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Oakland Athletics: Four Reasons They Should Release Billy Butler

By Andrew Dambrauskas

May 19, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Billy Butler (16) reacts after striking out during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
May 19, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Billy Butler (16) reacts after striking out during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 22, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla (26) reacts after striking out against the Miami Marlins in the fifth inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 22, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla (26) reacts after striking out against the Miami Marlins in the fifth inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

Dan Uggla

When the Braves acquired Dan Uggla from the Florida Marlins in November of 2010, they thought they had just found a slugger to carry them into the future. It was a year that right-handed power hitting was rare and expensive in the free agent market, so the Braves came out of this trade thinking they had it made.

The Braves organization had so much faith in Uggla that they signed him to a five year deal worth over $60 million.

But then the games started, and then-general manager Frank Wren soon realized the grave mistake he made by offering that contract.

Uggla did slug 36 home runs in his first season with the Braves, but that was more of a consolation prize given the 156 times he struck out that season. The tepid .233 average he managed to hit in his debut season in Atlanta was actually the best he would ever muster during his tenure there, deteriorating to as low as .162 by the time he was DFA’d and ultimately released in 2014.

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According to the AP report published by ESPN, Wren explained that the front office had been veritably begging for other teams to accept a trade that included Uggla. When nobody took the bait, the Braves were forced to release him and surrender the $18 million still guaranteed on his contract.

The Braves won the NL East in 2013, and didn’t include Uggla on the playoff roster. This spelled the beginning of the end, as the club released him early in the 2014 season.

The Braves still haven’t quite figured out their second base situation, but the lesson is that tinkering with the carousel platoon of Jace Peterson, Gordon Beckham, and Kelly Johnson will still be more productive than it would have been to see Uggla through to the end of his contract.

Similarly, if the A’s move on from Butler, they will be able to give Mark Canha – who gives the A’s a lot more offensive production per dollar than Butler does – more opportunities to hit from the DH slot, as well as give Stephen Vogt days off from catching while still utilizing his bat. The A’s will have the opportunity to see which combination of hitters gives them the best production at the DH position, rather than spending two years hoping Butler turns it around.

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