Bob Kipper

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Bob Kipper

| image =

| caption =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|7|8}}

| birth_place = Aurora, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date =

| bats = Right

| throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 12

| debutyear = 1985

| debutteam = California Angels

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = July 27

| finalyear = 1992

| finalteam = Minnesota Twins

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 27–37

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 4.34

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 369

| teams =

California Angels ({{mlby|1985}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1985}}–{{mlby|1991}})
Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|1992}})

}}

Robert Wayne Kipper (born July 8, 1964) is an American professional baseball coach and a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He has also spent two terms (all of the 2002 season, and part of the 2015 season) as bullpen coach of MLB's Boston Red Sox.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150818211752/http://m.redsox.mlb.com/news/article/143482562 Boston Red Sox official web site]

Playing career

A native of Aurora, Illinois, Kipper, a left-hander, stood {{convert|6|ft|2|in}} tall and weighed {{convert|200|lb}} during his active career. After graduating from Aurora Central Catholic High School, he was selected by the California Angels with the eighth pick in the first round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft. He had signed to play baseball at Nebraska before his selection. Kipper led the Class A California League in wins (18) and earned run average (2.04) as his league's "pitcher of the year" in 1984. He made his MLB debut with the Angels in April {{baseball year|1985}} at age 20, but was ineffective in two games pitched and was returned to the minor leagues.

Kipper was sent from the Angels to the Pirates on August 16, 1985 to complete a trade from two weeks prior on August 2 that also had Pat Clements and Mike Brown coming to Pittsburgh for John Candelaria, George Hendrick and Al Holland.[https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/03/sports/sports-people-wish-comes-true.html "Sports People: Wish Comes True," The New York Times, Saturday, August 3, 1985.] Retrieved January 29, 2023.[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/08/16/The-Pittsburgh-Pirates-acquired-the-contract-of-left-handed-pitcher/3230493012800/ "The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired the contract of left-handed pitcher...," United Press International (UPI), Friday, August 16, 1985.] Retrieved January 29, 2023. He would pitch in 247 games for the Pirates over all or parts of seven seasons (1985–91)—initially as a starter, but then as a relief specialist—before finishing his MLB career for the Minnesota Twins in {{baseball year|1992}}.

In his eight-season MLB career, Kipper posted a 27–37 record with a 4.43 ERA and 11 saves in 271 appearances. He allowed 527 hits and 217 bases on balls, with 369 strikeouts, and 562 innings pitched.

Post-playing career

Following his playing retirement, Kipper has worked as a pitching coach in independent league baseball and in the minor leagues. He also spent a full season as major league bullpen coach of the 2002 Boston Red Sox.[http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2013/12/red_sox_announce_2014_minor_league_field_staffs.html Red Sox announce 2014 minor league managers, coaching staffs] Thirteen years later, on August 16, 2015, he was named Boston's interim bullpen coach, part of a chain reaction of moves driven by manager John Farrell's medical leave of absence for treatment of lymphoma. In Farrell's absence, bench coach Torey Lovullo became acting manager and bullpen coach Dana LeVangie became acting bench coach.

A member of the Boston Red Sox organization since 1999, Kipper has coached for their Lowell Spinners (1999), Augusta GreenJackets (2000–01), Greenville Drive (2005–06; 2008–09; 2018–present),{{cite press release |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-red-sox-announce-personnel-moves-in-player-development-and-minor-l |title=Red Sox announce personnel moves in player development and Minor League field staffs

|website=mlb.com |publisher=Boston Red Sox |date=January 16, 2020 |access-date=January 28, 2020}} Lancaster JetHawks (2007), Portland Sea Dogs (2003–04; 2010–14), and Pawtucket Red Sox (2015–17) affiliates, working with teams from short-season leagues to Triple-A. Since 2018, Kipper has served as pitching coach of the Drive.

References

External links

{{Baseballstats|br=k/kippebo01|fangraphs=1006956|retro=K/Pkippb001|brm=kipper001rob}}, or [http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/historical/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=mlb&playerID=117107 MLB], or [https://web.archive.org/web/20161023054634/http://www.pelotabinaria.com.ve/lvbp/mostrar.php?id=kippbob001 Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Winter League)]