RADIO
“Country Breakfast,” better known as Billy Butler, has surely seen better days. In six of his eight seasons with the Kansas City Royals, Billy Butler was as reliable as it gets. He could split the gaps, he could hit for power, and he could get on base when he needed to. This all culminated in the 2012 season when his slash line read .313/.373/.510 to go along with 32 doubles, 29 home runs, and 107 RBI.
Fast forward to late 2014, when Billy Butler headed out west to sign a 3-year, $30 million contract with the Oakland Athletics. In his first season with the Athletics, Butler only managed to hit .251/.323/.390 with 15 home runs and an underwhelming 65 RBI. Coupled with the highest K% of his career (16.8%) and an abnormally elevated GB% (50.8%), we can really see a drop in Butler’s power.
Unfortunately, these trends forecast a dim 2016 for Butler. His ADP has been steadily declining to the point where he spent much of last season on the wavier wire. Fewer home runs, more ground balls, and a shrinking OBP lead me to believe that Billy Butler’s fantasy value is almost non-existent.
