Editorials

Former GM Kevin Malone Says Padres Want To ‘Sweeten The Pot’

Matt Kemp
A week will have passed since the alleged trade between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers involving Matt Kemp was agreed to.

Since then, there were a few days of quiet, a scheduled physical and now leaked information on Kemp’s physical. It was reported that the Padres found arthritis in both of Kemp’s hips and are waiting for doctors to give the approval for a deal. While Kemp looked healthier in the second half of last season than he has since April of 2012, it’s a cause for concern for any team when dealing with the future.



In an interview with Fred Roggin for The Beast 980, former Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone gave his take on the hoopla:

I don’t believe that this is a series health issue for Matt Kemp. I believe that it’s something that, when you’re going through the process you’re looking at “Are there any immediate concerns or longterm concerns?” It sounds to me, with me not being a doctor, that this is more something that could develop and more of a concern in the future at some point. Basically, the Padres are calling the Dodgers to sweeten the pot.

Malone was the GM from 1998-2001 and was responsible for the Kevin Brown, Shawn Green and Gary Sheffield deals. His words have some truth at least to the extent that this will hurt Kemp more in the future. It’s unclear whether that means a year from now, five years from now or after his playing days are over, but it has made the Padres contemplate what to do.

Although it’s not out of the question for a team to privately leak information like this in order to get a better deal. The Dodgers are already planning to send at least $30 million to the Padres to offset Kemp’s salary and for a lower budget team like San Diego, more money is always better.

Regardless of the situation, it shall be resolved soon and more details should emerge.

Vincent Samperio

Vince is currently the Associate Editor and Social Media Manager for Dodgers Nation. Hailing from San Pedro, CA and a student at Cal State Long Beach, Vince has previously written for the Daily 49er and LASF Magazine.

7 Comments

    1. Unfortunately he would come back sour towards the organization that traded him away. You can react like Odom or Gasol, which do you think Kemp would be?

      1. I DO agree and either one would be horrible! However, I think it will only be for spring training..Once ALL the fan love hits him, his team mates tell him how glad they are he didn’t get traded (Agon, Kersh, Crawr, Rollin,etc) and the fact he will still be on a contender, I think he’ll get over the irritation. And I do believe with this offseason to train (unlike the last 2 years), he’s going to come out on fire!

        At the end of the day, i think you are right and I believe our organization believe that is the case and it’s a lost cause, but if not I bet you he won’t dwell like both LO and Gasoft did!

          1. Great question and hope someone knows the answer.
            Read another article that said they would be investigated but it implied that it would be a MLB investigation.

        1. I guess at this point we will never know, regardless of the baseball reasons or the improved roster flexibility it makes me sad to see Kemp traded. Every team needs a few cradle to the grave players and I thought the Dodgers would have two in Kemp and Kershaw. Now I’m praying that they still have at least one and that Kershaw won’t be dealt away in a few years.

      2. Perfect analogy right there!! Gasol took it as “Just the nature of the business” and still put in his work and played hard. Odom acted like a b*tch and his career never recovered. Hopefully Kemp goes the Gasol route if he does comeback to the Dodgers

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