Has two children: Kaden and Brilee … Twitter: @JKeppinger … attended the University of Georgia, where he hit .380 during his three-year career … hit .389 with 18 home runs and 73 RBI during his junior season to lead Georgia to a berth in the College World Series … went 4-9 (.444) at the CWS, including a triple and two-run homer off Southern California's Mark Prior … was named a Baseball America and Louisville Slugger first-team freshman All-American … is a 1998 graduate of Parkview (Ga.) High School.
2013
Appeared in 117 games in his first season with Chicago, his most since 2010 (137) … played 45 games at second base (41 starts), 41 at third (35), 20 at first (14) and 15 as the designated hitter (13) … his .253 average was a career-low, and his 41 strikeouts a career high … batted .287 (84-293) in 86 games from 5/15-remainder of the season … his .214 (22-103) average vs. left-handers was down from .376 in 2012 and .333 over his career entering the season … went 19-56 (.339) as the DH and 16-51 (.314) with 16 RBI with RISP/two outs … was 1-4 in his White Sox debut as the starting third baseman on Opening Day vs. Kansas City … went hitless over a career-high 24 at-bats from 4/15-22 … recorded three consecutive multihit games for the first time in his career from 4/22-25 … drew a game-winning, bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning on 5/16 at Los Angeles-AL … the walk was his first of the season, snapping a streak of 139 plate appearances without a walk … hit his first homer with the White Sox on 5/21 vs. Boston and a game-ending single in the 11th inning on 5/24 vs. Miami … compiled an eight-game hitting streak from 5/29-6/10 (.324, 11-34) … registered his first three-hit game of the season on 5/29 at the Cubs … reached base four times on 6/22 at Kansas City … was 6-8 with a triple, homer and four RBI in a doubleheader on 6/28 vs. Cleveland … posted four multihit games in a seven-game span from 8/12-18 (.400, 10-25) … hit his third home run on 8/16 at Minnesota, snapping a 139 at-bat homerless streak dating back to 6/28-1 vs. Cleveland … hit safely in his final six games from 9/8-23 (.429, 9-23) … underwent season-ending surgery to debride his right shoulder on 9/26.
2012
Established a career high with nine home runs and led Tampa Bay with a .325 average (125-385) ... his .325 mark would have ranked third in the American League but he fell 84 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the batting title ... batted .376 (44-117) vs. left-handers, the highest mark in the AL, the fourth-best mark in baseball and second-best in Rays history behind Jason Bartlett (.379 in 2008) ... his .332 average (85-356) after the All-Star Break was fifth-best in the AL ... was the toughest player in the AL to strike out, fanning once every 13.5 plate appearances (31 SO/418 PA) ... accomplished the feat for the third consecutive season ... recorded more RBIs (40) than strikeouts in a season for the seventh time in his career ... appeared in 115 games and made 104 starts (41 at third base, 23 at second, 21 at first and 19 as the designated hitter) ... hit .333 (49-147) with two homers and 19 RBIs as the third baseman ... batted .343 (58-169) with five homers and 20 RBIs at Tropicana Field and .344 (65-189) in 61 games on turf ... tied for third in the AL in pinch hits (5-9, .556) ... hit cleanup as the designated hitter on 4/6 vs. the Yankees, his first Opening Day start in both spots ... the start was the second of his career on Opening Day (also 2008 with Cincinnati) ... hit .342 (116-339) from 4/22-remainder of the season, the best mark in the AL during that span (minimum 300 at-bats) ... was on the disabled list from 5/19-6/22 with a broken right great toe after being hit by a line drive while in the dugout on 5/19 vs. Atlanta ... appeared in six injury rehab games with Class AAA Durham ... matched his career high and the Tampa Bay club record with five hits on 6/23 at Philadelphia ... according to STATS LLC, became just the second player since 1982 to collect five hits in his first game after returning from the disabled list (also Troy Tulowitzki in 2009) ... hit his first career pinch-homer on 6/30 vs. Detroit ... batted .369 (31-84) in August, the second-best mark in the AL behind Prince Fielder (.370) ... surpassed his previous career high with his eighth homer on 9/25 at Boston.
