Comments on: UPDATE: Rays reach contract with infielder Jeff Keppinger

By: stex52

stex52 — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:53:42 +0000

Jeff Keppinger should appear in every article on the net about why batting average is a poor way to judge a player. He doesn’t strike out much, which is nice. But OPS is poor, fielding range is limited, arm mediocre, and no power except occasionally against left-handers. I had thought he would work out better for Houston, but what you see is what you get. You would think a guy who strikes out so little would walk a lot more, wouldn’t you?

He is pretty good as a role player against lefties, and will play anywhere he is asked. But it seems like they paid too much for that.

By: hittfamily

hittfamily — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:00:41 +0000

Who does he replace in the lineup when they face a lefty? Matt Joyce, Carlos Pena, Luke Scott and Reid Brignac are their liabilities vs lefties. Guyer will platoon with Matt Joyce to offset his liabilities. Sean Rodriguez will platoon with Brignac. Russ Canzler, a great hitter who stinks defensively, will relieve Pena and Scott, but neither their most expensive hitter in Pena, nor their second most expensive Scott will be straight platooned.

12 pitchers, Longo, Zobrist, Pena, Scott, Jennings, Upton, Joyce, and 2 catchers are locks to be on the 25 man team. Brignac will start the season as the SS. That leaves 3 spots for Sean Rodriguez, Brandon Guyer, Russ Canzler, Jeff Keppinger, Sam Fuld, Elliot Johnson, and Justin Ruggiano. Johnson and Ruggiano will likely start the season in AAA. Canzler will get a shot at DH for April since Luke Scott will start the season on the DL. Rodriguez hits lefties very well, and has played 7 positions in the last 2 years, a must to be a Maddon bench player, so I believe he makes the team. They just signed Keppinger to a ML contract, so he makes the team. The Rays have to choose between Fuld and Guyer. Fuld is a great defensive replacement, but so is Guyer. Guyer can hit though, and likely platoons with Joyce.

This means the Rays have to trade or release Fuld. I do not like the Keppinger signing, because he is basically Sean Rodriguez, except 2 million dollars pricier. He also isn’t necessary, and forces a very capable Sam Fuld off the team, and Fuld was worth a 1.7 WAR last year in only 346 PA. The Rays were already extremely deep off the bench, and I can only think that it was a move done in anticipation of a trade, with either Upton being shipped, or Rodriguez or Fuld being a throw in with a Neimann/Davis.Cobb trade. If this is the case, good signing. If no trades are made, Keppinger is an expensive redundant backup infielder.

By: againsville

againsville — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:22:24 +0000

This is a great move. The rays could not handle lefties at all last year. Assuming Scott and keppinger Noel out, these are great moves. If we can score more than last year, we will be the best team in baseball this year.

By: hittfamily

hittfamily — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:47:18 +0000

This makes no sense to me. That is a lot of money for a cash strapped team, especially when Keppinger will likely be a bat off the bench. He will play against lefties, but that is what Sean Rodriguez does. So either Sean Rod or Keppinger has to come off the bench, while the duo platoons with Reid Brignac. Keppinger is not better than Rodriguez, and he is certainly not cheaper.

This also decreases the probability of Upton or a pitcher being traded for a shortstop. It really limits their options. It also likely forces out Sam Fuld. Guyer will platoon with Joyce, or Zobrist with both Rodriguez and Keppinger handling the infield. They won’t have 2 reserve infielders and 2 reserve outfielders, and Guyer has earned a shot. Of all the possible reserves, Fuld is the odd man out because unlike Guyer, Keppinger, Rodriguez, and Brignac, Sam Fuld will not platoon.

I don’t like this move, because replacing Sam Fuld for Jeff Keppinger doesn’t help the team enough to justify 2 million dollars.