Biographical

Billy Butler DHRoyals

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Career Summary

Years	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	DRC+	WARP
13	5686	.290	.354	.441	115	12.7

Birth Date	4-18-1986
Height	6' 0"
Weight	260 lbs

Age	38 years, 0 months, 1 days
Bats	R
Throws	R

WARP Summary

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MLB Statistics

YEAR	TEAM	AGE	G	PA	H	2B	3B	HR	BB	SO	HBP	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	DRC+	DRAA	BRR	FRAA	BWARP
2007	KCA	21	92	360	96	23	2	8	27	55	2	0	0	.292	.347	.447	100	1.2	-0.3	0.0	0.5
2008	KCA	22	124	478	122	22	0	11	33	57	0	0	1	.275	.324	.400	98	-0.1	-2.8	-2.3	0.0
2009	KCA	23	159	672	183	51	1	21	58	103	2	1	0	.301	.362	.492	118	16.6	-4.1	-3.1	1.7
2010	KCA	24	158	678	189	45	0	15	69	78	5	0	0	.318	.388	.469	132	26.1	-4.6	-0.6	2.9
2011	KCA	25	159	673	174	44	0	19	66	95	3	2	1	.291	.361	.461	122	17.4	-4.1	-0.5	2.1
2012	KCA	26	161	679	192	32	1	29	54	111	7	2	1	.313	.373	.510	137	28.7	-4.7	-0.6	3.2
2013	KCA	27	162	668	168	27	0	15	79	102	3	0	0	.289	.374	.412	123	17.9	-6.3	0.0	2.0
2014	KCA	28	151	603	149	32	0	9	41	96	5	0	0	.271	.323	.379	99	-0.6	-3.7	0.0	0.2
2015	OAK	29	151	601	135	28	1	15	52	101	7	0	0	.251	.323	.390	100	2.3	-9.1	0.2	-0.1
2016	NYA	30	12	32	10	2	0	1	2	8	0	0	0	.345	.375	.517	104	0.2	-0.2	1.0	0.2
2016	OAK	30	85	242	61	16	0	4	19	34	0	0	0	.276	.331	.403	105	2.0	-1.2	-1.0	0.3
Career			1414	5686	1479	322	5	147	500	840	34	5	3	.290	.354	.441	115	111.8	-41.1	-7.0	12.7

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.

YEAR	Team	Lg	LG	G	PA	oppAVG	oppOBP	oppSLG	BABIP	BPF	BRAA	repLVL	POS_ADJ	DRC+	DRC+ SD	FRAA	BRR	DRAA	BWARP
2004	IDA	Rk	PIO	72	323	.000	.000	.000	.465			0.0		0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
2005	HDS	A+	CLF	92	430	.000	.000	.000	.391			0.0		0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
2005	WIC	AA	TXS	29	119	.261	.322	.401	.337	107	4.3	3.1	-0.9	122	0	-4.5	0.2	3.5	0.1
2006	WIC	AA	TXS	119	535	.272	.348	.431	.361	106	28.8	12.2	-4.4	136	0	-19.2	-7.8	2.2	-1.8
2007	KCA	MLB	AL	92	360	.267	.332	.413	.328	103	3.1	10.7	-6.5	100	12	0.0	-0.3	1.2	0.5
2007	OMA	AAA	PCL	57	256	.282	.350	.432	.289	102	15.4	7.5	-3.4	130	0	-4.1	-3.7	10.1	0.6
2008	KCA	MLB	AL	124	478	.271	.336	.424	.294	102	-9.5	13.8	-8.7	98	11	-2.3	-2.8	-0.1	0.0
2008	OMA	AAA	PCL	26	115	.280	.345	.450	.326	103	7.6	3.6	-2.3	143	0	-2.8	0.6	4.5	0.4
2009	KCA	MLB	AL	159	672	.267	.331	.427	.332	105	16.6	19.3	-12.3	118	9	-3.1	-4.1	16.6	1.7
2010	KCA	MLB	AL	158	678	.261	.325	.408	.341	111	17.7	18.7	-12	132	10	-0.6	-4.6	26.1	2.9
2011	KCA	MLB	AL	159	673	.260	.321	.410	.316	108	12.4	18.1	-11.5	122	7	-0.5	-4.1	17.4	2.1
2012	KCA	MLB	AL	161	679	.255	.317	.407	.341	101	29	18.6	-11.9	137	10	-0.6	-4.7	28.7	3.2
2013	KCA	MLB	AL	162	668	.254	.315	.399	.326	100	15	17.6	-11.2	123	8	0.0	-6.3	17.9	2.0
2014	KCA	MLB	AL	151	603	.256	.314	.392	.310	101	-1.1	15.6	-9.8	99	7	0.0	-3.7	-0.6	0.2
2015	OAK	MLB	AL	151	601	.255	.315	.409	.282	101	-4.5	16.2	-10.3	100	10	0.2	-9.1	2.3	-0.1
2016	NYA	MLB	AL	12	32	.246	.313	.387	.429	111	1.5	0.9	-0.5	104	9	1.0	-0.2	0.2	0.2
2016	OAK	MLB	AL	85	242	.258	.321	.416	.308	100	-2	6.8	-4	105	9	-1.0	-1.2	2.0	0.3

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.

