Billy Butler’s 2015 option declined by Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals have declined their $12.5M option on their longtime designated hitter and first baseman Billy Butler tweets Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star.
According to McCullough, Royals general manager Dayton Moore said the team is interested in bringing back Butler, but it would have to be at a lesser salary.
Dayton Moore says he would like to re-sign Billy Butler, but it would have to be at a "more manageable" salary than $12.5 million a year.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) November 1, 2014
The 28 year-old Butler has been a mainstay with the Royals for the last eight years and has experienced the highs and lows of being with Kansas City, which drafted him with the 14th overall pick back in 2004. A team that made the playoffs and World Series for first time in 29 years this past season, the Royals appeared to turn the corner in 2014. Butler began his Major League career with the team in 2007 and despite the rough times, Butler’s consistent performance at the plate netted him the reputation as the face of the team.
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For his career, Butler has averaged 18 home runs and 87 runs batted in to go along with a line of .295/.359/.449, which included an All-Star-worthy 2012 season that, was by most measures, the best of his time in the big leagues. In that season, Butler led the team in almost every offensive category as he batted .313 with 29 home runs and 107 runs batted in – establishing himself as not only a threat in Kansas City, but a threat around the league.
Butler is coming off a down season in 2014 in which he batted .271 with just nine home runs and 66 runs batted in across 151 games – his worst showing in recent memory. These were not bad numbers by any stretch but definitely below the standards that Butler has set as a power-hitting first baseman. Also, with the Royals being a relatively small market team, the $12.5M option is a bit pricey for their liking.
For the most part, Butler has been relegated to designated hitter duties during his time with the Royals as his defense leaves a lot to be desired. Fangraphs.com has Butler’s UZR rating at first base measured at -5.6, meaning that Butler’s defense is responsible for allowing just over five more runs than the average first baseman.
Despite the negative rating on his defense, Butler believes he could play for a National League team.
"“I definitely showed everyone in the league that I can play first base on a championship team,” said Butler during a conference call regarding his future on Saturday."