San Diego Padres: Bad Timing Trading Matt Kemp Last July

Matt Kemp’s second half numbers, Yoenis Céspedes’ free agency, and Wil Myers’ decline are factors proving that the San Diego Padres’ trade of Kemp was badly timed.

Back in winter 2014, Padres AJ Preller made a flurry of trades that won him the “Rock Star GM” accolade.

In one of them, he acquired Matt Kemp from the Los Angeles Dodgers, in exchange for Yasmani Grandal and others.

Clearly, the centerpiece of the trade was Kemp.

Then, when the 2015 season started, the “plan” did not work and the ball club lost 88 games.

Last year, when the season was half way through and the team was not performing, the Padres decided to trade their veteran players to open spaces for their youth.

Among them Matt Kemp, who was traded to the Braves, along with cash, for Hector Olivera, who immediately was cut.

That is, San Diego didn’t get a player in return and are eating part of the Kemp salary.

The trade was not a bad idea. The problem is that SD got nothing in return for a very good power hitter.

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So why it was bad timing trading Kemp in July?

1. It is known that Kemp is a stud in the second half, the past three seasons he has averaged .293, 17 HRs & 52 RBIs.
2. His overall numbers last year were .268, 35 HRs & 108 RBIs, similar compared to this years prime power hitting free agent Yoenis Cespedes (.280, 31 HRs & 86 RBIs).
3. Wil Myers‘ numbers suffered in august (.216, 3 HRs & 9 RBIs), the first month without Kemp hitting after him.

In retrospect, Preller should have waited until the offseason to trade Kemp (even after Cespedes signing), to an AL team to serve as a DH-OF. His value would have been much higher, as several teams are looking for power hitters.

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Whichever team lost the Cespedes sweepstakes would have seen Kemp as an alternative. After all, who wouldn’t like to have a 35 HR & 108 RBI hitter in the middle of their lineup?