Year	Team	lvl	LG	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	TB	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	SF	SH
2004	IDA	Rk	PIO	323	260	74	97	22	3	10	155	68	57	63	5	0	.373	.491	.596	.223	0	0
2005	HDS	A+	CLF	430	379	70	132	30	2	25	241	91	42	80	0	0	.348	.422	.636	.288	0	0
2005	WIC	AA	TXS	119	112	14	35	9	0	5	59	19	7	18	0	0	.313	.353	.527	.214	0	0
2006	WIC	AA	TXS	535	477	82	158	33	1	15	238	96	41	67	1	0	.331	.393	.499	.168	1	1
2007	OMA	AAA	PCL	256	203	40	59	10	1	13	110	46	43	32	1	0	.291	.420	.542	.251	1	1
2007	KCA	MLB	AL	360	329	38	96	23	2	8	147	52	27	55	0	0	.292	.347	.447	.155	2	0
2008	OMA	AAA	PCL	115	101	18	34	6	1	5	57	13	14	7	0	0	.337	.417	.564	.228	0	0
2008	KCA	MLB	AL	478	443	44	122	22	0	11	177	55	33	57	0	1	.275	.324	.400	.124	2	0
2009	KCA	MLB	AL	672	608	78	183	51	1	21	299	93	58	103	1	0	.301	.362	.492	.191	4	0
2010	KCA	MLB	AL	678	595	77	189	45	0	15	279	78	69	78	0	0	.318	.388	.469	.151	9	0
2011	KCA	MLB	AL	673	597	74	174	44	0	19	275	95	66	95	2	1	.291	.361	.461	.169	7	0
2012	KCA	MLB	AL	679	614	72	192	32	1	29	313	107	54	111	2	1	.313	.373	.510	.197	4	0
2013	KCA	MLB	AL	668	582	62	168	27	0	15	240	82	79	102	0	0	.289	.374	.412	.124	4	0
2014	KCA	MLB	AL	603	549	57	149	32	0	9	208	66	41	96	0	0	.271	.323	.379	.107	8
2015	OAK	MLB	AL	601	538	63	135	28	1	15	210	65	52	101	0	0	.251	.323	.390	.139	4	0
2016	NYA	MLB	AL	32	29	3	10	2	0	1	15	4	2	8	0	0	.345	.375	.517	.172	1	0
2016	OAK	MLB	AL	242	221	24	61	16	0	4	89	31	19	34	0	0	.276	.331	.403	.127	2	0

Plate Discipline

YEAR	Pits	Zone%	Swing%	Contact%	Z-Swing%	O-Swing%	Z-Contact%	O-Contact%	SwStr%	CSAA
2008	1696	0.5018	0.4375	0.8383	0.5969	0.2769	0.9213	0.6581	0.1617	0.0006
2009	2571	0.4807	0.4294	0.8161	0.5890	0.2816	0.8915	0.6702	0.1839	0.0104
2010	2519	0.4974	0.4204	0.8366	0.5770	0.2654	0.8935	0.7143	0.1634	-0.0048
2011	2455	0.5006	0.4379	0.8047	0.6103	0.2651	0.8640	0.6677	0.1953	0.0000
2012	2547	0.4974	0.4327	0.8185	0.5777	0.2891	0.9003	0.6568	0.1815	-0.0029
2013	2567	0.4858	0.4324	0.8198	0.6071	0.2674	0.8890	0.6714	0.1802	-0.0054
2014	2103	0.5088	0.4774	0.8058	0.6364	0.3127	0.8869	0.6347	0.1942	-0.0034
2015	2209	0.5075	0.4495	0.8127	0.6012	0.2932	0.9139	0.5987	0.1873	-0.0064
2016	1051	0.4462	0.4558	0.7912	0.6183	0.3247	0.9034	0.6190	0.2088	0.0000
Career	19718	0.4941	0.4396	0.8172	0.5997	0.2831	0.8944	0.6584	0.1828	-0.0013

Injury History — No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On	Date Off	Transaction	Days	Games	Side	Body Part	Injury	Severity	Surgery Date	Reaggravation
2011-09-19	2011-09-21	DTD	2	1	-	General Medical	Illness	Flu	-	-
2010-09-08	2010-09-10	DTD	2	1	Left	Hand	Contusion	HBP	-
2010-08-26	2010-08-28	DTD	2	1	Right	Hand	Inflammation		-
2010-02-15	2010-03-04	Camp	17	0	-	General Medical	Respiratory	Flu	-
2009-03-01	2009-03-05	Camp	4	0	Left	Hand	Contusion	HBP	-

Compensation

Year	Team	Salary
2017	OAK	$11,666,666
2016	OAK	$11,666,667
2015	OAK	$6,666,667
2014	KCA	$8,500,000
2013	KCA	$8,500,000
2012	KCA	$8,500,000
2011	KCA	$3,500,000
2010	KCA	$470,000
2009	KCA	$421,000
2008	KCA	$399,000

