Yasmani Grandal addresses LA trade

Matt Kemp has said all the right things about his new and former club since the Dodgers shipped him to San Diego, shocking their fan base and a good deal of the baseball world. Now it’s Yasmani Grandal’s turn.

"I think both teams got what they wanted," the Padres’ former catcher said at his introduction at Los Angeles’ FanFest over the weekend. "The Dodgers were looking for a catcher. The Padres were looking for a big-time bat. That's what Kemp brought to the table, and that's what I brought to the table."

Not so hard to read between the lines, is it?

In search for a big-time bat, the Padres may very well have given up on one coming into his own.

While Grandal’s .225/.327/.401 batting line left a lot to be desired, managing 15 homers in 443 plate appearances so soon after major right knee surgery suggests the 26-year-old catcher still has room to grow.

So do his final month of the season (.291/.408/.519) and an outstanding winter ball campaign that included a .328/.469/.541 batting line, two homers and 14 RBIs in 19 games played in the Dominican Republic.

His success in winter ball, in particular, gives him confidence that his knee is 100 percent heading into his first year with the Dodgers.

“It feels like I’m back at it again, like it was before,” he said.


(utsandiego.com)