Kansas City Royals: Billy Butler best Royals designated hitter of 2010s

From 2010-2014, Billy Butler was the Kansas City Royals’ most consistent and productive hitter and earned his designation as the best designated hitter for the Royals in the 2010s.

Billy Butler was drafted 14th overall in the 2004 amateur draft out of Wolfson High School (Florida). From Butler’s first day in the Kansas City Royals farm system, he showed the ability to hit for average and power.

Butler’s promise and progression led to him making his MLB debut in May 2007 shortly after his 21st birthday. His consistency would make him a mainstay in the middle of the lineup for the next eight years.

Billy Butler was excellent for the Royals throughout the decade as a reliable and consistent middle of the order bat. His statistical line for the Royals during the decade defines what a “professional hitter” Butler was for the Royals.

More from Kansas City Royals

791 games
.297/.365/.448
87 HRs (averaging 17 homers per year)
181 extra base hits (averaging 36 doubles per year)

In 2012 when Kansas City hosted the All-Star game, Billy Butler became the first Royals position player to be selected for the All-Star game since Mike Sweeney in 2005 ending a drought of futility for a franchise that struggled to produce at the plate. Butler was the darling of the All-Star game, receiving multiple prolonged standing ovations during his introduction and his plate appearance.

The most memorable moment during the All-Star weekend in Kansas City came during the Home Run derby as Royals fans chanted Billy Butler throughout the entire performance of Robinson Cano, who snubbed Billy Butler from his home run derby team selection. Butler had a career year in 2012 earning his only All-Star selection and hitting a career high 192 hits, 29 homeruns, and .510 slugging percentage.

The 2012 season was just the start of a magical Royals run, as many of the prospects who would help win back to back AL pennants and the 2015 World Series began to trickle in. Butler’s breakout power performance in 2012 and consistent hitting ability gave Royals fans the comfort of having “Country Breakfast” anchoring the lineup for the upcoming contending teams.

Butler had a bunch of clutch hits throughout the 2014 playoff run (2 for 4 in Wild Card game with 2 RBIs and he hit .333/.375/.400 in the World Series), but his most memorable moments during the rampage through the AL playoffs were related to his base running.

Twice Butler was the caboose on bases loaded clearing triples by Alex Gordon in Game 3 of the ALDS and Game 1 of the ALCS. Butler’s most memorable moment during the decade had to be his stolen base in Game 3 of the ALDS versus the Los Angeles Angels. When the slowest baserunner on the team is stealing bases and “revving it up”, Royals fans must have thought this game/series is over.

Billy Butler was the model of consistency at the DH position for the decade. He was a professional hitter, but he always left fans with more a desire for a power hitter to occupy the role.

Following the departure of Billy Butler prior to the 2015 season, Kendrys Morales occupied the designated hitter role for two years and hit 52 home runs. The Royals didn’t have to wait long for another power hitter to take up the mantle when Jorge Soler became the franchise single season homerun record holder.

All-Decade Team for 2010s. light. Must Read

Stay tuned as we’ll discuss the starting pitcher of the decade in my next article.

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