Billy Ray Butler's final game as a Royal will be Game 7 of the World Series

[Archie F. Swin]

In Kauffman Stadium




Thoughts?

[SAUTO]

game winner

[TLO]

I hope he has a big game, or a walk off hit.

[Simply Red]

better hitter than he gets credit being.

[Archie F. Swin]

Oh and farewell to Denny Matthews too. (completely unfounded)

[Three7s]

better hitter than he gets credit being.
Yeah. If he would just cut down his ground ball rate, I think he'd be an elite hitter.

[Gonzo]

He's been great. Lots of ups and downs but all in all a great royal. I'll miss his chubby ass popping doubles.

[Archie F. Swin]

He's been great. Lots of ups and downs but all in all a great royal. I'll miss his chubby ass popping doubles.

and stealing bases

[KCUnited]

On April 12th, 2008, the Royals debuted the return of the powder blue jerseys. The first 20,000 fans that night got a replica #16 powder blue Billy Butler jersey. If anyone remembers that game, the high temp for the day was 42 degrees, but was in the 30's for the game. It was the coldest baseball game I've ever attended and I wore that Billy Butler replica jersey to the World Series game 6 last night.

[Strongside]

On April 12th, 2008, the Royals debuted the return of the powder blue jerseys. The first 20,000 fans that night got a replica #16 powder blue Billy Butler jersey. If anyone remembers that game, the high temp for the day was 42 degrees, but was in the 30's for the game. It was the coldest baseball game I've ever attended and I wore that Billy Butler replica jersey to the World Series game 6 last night.

Makes sense, because Billy Ray Butler is one cold motherfucker.

[Eleazar]

I'm fine with re-signing Butler if it makes sense financially. I wouldn't prioritize him over other extensions, but he has a place on a good American League team.

[Prison Bitch]

He's a 0 WAR player making a lot of money for a small market. He won't be back. Hope he goes out with a bang tonight.

[Hammock Parties]

The fat poverty Michael Young of the Midwest.

[cosmo20002]

Yeah. If he would just cut down his ground ball rate, I think he'd be an elite hitter.

He was on his way. Look at his stats from 2-5 years ago. He's only 28.
It's gonna suck if he returns to that level on another team.

[gblowfish]

He may accept an adjusted deal. He knows he didn't earn his money this year. Maybe he'll go all Gill Meche on us.

[Eleazar]

He's a 0 WAR player making a lot of money for a small market. He won't be back. Hope he goes out with a bang tonight.

If he takes market value for his skills then I say bring him back. If some other team wants to pay him above market then sign a similar value player with more defensive utility and move on.

Nothing but love for Billy but maybe it's not a fit for what we do here.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

He'll probably be gone. Right now, it just doesn't make sense financially to re-sign him.

I hope he has a big night tonight, but if anyone should become legend or get that walk-off hit/HR, I'd want it to be Gordon.

[Hootie]

Would love nothing more than Billy having a HUGE game and earning World Series MVP

[Halfcan]

I think he comes back next year to help defend the Crown.

[Prison Bitch]

If he takes market value for his skills then I say bring him back. If some other team wants to pay him above market then sign a similar value player with more defensive utility and move on.

Nothing but love for Billy but maybe it's not a fit for what we do here.

You have to wonder if he wasn't motivated (or able) enough to have a good year in his contract season, what he would produce with a new contract.

[cmh6476]

Is this it for the aoki doki as well? :(

[alnorth]

Is this it for the aoki doki as well? :(

Hopefully. I want Dyson starting in center

[okcchief]

I've wanted to dump Billy for a few years. It's well documented on here. If we win tonight I don't give a shit if we keep him or not. It would nice if he took a paycut. I would like a guy who can hit for power to replace Aoki though. At least someone who can platoon with Dyson as needed.

[alnorth]

Regarding Butler, his contract situation is that we have a $12.5MM team option in 2015 with a $1MM buyout. We are obviously going to decline his option and give him his buyout.

At that point, he becomes a free agent, and he would only come back if we signed him as a free agent for an amount that makes sense.

In 2014 Butler was pretty much worthless, but that was his age 28 year which is too early for a decline and the 5 consecutive years before that he was somewhere between a decent and very good player. 2014 was by far his most horrible season, but we should not necessarily expect that to be the new norm, he should bounce back. How much, we don't know.

I think his market value is a "show me" type of contract, maybe 2 years for 10-12 million followed by some really big team options, and maybe with some incentives piled on top of it.

[alnorth]

I've wanted to dump Billy for a few years. It's well documented on here. If we win tonight I don't give a shit if we keep him or not. It would nice if he took a paycut. I would like a guy who can hit for power to replace Aoki though. At least someone who can platoon with Dyson as needed.

We got our next starting RF, his name is Lorenzo Cain.

[BWillie]

Ah yes. Billy Butler. I remember when he first came up, and they tried to play in in RF a bit. That didn't work out.

[okcchief]

We got our next starting RF, his name is Lorenzo Cain.
So you are comfortable starting Dyson everyday in center?

