White Sox sign Jeff Keppinger 3 Years $12 Million

[WhiteSox0507]

Hearing keppinger to white sox, 3 yrs

https://mobile.twitter.com/JonHeyman...90821526372352

[DaSox_05]

Per Twitter.

[keymax]

3 years for a marginal player? That FA market is crazy.

In hindsight I wish they would have picked up Youk's option.

[DaSox_05]

Haha we made thread at the same time and when i merged yours went first. Beat me by seconds.

[WhiteSox0507]

Haha, yeah, I saw that as soon as I posted it and went back to the main thread page yours was above it. Both time stamped at 12:26

[JDIsMyGod23]

3/12 is a deal IMO.

[WhiteSox0507]

Now that we have the right-handed 3B, how much is Chavez asking?

[RockTheCell]

Now that we have the right-handed 3B, how much is Chavez asking?

This. Please.

If they're intent on needing a LH bat (which I'd applaud), I'd rather add Chavez (Or Salty. Or Kubel. OR . . . ) than AJ. Not that I hate AJ, it's just time to move on and get some good D at what is a defense-first position (C). I've just got a strange feeling AJ is coming back, though.

[Badluck33]

If he can stay healthy, its not a bad deal.

At least its not Brent Morel.

[1-800-STFU]

He was solid last year but not sure he'll repeat that.

He'll be OK, I guess in a thin market you take what you can get

[keymax]

Rosenthal says it's a 3/12 deal. Guess it's okay. Good utility players make that kind of money.
But I still hope he isn't the full time 3B.

[JDIsMyGod23]

My take:

Congratulations to new Chicago White Sox general manager, Rick Hahn, on making his first “big” signing today at the 2012 Winter Meetings. The White Sox have agreed to terms with INF Jeff Keppinger on a three-year deal, which is reportedly worth $12 million. Considering we are in a market where Marco Scutaro gets $20 million, this is a pretty good bargain for the Palehose.

The White Sox were desperate for a third baseman, seeing as Brent Morel isn’t very good and Kevin Youkilis is out of their price range, so in comes Keppinger. Now, Keppinger isn’t going to be the .325 hitter he was last season for the Tampa Bay Rays, but he should give the White Sox about two wins at third base.
Robin Ventura will probably put Keppinger in the two-hole, hitting behind Alejandro De Aza and before Adam Dunn. Keppinger has the hitting abilities most managers love in the two-sport – - i.e. bunting, moving runners along, making contact.

This isn’t a deal that’s going to make or break the White Sox in 2013, but it is a move that keeps them afloat in the AL Central picture and possible wild card. The season is basically on the shoulders of Jake Peavy and Chris Sale, because if they don’t pitch 180+ innings like they did last year, then it really doesn’t matter what the offense does.

But with a rotation that includes Sale, Peavy, and a hopefully healthy John Danks, the White Sox have the pieces to be competitive. They just need some things to break their way to compete for a division championship.

Final verdict: Good value signing, fills a hole, is 23892 times better than the Scutaro deal, who is a comparable player.

Well done, Rick.

http://www.rantsports.com/mlb/2012/1...-million-deal/

[DaSox_05]

3/12 is a very good price.

[quade36]

I like this signing. If he works out great, if he doesn't not a huge loss. I can't believe we paid more for Mark Teahen....

[Muttman73]

A nice, first move.