White Sox Land Jeff Keppinger

Today at the Winter Meetings, Rick Hahn and the White Sox signed infielder Jeff Keppinger to play third next year.  The deal lasts 3 years and is worth $12 million.

Keppinger spent 2012 with Tampa Bay where he batted .325/.367.439 and also hit 9 HRs in 115 games.  For his career, Keppinger has an incredibly low strikeout percentage at only 6.4%.  Only Juan Pierre has struck out less in recent years than Jeff Keppinger according to FanGraphs.

This won't be a signing that will have the rest of the baseball world buzzing, but it is an intelligent, smart, cost-effective signing.  As South Side Sox points out:

This is by no means a sexy signing, but it's a relatively safe one that makes a good deal of sense for what the Sox are trying to accomplish. Keppinger only needs to be worth about 2.1 WAR over the next three seasons to earn his contract. If used properly, that shouldn't be a problem.

With third base now solved (although expect Keppinger to be platooned), Rick Hahn now has more flexibility with what he can get in return if he chooses to deal Gavin Floyd.

Follow Pale Hose Prospectus on Twitter - @ChiSoxProspects