2011
Acquired midseason by San Francisco from
Houston after Giants 2B Freddy Sanchez suffered a season-ending shoulder injury...dealt for
minor league RHP Henry Sosa and RHP Jason
Stoffel on July 19...combined to hit .277 (105-
for-379) with 20 2B, 6 HR and 35 RBI in 99
games between both clubs...made a combined
92 starts, all at 2B...Missed the first 50 games of the season while
recovering from left foot surgery, performed to
remove a sesamoid bone on Jan 14 in Charlotte,
N.C., by Dr. Robert Anderson...For the third time in his career was the toughest to strike out in the NL, fanning only 24
times in 400 plate apps, and ranked 2nd in the
majors behind CWS Juan Pierre...to put that
into perspective, ML strikeout leader CIN Drew
Stubbs fanned 24 times in an 11-game span in
2011...led the majors in 2008 (1 SO every 20.9
PA) and 2010 (1 SO every 15.97 PA)...Also ranks second to Pierre among active players with a career mark of just 1 SO per 16.11
PA...in his 3-year career at the University of
Georgia he had just 44 SO in 714 AB...Had more RBI than strikeouts for the 6th time
in 7 seasons...His final average of .277 was the lowest it had
been all season...entered September with a
.303 average, but batted only .177 (14-for-79) in
the final month...Was 2-for-4 with the bases loaded and is 21-
for-44 (.477) for his career, highest avg. among
active players with the bases loaded (min. 50
PA) and the 4th-highest avg. since 1974...Although his .290 avg. vs. lefties was his lowest since 2006, his .325 avg. vs. southpaws
over the past 5 years is 9th among major
leaguers during that span...all 12 of his walks in
2011 were vs. righties...his last walk against a
lefty was Sep 21, 2010 (WAS John Lannan)... From the time he returned from the DL on
May 27 until he was traded to the Giants,
he was the Astros 3rd-leading hitter behind
Hunter Pence (.340) and Michael Bourn (.314)...Had 5 straight hits against the Rays, June 25-
26 at Minute Maid Park...his .458 (11-for-24) career average vs. the Rays is his highest against
any opponent (min. 10 AB)...Started 54 of the Giants final 63 games...
was the Giants leading hitter in August with a
.313 (31-for-99) avg. ...missed 3 games when
he injured his right wrist Aug 15 at ATL as
he jammed it while colliding with 1B Freddie
Freeman...batted .232 (29-for-125) over the remainder of the season.
2010
Hit .288 (148x514) with a club-best 34 doubles, six homers and 59 RBI in 137 games for Houston...set career highs in hits,
doubles, runs scored (62), RBI, walks (51) and stolen bases (4)...his .288 average ranked second on the club in batting average,
behind only Chris Johnson (.308), and was his highest since hitting a career-best .332 (80x241) in 67 games in 2007 for CIN...
was the hardest batter to strikeout in the Majors in 2010 at once per 15.97 plate appearances...started a career-high 122 games
at second base during the season...also made 10 starts at shortstop, his most since starting a career-high 101 games in 2008
for CIN... while he had 48 single-hit games, he posted a career-high 45 multi-hit games in 2010, including 10 games with at least
three hits...were the most multi-hit games in a single season by an Astros second baseman since Craig Biggio had 56 multi-hit
games in 2004... drove in a career-high four runs twice during the season, on May 19 vs. COL and Aug. 2 at STL...hit .304 (42x138)
with 17 doubles and 10 RBI against left-handed pitchers, which ranked 25th among NL players vs. LHP...in September, hit .316
(30x95) with 13 RBI in 26 games...also hit above .300 in two other calendar months during the season: May (.314, 25g) and July (.353, 23g)...reached base safely in 14 consecutive games from Sept. 1-17, posting a .431 on-base percentage in that time
frame....990 fielding pct. ranked 4th among NL second basemen...finished the season with a 48-game errorless streak...made
just one error in his last 66 games after committing six errors in his first 68 games of the season...hit safely in 20 of his last 28 gms
at .307 (31x101) with 13 RBI after Sept. 3...was on the 15-day Disabled List from Aug. 17-Sept. 1 with left big toe sesamoiditis...
made two rehab outings at Double A Corpus Christi (2x5, RBI, BB)...prior to going on the DL, had 10 RBI in his previous 12 games
from Aug. 2-16...posted a season-long, 10-game hit streak from May 30-June 8, during which he hit .385 (15x39) with two RBI.