Years	Description	Salary
10 yr	Previous	$60,290,000
10 yr	Total	$60,290,000

Service Time	Agent	Contract Status
9 y 102 d	Greg Genske	3 years/$30M (2015-17)

Details

3 years/$30M (2015-17). Signed by Oakland as a free agent 11/19/14. $5M signing bonus (to be paid by 12/31/14). 15:$5M, 16:$10M, 17:$10M. Released by Oakland 9/11/16. Signed by NY Yankees as a free agent 9/14/16 (Yankees pay pro-rated portion of $507,500 Major League minimum salary, or $49,918.
4 years/$30M (2011-14), plus 2015 club option. Signed extension with Kansas City 1/22/11 (avoided arbitration, $4.3M-$3.4M). $2M signing bonus. 11:$3M, 12:$8M, 13:$8M, 14:$8M, 15:$12.5M club option, $1M buyout). Option may increase by $2M to $14.5M if traded. Assignment bonus if traded. Kansas City declined 2015 option 11/1/14.
1 year/$0.47M (2010). Re-signed by Kansas City 3/4/10.
1 year/$0.421M (2009). Re-signed by Kansas City 3/3/09. Split contract, $216,300 in minors.
1 year/$0.399M (2008). Re-signed by Kansas City 3/2/08.
1 year (2007). Re-signed by Kansas City 2/07. Contract purchased by Kansas City 5/1/07.
Drafted by Kansas City 2004 (1-14) (Wolfson HS, Jacksonville, Fla.). Signed 6/04, $1.45M signing bonus.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT	PA	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	DRC+	VORP	FRAA	WARP
Weighted Mean	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	0	0	?	?	.000	.000	.000	0	0.0	?	0.0

BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

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BP Chats

Date	Question	Answer
2016-08-30 13:00:00 (link to chat)	After their altercation, do you see Danny Valencia and/or Billy Butler being sent packing in the offseason? (John from San Francisco)	John, thank you for asking a question about the Oakland A's. I've actually quite enjoyed watching their underwhelming season this year. Anyways, I think Butler is on thin ice with this club. This scuffle aside, he's under-performed pretty heavily outside of a late-summer hot streak, and a DH-only kind of guy like Butler is a lot of dead weight and payroll to prop up if he's not producing. I think the A's are in a tough spot with him at the moment since they've invested so much into his ill-advised contract. I think we'll see him on the roster going into 2017, but if he starts slow, I think the A's will have to release him. Valencia is a bit different. I was pretty surprised not to see him dealt at the deadline, and Oakland has been rolling him out pretty creatively since. He's been passable in RF, 1B, and perhaps a little below-average at third. He's an attractive piece for a lot of clubs, essentially a reliable bat you can stick in a few different places. I think he gets dealt in the offseason, more to maximize value than to litigate a clubhouse scuffle in a losing season. (Will Haines)
2015-12-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Billy Butler was below replacement for the second straight season. The only things he excels at are grounding into double plays and not missing a meal. How much patience do the A's have with him next season before cutting their losses and eating the contract? (Tom from San Francisco)	He's making eight figures for a team who doesn't pay that kind of money out lightly, and there were some signs last year of the recovery they hoped for when they signed him. With a slightly below-average bat, he's also not going to kill you as your sixth or seventh hitter, even if he's not helping any. I think the A's will be more patient than you'd expect. I doubt it will be rewarded, but you never know. (Matthew Trueblood)
2015-12-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)	While on the subject of Billy Butler, where does his contract rank on the list of the worst ones you have ever seen and it wasn't like everybody didn't see it coming. The Red Sox didn't know that Ramirez and Sandoval were going to stink but, outside of Billy Beane, knew this was not going to work out well for the A's. (oldbopper from New Britain, CT)	Welll.... it's still just 3/30. I think B.J. Upton and Josh Hamilton, just in the last few years, get in line ahead of Butler as obviously inadvisable big-money deals. (Matthew Trueblood)
2015-08-12 13:00:00 (link to chat)	At this point, shouldn't the A's just cut Billy Butler? A designated hitter who gets paid a lot of money, can't hit, and takes up a roster spot is worse than a designated hitter who gets paid a lot of money, can't hit, and is no longer on the roster. (John from Oakland)	Nah, there's just too much money involved for them to cut -- especially when you consider their market..umm...inefficiency. (Christopher Crawford)
2015-08-13 20:00:00 (link to chat)	Can you explain Billy Butler to me? Historically, he's hit better against left-handers than right-handers. This year, he's hitting .191/.327/.382 against lefties, but hitting .263/.302/.370 against righties. So, now he's hitting righties better, but only exhibits plate discipline against lefties. Why? (Dave from Santa Monica)	Can I explain him? Sure. He's a big fella. So big they call him Country Breakfast. He was acquired in what has been a very poor year for Billy Beane and is losing at-bats to Danny Valencia. (I have no idea what's going on with the splits.) (Greg Wellemeyer)
2015-02-16 11:00:00 (link to chat)	Is Billy Butler the perfect Billy Beane signing? His value has never been lower, and his track record suggests .290/.360/.440 is realistic. I think it is the most under rated signing of the offseason. (John from Chicago)	There are a lot of Moneyball references to use with Butler, so yeah, he's up there so far as Ultimate Beane Signings go. (R.J. Anderson)
2014-12-18 15:00:00 (link to chat)	Are Joe Mauer or Billy Butler still relevant in fantasy? (John from Columbus)	PUT DOWN THE SHOVELS. No need to bury a guy after a bad season. Yes, both are still relevant, and I think Mauer is pretty underrated. Go look at 2013. He was pretty dang good. (Craig Goldstein)
2014-12-10 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Josh Donaldson had 4 years before free agency, and the A's got an adequate, injury prone replacement in Brett Lawrie, a pair of soft-tossers in Sean Nolin and Kendall Graveman, and an infielder who is years away from contributing in Franklin Barreto. Then they dealt Brandon Moss for a 24-year old second baseman who just got to Double-A in Joey Wendle. And before that, they signed DH Billy Butler to a three-year deal. Why sell off Donaldson and Moss for such paltry returns? Why bring in Butler if you're going to rebuild? What is Billy Beane doing? (John from San Francisco)	I think, emphasize think, I could come up with explanations on each of these moves on their own. But combined, they really throw me for a loop. I'm struggling to come up with an answer that's not far-fetched... We've been programmed to trust Beane, but it looks like he went all in last summer, which I loved and now he realizes that if he doesn't try and get some long-term assets for his club, it could go down the tubes quickly. I get that thought process, I'm not sure I see these moves being the best execution. Adding Butler to the mix almost feels like they changed their minds as to how to approach the offseason a few weeks into the process. Perplexing... (Sahadev Sharma)
2014-10-17 12:00:00 (link to chat)	If I had asked you three months ago what the Royals' offseason would look like, what would you have said? What about now? (Justin from KC)	The biggest difference wrought by these three months, I think, is the Royals will show even more faith in Mike Moustakas. Their needs remain the same: They need an RF, a DH, another starting pitcher and some bullpen help. Why? Right field: Nori Aoki is a free agent, and he'll certainly play for more than $1.5 million in 2015. KC may make an attempt to retain him. DH: The Royals have a $12.5 million team option on Billy Butler, and they certainly won't pick it up. He wants to stay, even after an awkward September spent sometimes on the bench. That feeling may not be mutual, but a World Series trophy could alter any potential plans to cut ties with him. Butler is a popular player with the ownership group, and his roots here are deep. SP: James Shields is a free agent. He'll get a qualifying offer and decline it. If the Royals sign him after that, Andy Martino will cover spring training in a Speedo. Bullpen: You always need bullpen arms. Here is the one other major difference. It appeared pretty clear throughout the season that the Royals had to make a decision about Greg Holland and Wade Davis. Their total paycheck for 2015 should land around $15 million (give or take $100,000 based on Holland's arbitration figure), and that's a high price to pay for two one-inning relievers. But, of course, this run may alter their internal calculus. Our Sam Mellinger reported the Royals believe they make at least $1 million for every playoff game they host. If they have the spare cash, they may feel its imperative to retain the ingredients of this formula. That said, relievers are relievers are relievers, and relievers are inherently damaged pitchers. They end up as relievers because there's something wrong with them that prevents them from starting. So they can be volatile. Holland missed a good chunk of September with, essentially, a cranky arm. His triceps was tight. He has the most trade value of the duo, but between his profile as a one-inning reliever and some injury concerns of rival officials, the team won't exactly be able to trade him for a front-line hitter. One suggestion I heard - from neither a Royals official nor a Nationals official - was a fair swap would be Holland for Tanner Roark. I'm not sure the KC front office would be overwhelmed by that offer, but that's the type that could be awaiting them. All of this is to say: Yes, Moustakas will be back in 2015, despite hitting .212/.271/.361 in 140 games this year. (Andy McCullough)
