Jeff Keener
| Jeff Keener | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: January 14, 1959 Pana, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 8, 1982, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1983, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Games pitched | 23 |
| Win–loss record | 1–1 |
| Earned run average | 2.70 |
| Strikeouts | 29 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Jeffrey Bruce Keener (born January 14, 1959) is a former Major League Baseball player who appeared as a relief pitcher in two seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Baseball career
[edit]Drafted from the University of Kentucky in the seventh round of the 1981 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, Keener quickly progressed through the Cardinals Minor League system.
Keener made his Major League debut at the age of 23 on June 8, 1982, at Montreal's Olympic Stadium against the Cardinals National League East rivals, the Montreal Expos. Keener retired all four batters, two of them on strikeouts, en route to a 5-4 Cardinal victory. In a total of 19 appearances during the 1982 season, he compiled an earned run average (ERA) of 1.61, with 25 strikeouts, 22 walks, and a record of 1 win, 1 loss, 0 saves. Keener bats left-handed and throws right-handed.[1]
During the 1983 season, Keener appeared in just four games with the Cardinals, posting an ERA of 8.31. His final appearance, September 27, 1983, marked his final game in the Major Leagues.
Despite his short tenure in the big leagues, Keener is remembered for his unusual submarine delivery, with which he threw pitches with a sidearm/underarm motion, rather than over the shoulder.
After baseball
[edit]After his baseball career ended, Keener returned to college, graduating from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in education, and attaining a master's degree in education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. In 2003, he became the first baseball player inducted into the Southeastern Illinois College Hall of Fame.[2]
Following his stints as baseball coach and physical education instructor, Keener became the principal of General John A. Logan Elementary School in Murphysboro, Illinois in 2008. After that, he became assistant principal at Murphysboro High School In 2010 and later was named as the principal for Murphysboro Middle School.[3]
Private life
[edit]Keener has three children: Jonathon, Karli and Cameron.
Sources
[edit]- ^ "Jeff Keener Stats | Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
- ^ Southeastern Illinois College Athletics Hall of Fame Archived 2018-05-15 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Murphysboro Middle School Website
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Retrosheet, or Pelota Binaria (Venezuelan Winter League)
- 1959 births
- Living people
- Arkansas Travelers players
- Cardenales de Lara players
- American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
- Baseball players from Jackson County, Illinois
- Kentucky Wildcats baseball players
- Louisville Redbirds players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Baseball players from Christian County, Illinois
- People from Murphysboro, Illinois
- American school principals
- St. Louis Cardinals players
- Peninsula Oilers players