Dave Keller
Encyclopedia
Dave Keller was a minor league baseball
player, coach and manager and major league coach for the Cleveland Indians
. He is currently the minor league hitting coordinator for the Chicago Cubs
farm system.
Keller attended the University of Northern Colorado
from 1979 to 1982 where he excelled at both baseball and basketball
. He still holds career records at the school for RBI (173), home run
s (47) and slugging percentage (.756). Keller is also in the program's top ten lists for career run
s (146), total bases
(332) and walk
s (86). He also holds the single season Bears record for home runs (20). In basketball, Keller was an All-North Central Conference
selection in 1982 and led the team in scoring with a 15.1 points per game
average. In 2006, he was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 1982, Keller was chosen in the 28th round of the 1982 draft by the Cincinnati Reds
, and he played in their minor league system through the 1986 season. From 1987 to 1989, Keller was the manager for the Billings Mustangs
of the rookie Pioneer League in the Reds organization.
In 1990, Keller was hired by the Cleveland Indians to manage their farm team in Burlington, North Carolina
. In 1991, his Burlington Indians qualified for the Appalachian League
playoffs. For the 1992 season, Keller was moved up to the Class A Kinston Indians
. He was the manager for the K-Tribe through the 1994 season and earned Carolina League
manager of the year honors in 1993. Keller finished up his managerial career with a stint as the skipper for South Bend of the Midwest League
for the Chicago White Sox
.
In 1999, Keller was named the minor league hitting coordinator for the Cleveland Indians. In 2000 and 2001, he served as a hitting instructor in their system. He finally made it to the major leagues as a bullpen coach for Cleveland in 2002 and 2003.
Currently, and since the 2004 season, Keller has been the minor league hitting coordinator for the Chicago Cubs
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, coach and manager and major league coach for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. He is currently the minor league hitting coordinator for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
farm system.
Keller attended the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
from 1979 to 1982 where he excelled at both baseball and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. He still holds career records at the school for RBI (173), home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (47) and slugging percentage (.756). Keller is also in the program's top ten lists for career run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
s (146), total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(332) and walk
WALK
WALK may refer to:*WALK , a radio station licensed to East Patchogue, New York, United States*WALK-FM, a radio station licensed to Patchogue, New York, United States...
s (86). He also holds the single season Bears record for home runs (20). In basketball, Keller was an All-North Central Conference
North Central Conference
The North Central Conference , also known as North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, was a college athletic conference which operated in the north central United States. It participated in the NCAA's Division II.-History:...
selection in 1982 and led the team in scoring with a 15.1 points per game
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
average. In 2006, he was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 1982, Keller was chosen in the 28th round of the 1982 draft by the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, and he played in their minor league system through the 1986 season. From 1987 to 1989, Keller was the manager for the Billings Mustangs
Billings Mustangs
The Billings Mustangs are a minor league baseball team based in Billings, Montana. The Mustangs are the Pioneer League Rookie affiliate of the Major League Cincinnati Reds. The team has been a part of the Pioneer League since 1948 with a five-year gap between 1964 and 1968, and has been affiliated...
of the rookie Pioneer League in the Reds organization.
In 1990, Keller was hired by the Cleveland Indians to manage their farm team in Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located. The population was 49,963 at the 2010...
. In 1991, his Burlington Indians qualified for the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
playoffs. For the 1992 season, Keller was moved up to the Class A Kinston Indians
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
. He was the manager for the K-Tribe through the 1994 season and earned Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
manager of the year honors in 1993. Keller finished up his managerial career with a stint as the skipper for South Bend of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
In 1999, Keller was named the minor league hitting coordinator for the Cleveland Indians. In 2000 and 2001, he served as a hitting instructor in their system. He finally made it to the major leagues as a bullpen coach for Cleveland in 2002 and 2003.
Currently, and since the 2004 season, Keller has been the minor league hitting coordinator for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.