2009
Hit .256 (78x305) with a career-high seven home runs and 29 RBI in 107 games with the Astros...acquired by Houston from
Cincinnati during Spring Training...joined the club for the final four games of the preseason schedule...posted a .314 (32x102)
batting average against left-handed pitching...started 33 of the club's 38 games against left-handed starters in 2009...made
76 starts, including 59 at third base, 14 at second base and three at shortstop...went 5x15 as a pinch-hitter...averaged just one
strikeout every 10.42 plate appearances, which ranked seventh in the National League (min. 300 AB)...recorded his first career
multi-homer game on Sept. 16 at CIN...missed seven team games from Sept. 5-11 with tightness in his back...also missed three
games from June 13-16 with back soreness...homered off of Kyle McClellan in the top of the ninth inning on Aug. 27 at STL,
which gave the Astros a 4-3 advantage...marked his second career go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later, also on Sept. 9,
2006 at BOS...for the first time in his career, started three consecutive team games at three different positions from June 5-7...
started at shortstop (June 5), third base (June 6) and second base (June 7)...became just the second player in the history of the
Houston franchise to hit safely in his first eight games in an Astros uniform from April 7-22....Roman Mejias also did so for the
Colt .45's from April 10-19, 1962...also became the first player to record three consecutive hits to start his Astros career since
Chris James hit safely in his first four at-bats as an Astro from April 5-11, 1993...hit a bases-loaded, walk-off single on April 7 vs.
CHC, which lifted the Astros to a 3-2 victory over the Cubs...by doing so, became the first Astro with a walk-off hit in his first atbat
as an Astro since relief pitcher Jim Crawford also did so on April 10, 1973 vs. LAD.
2008
Struck out just once every 20.9 plate
apps, best ratio in the National League...ranked fifth in
the NL with a .360ba vs LHP...from 5/14-6/21 missed
36g while on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured
left patella, an injury suffered when he fouled a ball off his kneecap on 5/13 vs Fla...played 2 more innings
with the injury before he left the game...hit .324 in 39g before he went on the DL and .238 in 82g after he
came off the DL...made 113 starts...led the club with 101 starts at SS...the last week of the season made all 3
of his starts at 2B...also started at 1B (2gs, 4/7 vs Phi & 4/13 at Pit) and 3B (7gs)...led the club with 79 starts
batting second in the order...also hit first (7gs), third (1gs, 4/27 at SF), fifth (6gs), sixth (13gs) and seventh
(7gs)...had 33 multi-hit games, including seven 3-hit games and a 5-hit game...played in the Reds' first 34g before a day off on 5/7 vs Chi...in the nightcap of the day/night DH at NYM on 5/10 produced a career-high
5 hits, the most by a Reds player in a game in 2008...from 5/10-5/11 produced 7 straight hits, the most since
Adam Dunn had 7 consecutive hits from 7/26-7/27, 2006 at Hou...on those dates reached base safely in 8
straight plate apps (7h, 1bb), the most since Dunn reach safely in 9 straight from 7/26-7/27, 2006...on 7/8 at
Chi singled off Ryan Dempster to snap a career-high 0-for-22 skid...had 1 of the club's 11 walkoff hits...in the
11th inning of the 4-3 win on 7/22 vs SD produced a game-ending, RBI-double off Bryan Corey...on 9/20 vs
Mil made his first start of the season at 2B, in the club's 154th game.
