Royals notebook: Hot Butler starts at first base
By DAVID BOYCE
The Kansas City Star
The offensive numbers Billy Butler has put up lately extend beyond just one hot week.
Butler started at first base for the first time since May 26 and had another explosive offensive game Saturday afternoon in the Royals’ 9-7 win over Chicago.
“I’ve always said it keeps me in the game more,” Butler said. “I’m not directly relating it to why I had a good day at the plate.
“Today was scorching out there. It was a good win for the team.”
Butler’s one-out single in the bottom of the second started a two-run rally that pulled the Royals to within one at 3-2.
In the third, Butler launched a two-run homer into the left-field bullpen that gave Kansas City a 4-3 lead. Butler finished with three hits and two RBIs.
“I just think it was our day,” Butler said. “(Mark) Buehrle is a great pitcher and more times than not he has had our number. To get on a guy like that shows it was our day at the plate.”
But Butler is having more of these kinds of days. He has driven in 17 runs in his last 15 games. In addition, Butler has five home runs in his last 54 at-bats. That’s the kind of run production most major-league teams look for in a first baseman.
Only Royals manager Trey Hillman knows how Butler will be used defensively the rest of the season.
Ross Gload, who normally plays first base, moved to left field Saturday, primarily because of injuries.
“It depends what we need to do with our lineup,” Hillman said about Butler playing more at first. “Right now Hosey (José Guillen) is unable to play in the outfield.”
Grud on disabled list, Yabuta dropped
Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for a severely sprained right ankle.
Grudzielanek suffered the injury in the ninth inning of Friday’s 4-2 loss to the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. He collided with Gload while chasing down a pop-up by Juan Uribe in short right field.
“You don’t like to see anybody get hurt like Grudzielanek did. He got clipped pretty good,” Hillman said.
The Royals replaced Grudzielanek by purchasing the contract of infielder Jason Smith from Class AAA Omaha. The club cleared space for Smith on its 40-man roster by designating reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta for assignment.
The Royals signed Yabuta, 35, to a two-year, $6 million deal last November in hopes that he could fill a major role in the bullpen. He was optioned to Omaha on June 25 after compiling a 5.46 ERA in 26 appearances. Yabuta had a 5.40 ERA in 12 outings for the O-Royals.
Grudzielanek, 38, is batting .299 with three homers and 24 RBIs in 86 games.
More on Smith
Smith, 31, compiled a .222 average in 235 games while spending parts of the seven previous seasons in the big leagues. He batted .188 last season for the Royals in 40 games.
Smith was batting .253 in 110 games at Omaha with 20 homers and 62 RBIs. He was the O-Royals’ representative in the Class AAA All-Star Game.
“It’s good to have a guy in who has as much versatility as Smitty does,” Hillman said. “We will use him as needed. He provides more sock for us off the bench. He’s got a history of driving the ball. He has the ability to play all over the infield, and I’m not afraid to throw him in the outfield.”
@ Go to
KansasCity.com for a photo gallery and Bob Dutton’s vlog from Saturday.
To reach David Boyce, send e-mail to dboyce@kcstar.com
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