| Jeff Keppinger's versatility makes him an ideal super-sub on any team. (US Presswire) |
Jeff Keppinger has the bad beat of the offseason so far. The 32-year-old fell and broke his leg at his leg at his home on Nov. 26, according to a report by CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman. Keppinger is supposed to be ready in time for spring training, but carrying a broken leg into camp won't help.
Still, Keppinger's 2012 season will be heard loud and clear at the negotiating table. The righty hit .325/.367/.439 for the Rays, with career highs in OPS+ (127) and home runs (nine).
If Keppinger routinely hit like this, he'd be in league with the Ryan Zimmermans (career 121 OPS+) or Evan Longoria's (137 OPS+) of the world. But Keppinger's big season raised his career OPS to just 97.
To his credit, Keppinger is one of the elite contact hitters today. He struck out just 31 times in 418 plate appearances (7.4 percent), third-least in baseball among hitters with at least 300 plate appearances. Only the venerable slap-hitting Juan Pierre and celebrated contact hitter extraordinaire Marco Scutaro struck out less often.
Like many slap hitters, Keppinger lacks the power to leverage his contact into bigger run production totals. His .439 slugging percentage in 2012 was his best since a .477 mark in just 67 games as a Cincinnati Red (and in front of Cincinnati's cozy left field fence). Keppinger hits a whopping 1.8 ground balls for every fly ball -- he gets by on grounders through the hole and line drives in front of outfielders.
Without that power, Keppinger is an iffy starter for a playoff contender. He has wide platoon splits, and his .269/.321/.358 career line against right-handers makes him a liability against them. But Keppinger's versatility, contact ability and lefty-mashing ways -- a .333/.367/.487 career line against southpaws -- make him a valuable bench option and worth 300 plate appearances or more in the right spot.
Aside from playing third base, his primary position last year, Keppinger has 285 starts at second base and 126 at shortstop. He isn't elite at any position, but he's adequate all the way around the horn.
Keppinger is coming off just a $1.525 million salary with the Rays, but he could find himself as the Jonny Gomes of the infield market. Gomes received a two-year, $10 million contract from the Red Sox after taking $1 million to play for Oakland in 2012.
Keppinger will have varied suitors, as he fits as a second-division starter as well as a top bench player. So far, the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Rays and Yankees, running the gamut from cellar dwellers to mid-tier to the game's elite. Teams have his medical data and can decide for themselves if the broken leg presents a problem. If not, expect any team looking to fill a hole in the infield to at least take a look at Keppinger this winter.
Potential Suitors: Yankees, Rays, Cubs, Diamondbacks
Long Shots: Braves, Reds, Tigers