2014-10-17 12:00:00 (link to chat)	The Royals come to you and say "bruh, this walk-up music we're using sucks. You like music, don't you? Choose the walk-up music for this whole lineup..." Nine players, nine songs. GO! (Bruh from Club)	I did this in a mailbag bag in August. Forgive the jumbled up lineup: 1. Nori Aoki: "The Downfall of Us All" by A Day To Remember. This would just be an amusing way to start the first inning. 2. Omar Infante: "Mojo So Dope" by Kid Cudi. Omar is a laid-back fellow. 3. Salvador Perez: "Simon Says" by Pharoah Monche. The Godzilla introduction would be excellent. 4. Billy Butler: "Some Guys Have All The Luck" by Rod Stewart. A classic for the perpetually put-upon DH. 5. Alex Gordon: "Put On" by Young Jeezy. Either this, or "My Hero" by Foo Fighters. Or "The Best" by Tina Turner. I doubt Gordon would like the latter choices. 6. Josh Willingham: "Top Notch" by Manchester Orchestra. Non-descript rock music. 7. Lorenzo Cain: "Hold On, We're Going Home" by Drake. Smoother than LoCain flagging down a line drive in center. 8. Mike Moustakas: "You Wanted More" by Tonic. What? It's a good guitar riff. 9. Alcides Escobar: "Bowtie" by Outkast. I don't know. Feels like it fits. (Andy McCullough)
2014-08-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is Billy Butler's second half, reason for optimism in 2015? (Brett from Calgary)	Maybe, but he's a fairly established player and we're talking about a fairly limited sample size. I could see some improvement but not a big leap forward. (Mike Gianella)
2014-08-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is it time to move on from Billy Butler and Joe Mauer in dynasty leagues? (JMR from Chicago)	Depends on the format. A lot of dynasty leagues are deeper so you can't move on entirely, but it is time to downgrade valuation/expectations for both, particularly Mauer now that he won't have catcher eligibility going forward. (Mike Gianella)
2014-07-28 19:00:00 (link to chat)	Who are the three most important players (no need to rank them in order of importance) in the race for the second American League wild card spot? (Matt Zemek from Seattle)	Hisashi Iwakuma needs to continue pitching like a No. 2; Brian McCann has to handle a hastily-thrown-together rotation and also clobber the ball some more; Billy Butler has to mash the baseball back in the air for doubles and dingers. If everyone is OK with it, I ranked them by body weight. (Matt Sussman)
2014-08-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Which of these portly chaps do you like for the rest of the year, Billy Butler or Kennys Vargas? (RotoLando from Cloud City)	I choose death (Craig Goldstein)
2014-07-03 19:00:00 (link to chat)	What can we expect from Dan Vogelbach from a fantasy standpoint? I can't imagine him playing full-time in the National League for any team, which means he would need to be traded to the American League before he had any fantasy relevance. If and when he does become a regular, does he have the high power upside that the other top Cubs prospects have or will he be closer to a 15 hr Billy Butler type? (Steve from Los Angeles)	You know, he's gotten into better shape this year and it's a little better out in the field. He'll still have to hit like hell out there to be viable in an NL lineup but it's no longer absurd in my opinion. He has power but he gets into his own head and that limits the utility overall. I think if he makes it to the majors he can be in the 20-25 HR range rather than the Billy Butler tier. He hits the ball HARD. (Mauricio Rubio)
2014-06-03 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Has the industry changed in the last 10 years or so on how 1B prospects are ranked? I can remember when players like Prince and Billy Butler were coming up and they felt like they had more buzz about them as 1B prospects. Or their just haven't been that many exceptional bats at 1b in the last decade? (Chris from Phoenix)	I think all those things are true. There is a greater emphasis on versatility and finding value elsewhere besides the bat now than before. But even then, there's a ton of pressure on the bat when you draft a 1B/DH only player; so teams are rightfully scared off by using a top pick on someone like that. (Ron Shah)
2014-05-05 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Are organizations like BAL, ARI just bad at developing pitching prospects like how KC is bad with hitting prospects? Or is it just bad luck with bust prospects? (norwun from NYC)	In general, I would say that most of those sorts of reputations are vastly overblown. There is a ton of luck involved and sometimes you hit a bad stretch for a long period of time. Sometimes organizations have strange philosophies that make you scratch your head - like Baltimore's refusal to let any of their pitchers throw a cutter but drafting of a pitcher whose best pitch is a cutter (Bundy), but I don't think that's why Bundy got hurt. There's just bad luck involved. Some reputations are just flat out wrong, too. KC has developed Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler, and Sal Perez, and they even get credit for Wil Myers. Just because Mike Moustakas stinks doesn't mean they can't develop hitters. (Jeff Moore)
2014-05-02 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Billy Butler's only 28. How do you all of sudden become an extreme ground ball hitter? (Phil from NYC)	There are likely multiple factors contributing to this trend, but part of the equation is that pitchers are throwing him more and more change-ups and sinkers under the zone, and Butler has an increasing tendency to swing at those pitches and rollover on them. The league has adjusted to him and he needs to re-adjust - a factor which impact players of all ages but is most glaring for rookies and sophomores. On the jukebox: Audioslave, "Your Time Has Come" (Doug Thorburn)
2014-05-02 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Eric Hosmer: what's with all the ground balls? Is it similar to what you were saying earlier about Billy Butler or something completely different? (JohnnyFive from Seattle)	It's actually very similar, in that pitchers have been giving Hosmer a fatter diet of sinkers and change-ups down and under the zone so far this season. Hosmer has had groundball tendencies in the past, so his situation probably has more to do with his approach at the plate an what he is looking to elevate, but pitchers are doing a better job of forcing the issue. On the jukebox: Krokus, "Screaming in the Night" (Doug Thorburn)
2014-04-15 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Dan Vogelbach's hitting ability receives rave reviews, but the aura around Vogelbach is very similar to that of Billy Butler during his tenure in the minor leagues. Is that a lazy comp based or a best-case scenario? (kfazio from WV)	That would be a pretty good outcome for Vogelbach; maybe not best-case scenario because I do believe his offensive gifts are THAT dramatic, but I don't think many teams would argue with that result. (Mark Anderson)
