Keith Smith, baseball player, 1977-1980

Keith Smith

Born: 5/3/1953 in Palmetto, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1977-08-02 | Final Game: 1980-10-05

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 178 lbs

Full name: Keith Lavarne Smith

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Biography

Keith Smith, born in 1953, was a professional baseball player who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1977 until 1980. Over the course of his brief career, he appeared in 53 games, showcasing his talents primarily as an outfielder. Smith's playing style was characterized by a blend of speed and power, evidenced by his ability to hit two home runs and steal two bases during his time in the league. He accumulated a total of 23 hits, earning a batting average of .207, while driving in eight runs. Smith's career spanned an era that was transitioning away from the more traditional styles of play seen in previous decades, as the game began to embrace a more dynamic approach. While his time on the field was limited, Smith's contributions to his teams reflected the spirit of perseverance and adaptability that defined many players of his generation. After retiring in 1980, Smith's journey through the ranks of professional baseball remained a testament to the dedication required to reach the major leagues.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
53 111 17 23 5 0 2 8 2 6 10 0.207 0.261 0.306 0.567 -62.3

Career AVG .207 vs. league average .265 across their career seasons — 21.7% below league average.

Career OBP .261 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 20.7% below league average.

Career SLG .306 vs. league average .395 across their career seasons — 22.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.567 vs. league average 0.724 across their career seasons — 21.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1977 TEX AL 23 67 13 16 4 0 2 6 2 4 7 0.239 .264 (-10%) .329 (-8%) .401 (-3%) .730 (-6%) -62.3
1979 STL NL 6 13 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.231 — — — — 0.0
1980 STL NL 24 31 3 4 1 0 0 2 0 2 2 0.129 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 34 24 62 2 1 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1977 TEX OF 22 17 38 1 1 0
1979 SLN OF 5 3 14 1 0 0
1980 SLN OF 7 4 10 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 31
Center Field 1
Right Field 2

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
State College of Florida - Manatee-Sarasota Bradenton FL 1972