Padres News: “Shocked” Matt Kemp Embracing His New Team

By Daryll Dorman | Jan 27, 2015

Recently Matt Kemp sat down with long-time Dodgers fan Larry King and talked about his recent trade from the only organization he had ever known, reports MLB.com’s Corey Brock. Any thoughts Padres fans that Matt Kemp is just a Dodgers spy in disguise can seemingly put that to rest. For now, all those worries that came up during the physical seem to be forgotten as well. Kemp is all smiles about joining his new team and understands why it had to happen:

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"“Honestly, you don’t know what the front office thinks, or what they think they need. Maybe they felt like they needed another catcher, maybe they felt like they needed another arm. I guess it was good for both sides. The Dodgers got what they want and the Padres got what they want.”"

Matt Kemp had intended to spend his whole career with the Dodgers. He was as Dodger Blue as any other player not named Clayton Kershaw on the team. He did great things for the community, including this touching moment with a cancer-stricken young patient seen below. He even got caught up in the Hollywood scene for awhile and dated Rhianna.

Now he takes his life down to San Diego and tries to help the Padres get back to the top of their division for the first time since 2006. There is certainly a lot of pressure on him and he is feeling it, apparently. During his opening press conference he couldn’t even put his uniform on correctly.

“I was so nervous I couldn’t even button up my uniform during the press conference. This is new to me, guys,” Of course Randy Johnson had the same problem at the Hall of Fame announcement, so maybe they should just use velcro for press conference introductions?

King also addressed the reported rift with Kemp and manager Don Mattingly after reports had come out that Kemp hadn’t responded to Mattingly’s goodbye text message. Kemp quickly dismissed this notion and reiterated his respect for his former manager and how Mattingly is a student of the game. While certain rumors have swirled about Kemp’s relationship with some of his teammates last season – particularly Yasiel Puig – Kemp is excited for a fresh start in a new city.

Who knows, maybe someday Matt Kemp will be the second former Dodger with his number retired out in center field next to legendary Dodger Steve Garvey who also got his number retired by the Friars after leading them to their first World Series in 1984.

The Padres are welcoming him with open arms, though things have been silent from how Carlos Quentin reacted to the news.

Next: Is Matt Kemp Still Elite?

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