Matt Kemp’s importance to the San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres’ newest addition, Matt Kemp, won’t lack motivation this offseason.

After being traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kemp might have vengeful thoughts toward the organization and new management group that traded him away. As he comes to grips with this renewed motivation, he’ll also realize that he’s immediately become the most crucial figure in San Diego.

The media pressure will be less than his previous town, but his organizational importance will be greater. The Padres went 77-85 in 2014. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2006. With fellow California squads in the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants soaking up all the NL West glory, it’s time for the Padres to shift the balance of power.

Kemp can’t do this alone and shouldn’t be expected to. His talent, leadership and playoff experience, however, can help change San Diego’s losing culture. Skeptics can say all they want about Kemp and his attitude detrimentally impacting Los Angeles. With Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig on last year’s team, it’s unfair to point every finger at Kemp as the sole reason for the Dodgers’ lack of chemistry.

Fans shouldn’t buy Kemp as a problem child. They shouldn’t see this move as a salary dump. From the Dodgers’ perspective, they had a crowded outfield and Kemp was the only piece teams had legitimate interest in. Capitalizing on that lack of leverage for Los Angeles, San Diego managed to acquire Kemp, avoid losing elite prospects and wisely have the Dodgers pay over $30 million of his remaining salary.

The pure reality is Los Angeles became worse as San Diego improved. If San Diego won 77 games without its new star, it’s fair to assume a healthy Kemp alone can push them over the .500 mark. If additional offense can be brought in, San Diego’s looking at playoff contention. That health though, something that’s partially derailed Kemp’s rise, will determine how far San Diego goes.

From 2008-2011, Kemp played in 155-162 games every season. 2012 and 2013 saw major dips to 106 and 73 games. He bounced back in 2014 with a 150-game campaign. Various articles will mention how even a healthy Kemp’s numbers will suffer in San Diego’s monstrous Petco Park. Of course they will. But 20+ bombs and 80+ RBI can be expected. Forcefully impacting the lineup and exciting the home fans will be a given. For a franchise in need of positive change, there’s no way to spin this move in a negative light.

Kemp was a star and fan favorite in Los Angeles, he can be a hero and an icon in San Diego. This will sound like exaggerated speech, but go ahead and name the Padres’ most recognized players after Kemp. Name someone in that lineup who opposing pitchers fear. Source the last time a player of Kemp’s caliber landed in San Diego. Point being, this acquisition is an amazing start to the offseason. The Padres have a franchise centerpiece with a contract below market value.

Recent talks about the Padres concern what they’ll do next. Skeptics are wondering if a quality team can be built around Kemp. In the eyes of some, since Kemp’s the only main factor in the lineup, this trade is a wash. So what if he can hit and be productive, who else do they have?

This is a shortsighted approach to the move. With Kemp in uniform, San Diego can spend money or continue dealing. If Kemp was still in Los Angeles, the Padres wouldn’t have an organizational center point. Every franchise needs an operational source from where everything sprawls out. It can be a player, a strategy or even a concept. With directionless management plaguing the Padres for the past few years, Kemp’s arrival ends the meandering.

Whether the Padres stand pat or make multiple moves, its future depends on Kemp. He’s not the speedster he once was. His defense is no longer particularly effective. His arrival and significance hold far more weight than any negatives though. For San Diego, this is about making a splash. Taking a chance. Hoping for a healthy star and playoff contention. If Kemp plays in 150+ games, 16 of which will be against the Dodgers, just watch what he can do. No one will be watching closer than those in San Diego.