2007
During 3 stints with the Reds hit .332 and reached base safely in 55 of his 67 apps...in August
finished fourth in the National League in hitting (.393) and received NL Player of the Month Award votes...
made 55 starts at 5 positions (43 at SS, 7 at 3B, 3 at 2B, 1 in LF, 1 in RF)...also made 1 appearance at 1B
(8/30 at Pit)...from 8/12-8/28/g1 made 15 straight starts at SS while Alex Gonzalez was on the bereavement
list (.377)...following Gonzalez' knee injury on 9/12 started at SS in 16 of the Reds' last 17g of the season and
played 2B in the other (.323)...struck out only 12 times in 276 plate apps, best ratio in the majors (1k/23pa)...
his career-high 14-game hitting streak from 8/11-8/25 (.421, 2hr, 7rbi, 19r) tied Javier Valentin for second
on the club to Brandon Phillips' 22-game streak...in the batting order hit leadoff (2gs), second (42gs), third
(1gs, 8/19 at Mil), fifth (2gs), sixth (6gs), seventh (1gs) and eighth (1gs)...began the season on the Reds'
15-day disabled list with a broken right ring finger suffered during spring training when he was hit by an Allan
Simpson pitch (3/4 at Pit)...in his 4 spring apps before the injury went 6-for-8 (1hr, 2rbi)...on 4/19 was sent to
FSL Sarasota on rehab...on 4/22 was recalled from his rehab, was reinstated from the DL and was optioned
to Louisville...reached base safely in 52 of his 57 apps for the Bats and hit safely in 50-57...when promoted for
the final time on 7/7 led the International League in hitting (.368) and ranked second in on-base percentage
(.424)...spent the rest of the season with the Reds and hit .335 in his last 63 apps...on 7/22 at Fla produced
a career-high 4 hits, including his first homer as a Red (off Rick Vanden Hurk)...was selected to play in the
Triple-A All-Star Game and was Louisville's Player of the Month for June (.354).
2006
Split the season between the Mets and Royals organizations...in 119g at Class AAA combined
to hit .316 at Norfolk and Omaha...on 7/19 was traded from NYM to KC...hit .354 in his 32 apps at Omaha,
including a 13-game hitting streak from 7/24-8/5, before he was recalled on 8/25...finished the season with
the Royals...for KC made 16 starts (12gs at 3B, 3gs at 1B, 1gs at 2B)...on 9/9 at Bos produced his first hit as
a Royal, a game-winning 3-run HR off Manny Delcarmen in the 12th inning...hit .393 in his last 7g...ended
the season with four 2-hit games (.444, 8-18, 1hr, 5rbi, 5r)...the 4-game hitting streak was his longest of the
year...on 1/2 was designated for assignment by the Royals...8 days later was traded to the Reds.
2005
Missed most of the season with a fractured left tibia suffered on 6/15 in a collision with Charlotte's Felix
Martinez...the next day went on Norfolk's disabled list and on 9/9 was transfered to the Mets' 60-day DL...at
the time of the injury ranked first in the International League and sixth among all minor league batters with 86
hits...had 4 hits in the season opener vs Scranton-Wilkes/Barre...from 4/28-5/5 put together 7 straight multi-hit
games (17-31, .548).
2004
In his Major League debut hit .284 in 33 apps, including 27 starts, for the Mets...in 102 minor league
games combined to hit .337 for Class AA Altoona and Binghamton and Class AAA Norfolk...on 7/30, along
with RHP Kris Benson was traded from the Pirates to the Mets...was promoted on 8/20 and in the fifth inning
that night at SF made his Major League debut by grounding out as a pinch hitter...on 8/21 at SF singled off
Jim Brower for his first career hit...on 8/28 vs LAD led off the game with his first career home run (off Odalis
Perez)...on 8/28 and 8/29 vs LAD became the first Mets second baseman to homer in consecutive games
since Roberto Alomar in 2002...posted 3-hit games on 9/11 vs Phi and 9/14 vs Atl...produced a pair of seasonbest
5-game hitting streaks (9/8-9/12, 9/22-9/28)...committed just 2 errors in 149 total chances (.987)..was an
Eastern League All-Star and the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern League All-Star Game.