2014-03-19 20:00:00 (link to chat)	Billy Butler - bounceback candidate or was last year the start of his decline? (xavier from texas)	Bounceback candidate, though I don't think we'll see power like 2012 again. But he can hit .300 with 20 homers again--and with that Royals' lineup, it should be good for a slew of RBI. (Bret Sayre)
2014-03-19 20:00:00 (link to chat)	How would you rank Craig, Abreu, Rizzo, Billy Butler in a 6x6 league with OBP and Ks? (Billy Butler from KC)	Craig, Abreu, Butler, Rizzo. (Bret Sayre)
2013-06-11 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Of the following young~ish hitters, who's the best bet for long term success? Ike Davis, Eric Hosmer, Chris Carter, Moustakas, Billy Butler...... How many times are you asked about these chumps in a chat? (Jim Clancy from Exhibition Stadium)	Some of those names-Hosmer and Carter, especially-do pop up pretty often. It's hard for me to bet against Billy Butler, because he's done it before, and beyond that, I'm still on the Eric Hosmer bandwagon. (Daniel Rathman)
2013-06-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)	What's up with Billy Butler? Think he'll turn it around? Trying to decide whether I should dump him or not. I have Rizzo riding the pine for him now. (Patrick from the D)	Yeah, he's mostly been fine with only the batting average lagging a bit. Otherwise he's on pace for 15-93 the latter of which is fine and the former of which can even out to low-to-mid 20s in a heartbeat. I'm buying BB. (Paul Sporer)
2013-02-08 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I'm in a 5x5 12 team keeper league (keep 7). Keepers are Holliday, cliff lee, Chris sale, Aramis Ramirez, Billy Butler, Jose Bautista and Allen Craig. Been offered a trade: Craig for Matt Cain. Should I accept and why? (Fletch from Tierra Del Fuego)	With the caveat that fantasy is absolutely not my thing, I would do that deal for sure. You should be able to replace Craig's offense at 1B fairly easily, and Cain is an elite starter who will almost certainly give you 220 innings a year for the next couple of seasons. So yeah, pull the trigger! (Ian Miller)
2013-01-14 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Thank you for taking the time to assist me in my journey towards fantasy relevance, and although that is a bit of an oxymoron i will digress to my question, which is, Ben Revere the new Juan Pierre? His peripherals in low and high minors were pretty decent, how likely is it that he can repeat his OBP from last year? Second Question... How likely is it that Billy Butler repeats his HR total from last year... and a third question who will win the superbowl? San Fran is 2 to 1 and i think those are some solid odds. Thank you in advance (Nasir Jones from NY)	I think Revere can keep hitting for average, so he can post something like a league-average OBP even though he rarely walks. If you buy him for the steals and aren't concerned about the lack of power, he's a useful fantasy player. PECOTA projects Butler for 20 HR in 637 PA. PECOTA is pretty conservative. I think I'd take the over on 20 and the under on 29. I'm not kidding when I say that I have no idea who's in the Super Bowl. Or the NFL playoffs, for that matter. Know nothing about handegg. (Ben Lindbergh)
2013-01-07 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I don't really have a 1B. I have excess pitching and RF: If I package one of Hunter Pence/Jose Bautista and Max Scherzer, what kind of 1B would you target (my team is built to win now). (Michael from Milwaukee)	It really depends on which one of Pence/Bautista you package. Bautista/Scherzer should probably fetch you one of the elite first baseman. I'd probably pair Pence and Scherzer and aim a bit lower. Perhaps target someone like Edwin Encarnacion in hopes that his owner has questions about his ability to follow up on his breakout. You could also inquire about the availability of Paul Goldschmidt or Billy Butler in a deal revolving around Pence/Scherzer. (Josh Shepardson)
2012-10-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)	It's almost awards season! Who are your MLB picks for the following: 1. Best hair (head) 2. Best hair (facial) 3. Best customer of Old Country Buffet 4. Manager most likely to have read any of the Twilight books. 5. AL MVP. (Nick from Michigan)	1) Verducci 2)Motte 3)Billy Butler 4) Jim Tracy 5) Miguel Cabrera (oh...sheeeeet) (Jason Parks)
2012-10-23 13:00:00 (link to chat)	At what level would Billy Butler be the best choice to play SS? D1 College? High school? Rec league softball? (Facebook from Myspace)	The Waffle House Company Team (Jason Parks)
2012-06-19 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Is it likely that a Royal will be chosen for the HR derby this season being it's being played in Kansas City? If so, you would be the best option for Cano, Butler, Moustakas or Hosmer? (igoinsane67 from work)	Are they doing the "team captain" thing they did last year? As big of a Prince Fielder fan as I am, I was really disappointed when he gave Rickie Weeks a spot on the roster instead of hometown hero (and very deserving) Justin Upton. My guess is that whoever is in charge makes sure that a Royal is on the team. I would really want it to be Billy Butler. I just love watching him hit (and trot!). (Larry Granillo)
2012-04-04 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Royals have been using Hosmer in RF a bit this spring so they don't have to bench Billy Butler during interleague. Adam Foster tweeted last night that Hosmer is already a better defensive OF'er than Wil Myers. You buy? (Hosmer has only had two plays in right.) (geo from lunch)	Hosmer's a very good athlete and a mature player, but I think it's a bit sensational to make that suggestion on such a small viewing sample. Some people just like to say things to get people talking. I get it. Hosmer might be a better defensive outfielder than Myers, but I've only seen a very small sample size. He certainly has the tools to be better. I've seen a lot of Myers and I don't think he's terrible out there. (Jason Parks)
2011-07-21 16:00:00 (link to chat)	Who do you like better for fantasy the rest of the season, Billy Butler or Freddie Freeman? (Dennis from LA)	I'll go with Freeman because of the power edge. Butler simply doesn't hit enough over the fence and I want as much help in the counting categories now as I can get. (Jason Collette)
2011-06-02 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Hey Derek, welcome to BP! I'm in a 12-team keeper league with 8 keepers per year (no price, just straight up # of players) with a broad set of categories (10 each on offense and pitching, with the additions to 5x5 peripherals like K/BB, QS, OBP, and SLG. My team played a very weak April (thanks, Swisher, Ubaldo, Hughes, and Colby!) and so despite looking strong pre-season I'm in a position to sell. One of the other owners is looking to get some combination of Cliff Lee, Beckett, or Konerko (he really only needs the pitching) in return for some combination of J. Upton, Billy Butler, and Hellickson. Would any combination of these players (or future draft picks, which are tradeable) make sense in a deal for me, keeping in mind that 2012 is more important than 2011? (Jeff P from NYC)	Yes. I wouldn't deal Lee or Beckett for Hellickson if you're looking to compete next year, but Konerko for Upton would certainly be a great deal. If he doesn't go for that (probably won't), since the guy needs pitching, I might offer Lee or Beckett for two of those three. (Derek Carty)
2011-01-03 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Billy Butler - is what he is or the potential for more? (fantasy from USA)	Still power growth. (Kevin Goldstein)
