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Matt Kemp

Nightengale: Despite scare, Kemp deal to Padres done

Bob Nightengale
USA TODAY Sports
Matt Kemp is owed $107 million, and the Dodgers already have agreed to pay $32 million of the deal, making Kemp a $15 million-a-year-player.

The San Diego Padres were worried, and, OK, a bit scared.

Matt Kemp was the man they wanted.

The cool dude with the Midwest charm and Hollywood looks would be the face of their franchise.

The Padres pushed hard until the Los Angeles Dodgers finally relented and sent him their way last week.

They were getting one of the finest players in baseball the second half of last season, which turns out to be quite stunning, considering he was playing on two diseased hips.

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It's called arthritis.

Then, the Padres weren't quite sure how badly they wanted him.

Darn those extensive physicals and modern technology.

Kemp, just 30 years old, has severe arthritis in both hips, a person familiar with his physical examination told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke only on the condition of anonymity since the issue is considered a private matter.

The arthritis could ultimately lead to hip replacement surgery sometime in his lifetime, but maybe it won't mean anything more than physical therapy and a whole lot of aspirin.

The Padres and the Dodgers couldn't care less how much pain Kemp is in when he turns 50.

All they want to know is whether he can play baseball without any significant problems the next five years.

Kemp is owed $107 million, and the Dodgers agreed to pay $32 million of the deal, making Kemp a $15 million-a-year-player.

Now that it's known he has two bad hips, how much is he worth now?

Certainly, with arthritic hips, his days of stealing 40 bases are over. Then again, considering he has stolen just 26 bases the last three seasons, the Padres weren't counting on his speed, anyways.

Yet, they are counting on him being a productive defensive corner outfielder, even if he no longer is considered an everyday center fielder.

Then again, with the proper treatment, maybe the arthritis will not adversely affect Kemp until he's playing with his grandkids.

"It's somewhat common, it just depends on the severity,'' Greg Tchejeyan, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Ca., told USA TODAY Sports. "If it's a chronic condition, he's likely had it for a while. He may have a loss of range of motion, or less movement but it may not limit him in any way playing baseball.

"You just have to exercise more, maybe with some physical therapy, and take anti-inflammatory medication.

"It may not be a detriment, at all.''

The Padres' front office still competed the trade.

Yet, considering the red flag that was raised, you can't blame the Padres for being a little queasy.

Sure, this is messy, but you can't blame the Padres for conducting a thorough physical. You can't blame the Dodgers for not knowing the severity of Kemp's hips.

And after all, Kemp led the National League with a .606 slugging percentage after the All-Star break - hitting .309 with 17 homers and 54 RBI. In September: .322 with nine homers, 25 RBI and a .700 slugging percentage.

Maybe Kemp's value should actually escalate now that his toughness is exposed.

The shame of the information being disseminated like a commodity on the New York stock exchange is that no deal is ever done before physicals are complete, no matter how much information is leaked ahead of time.

Just two years ago, Mike Napoli agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

Napoli's physical revealed that he had avascular necrosis in both hips.

The deal was off, and Napoli eventually had to settle for a one-year, $5 million contract with an extra $8 million in incentives. It turned out to be a blessing: Napoli hit 23 homers and drove in 92 runs while helping lead the Red Sox to the World Series championship, and they signed him to a two-year, $32 million deal. So Napoli wound up getting an extra $6 million for flunking his physical.

Well, certainly Kemp's contract is not going to be renegotiated. He signed an eight-year, $160 million deal three years ago. And yes, underwent a physical back then, too.

And let's face it, Kemp likes the deal.

Sure, he loved his time in Los Angeles, and sent a lengthy farewell message to Dodgers fans thanking them for their support. But he certainly didn't want to stay in a place where he's not wanted. Besides, he has a beautiful home in San Diego just a 20-minute drive from Petco Park.

Just like Kemp, Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal and pitching prospects Joe Wieland and Zach Eflin were told they were traded. They went to Los Angeles, with Eflin staying just long enough to be traded again to Philadelphia to complete the Jimmy Rollins trade. And Dodgers catcher Tim Federowicz was told he was traded with Kemp to San Diego.

It's complicated, and it certainly made folks uncomfortable, but there really was no reason to believe this deal wouldn't happen.

Kemp is a Padre.

Pass the aspirin, please.

GALLERY: OFFSEASON TRADES

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