[Hootie]

So you are comfortable starting Dyson everyday in center?
Sure, with a platoon guy when we face lefties

[Chief_For_Life58]

Isn't Cain a better cf than dyson?he's bigger and covers more ground than 5 8 dyson

[alnorth]

So you are comfortable starting Dyson everyday in center?

Yes, I am. His bat is plenty good enough to carry his defensive value.

[alnorth]

Isn't Cain a better cf than dyson?he's bigger and covers more ground than 5 8 dyson

The people with the years of experience who are paid to know defensive ability more than us believe that our best defensive alignment is Dyson in CF and Cain in RF. Part of that might be Cain's arm in RF.

[duncan_idaho]

We got our next starting RF, his name is Lorenzo Cain.

I can live with that, if there is another option to play RF when the Royals face lefties. This player would theoretically DH against RHP.

I'm still not completely sold on Dyson as an everyday player, though. His defense and baserunning skills are very valuable, but he's helpless against LHP, he doesn't use an approach that fits his size (he's up there taking full cuts and trying to drive the ball, when he should be trying to chop, slash and run), and I worry he'd get overexposed in an everyday role.

[ChiefsCountry]

We are a better team with Dyson as our 4th outfielder.

[KCUnited]

Probably should go in that Royals 'exercise demons' thread we had awhile back, but I'll never forget that 7/8/08 game against the White Sox when Hillman had Billy bunt in the 12th with the winning run on 1st and he bunted into a DP.

The Royals got the potential winning run on base in the 12th but Billy Butler made one of the poorest bunt attempts of the season, and the White Sox easily turned it into a double play.

"I put him in a situation I should probably not have put him in," Hillman said.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280708107

[Fairplay]

I still haven't tasted his BBQ sauce.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Kick the tires on mike morse?

[ChiefsCountry]

Billy's eating some Oklahoma Joes
http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2014/10/29/billy-butler-had-oklahoma-joes-for-lunch-today

[duncan_idaho]

Kick the tires on mike morse?

It would be interesting, in a part-time DH role, but he really can't play LF adequately, let alone RF (doesn't have the arm).

Melky Cabrera
Michael Cuddyer
Torii Hunter (whose D has slipped according to metrics this year but who won't embarrass himself in part-time duty out there)

Those are the type of names that make sense if you're looking for someone to balance out a platoon split with Dyson and split a guy between RF and DH.

One of the Rockies' spare outfielders might make sense, too.

[Why Not?]

Billy's eating some Oklahoma Joes
http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2014/10/29/billy-butler-had-oklahoma-joes-for-lunch-today

He was there when we were there prior to game 2. He then beasted in that game. This is a good sign.

[Reaper16]

On April 12th, 2008, the Royals debuted the return of the powder blue jerseys. The first 20,000 fans that night got a replica #16 powder blue Billy Butler jersey. If anyone remembers that game, the high temp for the day was 42 degrees, but was in the 30's for the game. It was the coldest baseball game I've ever attended and I wore that Billy Butler replica jersey to the World Series game 6 last night.

I'm wearing mine tonight.

[keg in kc]

Yeah. If he would just cut down his ground ball rate, I think he'd be an elite hitter.Cut down on his ground balls, increase his power, get his average back into the .300 range.

He'd be an awesome hitter if he was a middle infielder. I think he leaves a bit to be desired as a 1b/DH.

Which is not to say I don't like him.

[Archie F. Swin]

I still haven't tasted his BBQ sauce.

I'm having a hard time getting thru my current bottle. My only description of it would be "weird". Its not notably smokey, sweet or spicy. If anything it tastes salty.

[58-4ever]

I'll have biscuits and gravy in his honor tonight.

[58-4ever]

If anything it tastes salty.

His jizz was in the recipe.

[MahiMike]

I was in KC during the summer for the 1st time in 30 years. I went to the Friday night sellout Royals game. I ran into several people during my visit that hated Billy. Didn't really know why.

During these playoffs, he's been great. Sucked to have to play NL rules. With him in there, we win 2 out of 3 in SF and tonight's game doesn't happen.

[BigMeatballDave]

We need 2012 Billy back.

[lewdog]

On April 12th, 2008, the Royals debuted the return of the powder blue jerseys. The first 20,000 fans that night got a replica #16 powder blue Billy Butler jersey. If anyone remembers that game, the high temp for the day was 42 degrees, but was in the 30's for the game. It was the coldest baseball game I've ever attended and I wore that Billy Butler replica jersey to the World Series game 6 last night.

You went to the game last night?!

Heck yea.

[KCUnited]

You went to the game last night?!

Heck yea.

My wife and I got some face value tickets from an alum. Incredible night from start to finish.

[alnorth]

I ran into several people during my visit that hated Billy. Didn't really know why.

Probably because he went .271/.323/.379 this season as a $8MM DH. Billy Butler was flat-out terrible this year.

That said, he'll only be 29 next year and his previous 5 seasons were a lot better than 2014, so he should bounce back, but man he's not coming back unless he takes one heck of a pay cut.