Jeff Keppinger

Infobox MLB player
name = Jeff Keppinger

---

width = 250
caption =
team = Cincinnati Reds
number = 27
position = Shortstop
birthdate = birth date and age|1980|4|21
birthplace = city-state|Miami|Florida
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = August 20
debutyear = 2004
debutteam = New York Mets
statyear = September 25, 2008
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .286
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 13
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 90
teams =
*New York Mets (by|2004)
*Kansas City Royals (by|2006)
*Cincinnati Reds (by|2007–present)

Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Keppinger (born April 21, 1980 in Miami, Florida) is a Major League Baseball shortstop currently playing for the Cincinnati Reds. He bats and throws right-handed.

Keppinger compiled a .380 batting average at the University of Georgia where, in the by|2001 College World Series, he hit a two-run home run off star pitcher Mark Prior. That same year, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 4th round of the Major League Baseball Draft. Although Keppinger continued to hit over .300 in the minor leagues, his power numbers (home runs and runs batted in) dropped dramatically from his college days.

At the by|2004 trading deadline, while Keppinger was in double-A ball, he was traded to the Mets as part of the Kris Benson for Ty Wigginton trade. His average soared even higher with the double-A Binghamton Mets and stayed above .300 with the triple-A Norfolk Tides earning him a call to the majors on August 20. He responded by hitting .284 with three home runs and nine RBI in 33 games played.

In by|2005, Keppinger again excelled in Norfolk while hitting .337. He was poised to return to the majors in June when Kazuo Matsui was injured, but bad luck struck when Keppinger fractured his kneecap around the same time as Matsui. The injury not only prevented his return to the majors but ended his entire 2005 season.

On July 19, 2006, Keppinger was acquired by the Kansas City Royals for middle infielder Ruben Gotay and Keppinger was sent to AAA Omaha.

Keppinger was called up by the Royals in August 2006. With a season-ending injury to starting 3rd baseman Mark Teahen, Keppinger was expected to see some major league action. A key moment in his career occurred on Saturday, September 9, 2006 at Boston's Fenway Park, when, after entering the game against the Red Sox as a pinch runner, he came to bat in the top of 12th inning in a 4-4 tie game with two runners on. Keppinger, batting against Manny Delcarmen, sliced a ball a few feet to the left of the right field foul pole for a three-run home run, breaking the 4-4 tie. The Royals went on to beat the Red Sox in that game 10-4. It was Keppinger's first major league hit in 2 years.

On January 2, 2007, Keppinger was designated for assignment by the Royals. Eight days later, Keppinger was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. In return, the Royals received Minor League pitcher Russ Haltiwanger.

In 1994, under the tutiledge of Coach Tim Worth, Keppinger played and starred on the Dunwoody Braves summer baseball team of Dunwoody, Ga. A telling sign of awards to come, Keppinger, along with teammate Mike McCarthy (Augusta State University Alumni, 2001), were named to the AAU All-American 14 & Under team.

On May 13, 2008, Keppinger fractured his patella in the second inning of a game against the Florida Marlins, placing him on the 15 day disabled list. On June 22, 2008, Keppinger returned, much to the joy of the Reds who had just recently lost another shortstop to injury in Jolbert Cabrera.

Keppinger currently lives in Auburn, Georgia.

External links

*
* [http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?pl=433898 Minor League Splits and Situational Stats]