2010-12-20 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Congrats on your Phils getting Lee!! Here in Vegas, type of work not always include a laptop, so most of the time, for my question to be read, gotta send it earlier: Which combo would have a better impact on the Royals: Butler, Hosmer and Jesus Montero if they get him, (pick 2 of 3) and what do you think Butler could command in a trade? My thinking is Butler will be expensive when the Royals can contend, so better to get high ceiling middle IF/OF to grow with the other pieces: Moustakas, Myers, all the pitching, etc. Thanks for reading and happy holidays (Mo from Las Vegas)	I don't know that Billy Butler would command all that much from an NL team given that he is a defensive liability and there is obviously no DH spot, and AL teams might not want to part ways with much to get a higher-priced player without a true position. I think the best bet is if he stays in Kansas City. Just because he's in the majors doesn't mean he isn't considered part of their solid young core throughout the system. Why would they get Jesus Montero though? Was this before the Greinke-to-Milwaukee trade? Either way, keep Butler, let him be the "elder statesman" of the young Royals group. (Eric Seidman)
2010-11-11 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Billy Butler: will his numbers ever match his swing? (Tony from Albuquerque)	He's had an OPS of .850 two years in a row in his age 23-24 seasons, so he isn't exactly a disaster. There's certainly still time for him to develop more long ball power, though. That would really be a boost to the Royals as all their young guys move through the system to the majors. (Matt Swartz)
2010-03-26 13:00:00 (link to chat)	Who do you think has the better chance of making the leap from "very good" to "elite" level first baseman this year: Joey Votto or Billy Butler? (Bill from LA)	Votto's pretty much already there except for the durability. He's got a career .314 True Average in about 1200 PA. Butler's at .274 through 1500 PA and he's a disasterpiece with the glove. That said, he's also two and a half years youngers, so there's still hope, but if I had to pick one, the choice is easy. (Jay Jaffe)
2010-01-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Ms. Kahrl - welcome back! I have a disturbingly large crush on Billy Butler (50 doubles is ultra sexy) this year, to the point that I actually think he could be a top 5 or so first baseman in baseball THIS YEAR. Your thoughts? (Dave W from Douglasville, GA)	Pujols, Prince, Teixeira, and AGonz seem like an unassailable top four at the position, but if hitting alone is the qualifier for who winds up fifth, Butler's got a chance of achieving it. (Christina Kahrl)
2009-05-07 14:00:00 (link to chat)	Kevin: What's your favorite funny scout story? (Joe from Pequannock, NJ)	Not printable. My favorite printable one is probably the Billy Butler in the outfield story, which is best told in person with hand motions. Favorite recent story: So we got this swine flu stupidity, and Texas dinged all high school sports for a couple weeks. Certain team has this area scout -- great guy, but very very intense about it, like to a point where he doesn't really pay muc attention to the world around him either short or long term. So he drives to a high school a day after Texas dinged the games, doesn't notice that the parking lot is empty, grabs his bag out of his car and starts walking toward the field. Took probably 100 steps before he realized he was the only person on the planet there and started making calls to find out what's going on. (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-11-03 13:30:00 (link to chat)	Where do you think Mat Gamel ultimately ends up playing in the Majors? Trade Cameron for a 3B or SP and go with Braun/Hart/Gamel in the OF? Trade Fielder and put Gamel at 1B? Suffer the horrible defence at 3B? Trade Gamel for 3B or SP and let someone else make the decision? (Aaron from YYZ)	I just don't think Gamel can handle third convincingly enough long enough to be tolerated at the big-league level; there just isn't enough Maalox in the world. A Gamel/Hart/Braun outfield would give life to way too many flying things (much as I enjoy the spectacle of seeing Hart in center, it doesn't really work), and Fielder would have to fetch you top-shelf pitching talent and perhaps that third baseman to be remotely tolerable, setting aside whether you replace him with Gamel. Gamel to somebody else for a starting pitcher or starting third baseman is sort of like all the talk about Billy Butler: you're limited to the DH-league teams, because everyone's aware of the unglovely downside that goes with these cats and their limitations as fielders. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-11-03 13:30:00 (link to chat)	Do you think a Billy Butler for Jonathan Sanchez trade would be good for both teams? (Mike from Utica,NY)	Not at all. Billy Butler can't DH in the National League more than a couple of series. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-06-23 12:00:00 (link to chat)	Other than recalling Billy Butler, do the Royals have anything in the wind in terms of personnel moves? Wouldn't David DeJesus be a nice fit for the North Siders? (BL from Bozeman, MT)	Butler would be the main move the Royals would make right now. I think DeJesus would indeed make a nice addition for the Cubs and the Royals should think about trading him if they can get a good return. How about that Mike Aviles, though? He can't sustain it but it's been a neat little run for the stocky shortstop. (John Perrotto)
2008-04-01 14:00:00 (link to chat)	I reachedvout and grabbed Billy Butler in the 10th round of my fantasy draft (points leaugewhere walks count). What do you see him doing in '08? (David from Boston)	.290/.360/.510? (Kevin Goldstein)
2008-02-25 12:00:00 (link to chat)	Thanks for the FR mention. We'd like to claim Alonso as our own, assuming he can catch or even play LF. So back off Ranger fans! Seriously, though, Brett Wallace got off to a roaring start...is he playing 3B this year, and can he stick there? Because if so, Future Redbirds will be claiming him next. (Erik from Cedar Rapids, IA)	Mr. Manning with an appearance. What's funny is that our previous Alonso questioner sent me a comment back that maybe he'll jump aboard the Brett Wallace train, too. Let's not be too reactionary, people, Alonso is certainly still the better prospect. Wallace is an absolute butcher at third, but Pat Murphy has some depth issues. He won't stick there, but he's got one of the draft's purest bats since Billy Butler, so there's that. (Bryan Smith)
2008-01-30 13:00:00 (link to chat)	I know that this is a basketball chat but I remember your great weekly column on ESPN on the Royals. What's your prognosis for KC this year? Give me a guess on wins. (dangor from New York)	Yes! I knew a Royals fan would find his way here ... I haven't cobbled together my team projections yet. In fact, I'm seriously concerned about when I going to have time to do so. But I'll answer you like this: I think that at the end of last season, the overwhelming consensus was that the Royals were in a better position than they were at the end of the season before. I'm very confident that at the end of the 2008 season, we'll be able to say the same thing. That said, I wouldn't be shocked if they win fewer games than last season. But a bump up to the 73-76 win range wouldn't shock me, either. Really, it'll come down to how much Billy Butler and Alex Gordon improve. I'm excited, if maybe dreading that NBA/MLB overlap a little bit. (Bradford Doolittle (Basketball))

