Keith Smith
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1977-1980)
Keith Smith was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1980 for the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals, a span of 4 seasons. In 53 career games, he hit .207 with 23 hits, 2 home runs, and 8 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'9" / 178 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1977-08-02
- Last Game
- 1980-10-05
Full name: Keith Lavarne Smith
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 | .207 | .261 | .306 | .567 | -60 |
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 .567 vs. league average .724 across their career seasons — 21.7% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| 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 | .239 | .264 (-10%) | .329 (-8%) | .401 (-3%) | .730 (-6%) | -59.7 |
| 1979 | SLN | NL | 6 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .231 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1980 | SLN | NL | 24 | 31 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .129 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 3 seasons | 53 | 111 | 17 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 10 | .207 | — | — | — | — | -60 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (53 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 26 | 68 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 5 | .206 |
| Away | 27 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 3 | .209 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-10-05 | STL | NYN | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980-09-22 | STL | PHI | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980-09-14 | STL | PHI | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-09-06 | STL | HOU | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-09-05 | STL | HOU | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-09-01 | STL | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-08-18 | STL | CIN | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1980-08-12 | STL | WSN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-08-07 | STL | PHI | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-08-02 | STL | LAD | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each 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 |
Keith Smith: the record in brief
The profile opens with Keith Smith's first major league game on August 2, 1977; the last one listed came on October 5, 1980. The team column moves through the Texas Rangers (1977) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1979 through 1980). Born on May 3, 1953, in Palmetto, FL, USA, Smith is listed as an outfielder and threw and hit right-handed. Size on record: 5'9" and 178 pounds. Smith's full given name, per the bio, is Keith Lavarne Smith.
Smith finished with 23 hits from 111 at bats in 53 games, which works out to .207; the totals also include 2 home runs and 8 runs batted in. Reaching base at a .261 clip and slugging .306, Smith finished with a .567 OPS. Smith's .207 average ran 21.7% below the .265 that the league posted over the same seasons. In OPS terms, Smith's .567 stands 21.7% below the league's .724. No season topped the 16 hits of 1977. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .239 in 1977, did not top the league's .264.
Frequently Asked Questions about Keith Smith
- What years did Keith Smith play?
- Keith Smith played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1980.
- Was Keith Smith a pitcher?
- No. Keith Smith was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Keith Smith hit?
- Keith Smith hit 2 career home runs with 23 hits.
- What was Keith Smith's career batting average?
- Keith Smith batted .207 over his career, with 23 hits in 111 at bats.
- How many RBI did Keith Smith have?
- Keith Smith drove in 8 runs in his career.
- Is Keith Smith in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Keith Smith has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.