Joe Wieland and Zach Eflin.

SAN DIEGO -- With Day 1 of the 2014 Winter Meetings nearly in the books, the Dodgers aren't particularly close to any deals yet. But it is still clear the team will move an outfielder at some point this offseason, maybe even more than one, and recent rumors and discussion involving Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier give a glimpse into the process of the new front office.

"When you look at our roster on paper and you're able to take from an area of strength and address an area of weakness, it is obvious the area of strength is in the outfield," team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said on Monday. "To the extent that we can do that, it makes for a more functional roster."

The rumor making the round on Monday involves Kemp going to the Padres or some package centered around catcher Yasmani Grandal. Though the Dodgers have been quiet about specific information about deals, San Diego feels confident a trade can be made, per both Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times and Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Grandal hit .225/.327/.401 in 2014, a 112 OPS+, with 15 home runs and 19 doubles in 128 games, including 76 games behind the plate and 37 at first base. In parts of three major league seasons the 26-year-old has hit .245/.350/.412, a 120 OPS+, with 24 home runs and 34 doubles in 216 games.

Grandal also rates above average in catcher framing - 13th, 19th and seventh in baseball in the last three years, despite only catching a total of 157 games during that span.

The catcher has two years, 115 days of service time, and will be eligible for salary arbitration after 2015. The Dodgers, should they acquire Grandal, would have him for four years before hitting free agency.

Such a deal wouldn't be one-for-one; the Padres would likely have to kick in a pitcher and the Dodgers would probably pay a portion of the remaining $107 million due Kemp over the next five seasons.

But those are all ifs at this point. There are a few common questions or concerns that arise in trading Kemp that Friedman did address, though not mentioning Kemp specifically.

Trading Kemp would remove a second big bat from the lineup

Kemp was very good on offense in 2014, hitting .287/.346/.506, 40 percent better than the average major league hitter, and hit 25 home runs. He was especially great after the All-Star break, with 17 home runs in 64 games, hitting .309/.365/.606.

But there is also another side to the game, namely defense, and Kemp rated poorly at all three outfield positions in 2014. For what it's worth, his Wins Above Replacement - again, as a player 40 percent above average on offense - was between 1.1 (Baseball-Reference version) and 1.8 (FanGraphs).

But even if we want to disbelieve the harsh defensive penalties against Kemp in 2014, it is important to note that he has rarely rated well defensively throughout his career. He is below average in his career at all three outfield positions by ultimate zone rating, total zone rating and defensive runs saved.

Whatever the number is for Kemp, he has an offensive value and a defensive value, and in trading him the Dodgers would need to consider Kemp's replacement - think Joc Pederson in center, plus moving Yasiel Puig back to right field, for instance in total value, plus the overall value of players coming in the deal.

"Our ability to score runs is so intertwined with our ability to prevent them that there is a connection there. I'd be okay if we scored 200 runs if we allowed 100, just going to a crazy example. I'd be okay if we allowed 900 runs if we scored 1,300," Friedman explained. "It's about us trying to construct the best 25-man roster we can, with the requisite depth behind it, to put us in the best position to start the season."

Can't trade within your own division

This is a common fear in baseball, not wanting to trade someone who could potentially hurt his old team during the 19 matchups between divisional teams each year. But Friedman doesn't mind trading within the division.

"There are 29 other trade outlets," Friedman said. "To cut off four of them makes our job even more difficult."

That anxiety also ignores the fact that the very players received can also help defeat his old team, a counter balance to potentially being hurt by an old friend. Friedman said he wouldn't be concerned in helping a divisional opponent as long as he got the return he wanted in the trade.

"For us if something makes sense for us and it lines up for us and conversely lines up for the other team," Friedman said. "[Trades] are hard enough to do in general.

"There is nuance that can be applied to it. I think if a team in our division is having a hard time accessing a player at a specific position and the supply is not great, and we happen to have that, ideally we trade that player to another team to make it more difficult for the team in our division, but it's not often that it lines up that way."

Professionalism

The Kemp rumors have been linked often enough that it would be understandable if he wondered about his own future, or at least wanted to know what is going on. But Friedman said that hasn't been the case with any of his players yet this offseason.

"These guys appreciate how much noise is out there. Sometimes there is truth behind it, and often time there's not," Friedman noted. "They are professionals and realize it's part of it."

To a similar extent, Ethier told reporters last week he wanted to play everyday in 2015, after amassing a career-low 380 plate appearances in an otherwise healthy year. But Friedman said he was okay with Ethier's stance.

"All guys that play this game want to play this game as much as they possibly can. I get it. It's his personal sentiment and I totally get it from his perspective," Friedman said. "From everything I heard about how he handled last year. People praised the way he handled the situation. It was important for him to say how he felt, and we welcome it. ... I get where he's coming from. I'd feel the same way if I were him."

Review: Alesmith & Tony Gwynn San Diego Pale Ale .394

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Despite our love for San Diego's favorite adult beverage, we don't usually have cause to review beer here. But then, no beer has ever been brewed specifically for Tony Gwynn. Until now, that is. Mr. Padre called Alesmith Brewing in March, looking to bring a special beer to this year's Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Alesmith owner and brewmaster Peter Zien told the UT about it in June.

"And every year at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies," Zien said, "Tom Seaver would bring his own wine. But he wouldn't serve any to the players who had hit him well."

Zien brewed several pilot batches for Tony, making adjustments based on his feedback. While he never did get to take it to Cooperstown, Tony did get a taste of the final product before he passed, as did a number of Padres fans. Tony Gwynn San Diego Pale Ale .394 debuted at Padres Beerfest on June 6. And now Alesmith wants to make it available to even more San Diegans by distributing it in the brewery's very first 12 ounce six-packs, pictured in classic brown and gold above.

Gwynn Pale Ale

Yes, that is a baseball molded into the base of the glass.

So how does it drink? The beer pours a golden amber with an ample head of bright white foam. That head won't stick around too long, so enjoy it while it lasts. Give it a whiff and you'll catch just a bit of hop aroma, but just like Mr. Padre himself, this beer is more about finesse than power. You know the old joke about how you make a dry martini? Pour gin into a glass, hold it up to your lips, and whisper "vermouth". This is the beer equivalent. There's just enough hops in this to give it a touch of bitterness, but it finishes smoothly with a malty sweetness. And at 6% alcohol by volume, you can have two or three without regretting it in the morning.

After an extremely limited batch of 119 went on sale during November's San Diego Beer Week, Alesmith released another 1500 of the six-packs this week. There are still packs available at the brewery as of Thursday night, but they are selling quickly. If you can't make it there, you'll have to wait a little bit longer, but the brewer is hoping to expand distribution of the beer by the summer. Portions of all .394 beer and merchandise sales will benefit the Tony and Alicia Gwynn Foundation.

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