Oakland Athletics Have Released Billy Butler
By David Hill
Following his part in the clubhouse fight with Danny Valencia, Billy Butler‘s days with the Oakland Athleticss appeared to be numbered. Today, the axe fell, as Butler was released by Oakland.
After signing a three year, $30 Million contract with the Oakland Athletics following the 2014 season, Billy Butler has been an abject disappointment. In this time in Oakland, he posted a .258/.325/.394 batting line with 44 doubles and 19 home runs, playing at a level that was just below replacement level. The decline that appeared during his time with the Royals appeared to be more than just an aberration.
To make matters worse, Butler had proven to be a bad influence in the clubhouse. He had gotten into a scuffle with Danny Valencia after telling a shoe representative that Valencia will use another brand of shoes during games. Fisticuffs ensued, and it came to light that Butler had a bad reputation in the clubhouse from back in his time in Kansas City.
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Something had to give. The A’s had already begun making plans to move away from Butler, as they stated he would not be back in 2017. However, they moved up that time table by a couple of weeks, as Billy Butler has been released. Not only has his time in Oakland come to an end, but now he faces quite a few questions about his future.
Essentially a designated hitter at this point in his career, Butler simply has not produced at a level expected of someone who does nothing more than hit. His .276/.331/.403 batting line this year was worth a 102 OPS+, but Butler had only four home runs and 16 doubles. At this point in his career, he is just a slow singles hitter, a player who is far more likely to ground into a double play than to hit a home run.
This does not necessarily mean that Butler’s career is over. Instead, this could be a wake up call, one that forces him to get into shape and to rededicate himself to the game. A team like the Rays, who could use a low cost option that could provide a significant return on investment, could be willing to give Butler a chance.
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That may be the last one that Billy Butler gets. Given the way his time with the Oakland Athletics ended, and his lack of production over the last three seasons, Butler will not have many more opportunities to prove that he can still play.