BP Roundtables

Date	Roundtable Name	Comment
2010-04-05 09:30:00	Season Opener Roundtable	Billy Butler is 1 for 3, and unless my math skills are askew, that means he is hitting .333. Would it be false to assume his average will be close to that on October 1st? (David Laurila)
2008-09-29 10:30:00	Tigers/White Sox Play-In Game	Greg Pizzo (China, Maine) asks: "Does the terrific September by the Royals mean anything? Before the season started, we probably would have thought 75 wins was pretty good, but did they find out anything about their 2009 Royals using this September?" I'm not so sure all that much progress was made. Guys like Billy Butler and Alex Gordon didn't take steps forward, they got a harsh reminder that Brian Bannister doesn't have a lot of upside, and even things that were good for them to have sorted out--like Tony Pena Jr. and Mark Teahen aren't regulars--didn't necessarily turn out perfectly well. It seems that guys like David DeJesus and Mike Aviles need to move from center and short, respectively. Their defense is a bit of a mess, there are questions over who plays where, and there's a mistake like the Jose Guillen contract to live down. On the plus side, Hillman seemed to get his bullpen sorted out well enough, Greinke's settling in, and Hochevar and Davies don't seem too far behind. They're still a few Gloads shy of having all the bricks to build a lasting foundation, but they're getting there. (Christina Kahrl)

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