Former MLB pitcher Matt Keough, who spent the majority of his career with the Oakland A's during the late 1970's and early 1980's, died yesterday. A cause of death has not been released. Keough was 64.
A native of Ponoma, California, Keough was the son of journeyman outfielder Marty Keough and nephew of Joe Keough. The younger Keough was a 7th round draft pick by the Oakland A's as an infielder out of high school. However, when Keough struggled at the plate the A's converted him into a pitcher in 1976 and would make his big league debut on the mound the following season as a September call up.
During his first full season in the majors in 1978, Keough was selected to the AL All-Star Team after going 6-4 with a 2.16 ERA during the first half. However, Keough would struggle after the All-Star Game going 2-11 the rest of the season although he did finish with a respectable 3.24 ERA. Keough's struggles would continue as he lost his first 14 decisions and did not a win a game for a full calendar year. Keough would finish the 1979 season with a 2-17 record with an ERA of 5.04.
Keough's fortunes would change in 1980 when the A's hired Billy Martin as their new manager. He would win a career high 16 games, posted a career best 2.92 ERA and completed a career high 20 games which earned him AL Comeback Player of the Year honors. Keough was one of three Oakland starters with 20 or more complete games that season with 22-game winner Mike Norris completing 24 games and Rick Langford completing 28 games.
In 1981, the A's would win the AL West title with Keough winning 10 games and completing 10 of his 19 starts. But those complete games would catch up with Keough in 1982 as he would lead the AL in losses (18), home runs surrendered (38) and earned runs (133) posting a ERA of 5.72. If that wasn't bad enough, Keough also walked 101 batters while only striking out 75 batters in 209.1 innings pitched.
Midway through the 1983 season, the A's traded Keough to the New York Yankees. He would spend the entire 1984 season with the Yankees' Double AA affiliate in Nashville. Keough returned to the majors briefly in 1985 when he appeared in four games for the NL champion St. Louis Cardinals. In 1986, Keough split his season with the Chicago Cubs and the NL West champion Houston Astros.
Unable to find a big league job after the season, Keough would spend the next four seasons pitching in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers. The Keoughs became the first American father-son combo to play professionally in Japan.
Keough attempted a big league comeback with the California Angels in both 1991 and 1992. Unfortunately, during his '92 comeback, Keough was hit in the temple with a foul ball which required emergency brain surgery and ended his playing career. In 9 seasons, Keough went 58-84 with a 4.17 ERA in 215 appearances including 175 starts.
During the rest of the 1990's, Keough worked as a pitching instructor and in the front office for both the Angels and A's. After a stint scouting for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Keough would become a special assistant to A's General Manager Billy Beane. However, a DUI incident in 2009 would earn him a year in jail.
Keough is probably best known to most people as being the estranged husband of Jenna Keough, a former Playboy playmate who was part of the original cast of The Real Housewives of the O.C. Although separated for many years, their divorce was not finalized until last year. The RHOC star said Keough was never the same after his 1992 on-field accident.
Keough's three children also appeared on the RHOC. His older son Shane was an outfielder in the A's minor league system from 2006 to 2010 while his younger brother Colton was briefly in the Seattle Mariners organization. His daughter Kara would marry former NFL linebacker Kyle Bosworth.
It has been a tough few months for the Keough clan. Keough's passing comes only weeks after Kara Keough-Bosworth's infant son died while Keough's uncle Joe passed away last September at the age of 73.
Keough's 85-year old father Marty survives him. R.I.P.
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