Highlights and quotes from the Padres-Matt Kemp press conference.

Padres complete Dodgers-Matt Kemp deal…Tampa-Wil Myers trade…Braves-acquisition-Juston Upton…Red Sox trade for Will Middlebrooks

• Ownership has shown how much they want to win.
• My goal from day one was to improve the offense.
• Matt Kemp is a max-impact player
• He can hit to all fields at Petco Park
• Our rebuilding began with the Kemp acquisition.
• The other deals happened because we had the pieces other people wanted.
• We now have surplus OFs to use in other deals if the right deal comes around.
• Kemp-Upton-Myers-young players who are grinders-I like that.
• It is important to have core players..Kemp 30..Upton-at peak..Norris 25…Myers 23.
• I want to win now and win later..these deals help us do that.
• This was not chaos in our war room…make deals..continue to put ideas together and make calls.
• My wish list was to start with a bat-I thought it was unlikely we’d get all we wanted-but we really did.

• This is a new chapter in my life.
• I thank the Dodgers-I learned how to become a complete player.
• I was numbed when I first heard the rumors-but there is a reason these things happen.
• I was initially shocked-but change is good.
• AJ Preller has become a ‘Rock Star-GM’ with all these trades.
• Last year I had no spring training coming off the injuries-the first half of the season was my spring training.
• No one is every 100% healthy-I learned to work thru the injuries…
• I didn’t know I was a .322 career hitter at Petco…I just see the ball really well..the hitters eye in CF helps.
• The injuries I’ve had test your soul…I learned to stay positive in rehab-got thru them.
• It was hard in LA-all those outfielders deserve the chance to play everyday.
• Baseball is not easy on the mind-baseball is hard on players..you just want to know where you stand.
• Coming off Labrum-Ankle surgery-everyone told me it would take two years to get healthy..I made it back in less than a year.

• Petco Park will become hitter friendly now with the new dimensions.
• Good hitters can hit anywhere-Matt Kemp has.
• Matt Kemp-Justin Upton…impact players with power to all fields.
• We just got players in the wheelhouse of their careers-what a day.
• Matt Kemp is my RF….Justin Upton is my LF…Wil Myers will play CF.
• I project Yonder Alonso-Tommy Medica at 1B.
• Will Middlebrooks-Y Solarte will battle at 3B.
• What I like is we now have key players penciled into this lineup for a longtime.
• These three OFs-never want a day off-that is a comfort zone for a manager.
• Once we got Kemp, I knew we would go get more bats-Kemp was the starter.
• What a great feeling we made all these trades and did not surrender any of our front end starters or touched the bullpen.

• Our budget is going up-we do not have a set figure.
• Now we play-win-convince Justin Upton this is place to stay.
• You have to give up talen to get talent-we gave young players for established players.