Last week baseball media announced a trade between the Dodgers and Padres that would bring Matt Kemp to San Diego. Then all was quiet, too quiet. There was no announcement until Sunday. According to Ken Rosenthal the Padres would put Matt Kemp through a physical on Tuesday. Then all became quiet again, still no official announcement. On Wednesday rumors popped up that the deal for Kemp was falling apart, because he had failed his physical. As if to ease our worried minds Rosenthal insisted that the Padres still wanted the trade to happen.
Today we learn from Bob Nightengale the results of Tuesday's physical. Apparently Kemp has arthritis in both hips. The Padres are talking to medical experts while the rest of us worry whether or not the trade will go through.
The holdup in Matt Kemp trade is because the physical revealed arthritis in both hips. The #Padres continue to consult medical experts.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 18, 2014If it doesn't the Dodgers could be screwed and if you believe in conspiracy theories then maybe the Padres wanted this to happen. The market for outfielders has dropped off since last week and LA would again have a logjam in the outfield and no catcher. I don't believe this, but I want to believe this. I love conspiracy theories so I'm open to the possibility.
Report: Matt Kemp has arthritis in both hips | UTSanDiego.com
Now, the revelation of arthritis could erase what leverage the Dodgers had left. Los Angeles, which is planning on swinging Eflin to help land Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, might be facing one very awkward mess, should they have to renege on the deal.
Maybe this means the Padres still get Kemp but the deal is renegotiated with the Padres getting more money, Preller has done so in the past. We'll wait and see.
Wil Myers trade represents the kind of risky deal Padres must make - Yahoo Sports
The Padres want Kemp. Whether the $32 million the Dodgers are offering will suffice is the question, because Texas, where Preller grew his executive chops, has in the past used medical concerns as a way to rework deals at the last minute. And with Kemp’s physical the holdup, 11th-hour haggling remains a roadblock.
If the Padres leaked the physical results then they could be in big trouble and the Dodgers could get super pissed.
Regarding @BNightengale report about Kemp having arthritis in both hips: This situation threatens to turn very ugly if deal falls through.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2014Information damages Kemp in public realm. Gives appearance of #Padres trying to leverage medical information. And is a violation of HIPAA.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2014If deal falls apart, #Dodgers almost certainly would respond in strongest possible fashion.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2014Respond in the strongest possible fashion? What's that even mean? Small leather back packs? That kind of fashion?