Billy Butler

[EvilEmpire02]

Do you think the power is real or is he going to go back to hitting around 20hr?

[Element]

Country Breakfast! 25 bombs is a good projection for him.

[SpecialFNK]

I can't see him reaching the same HR.
in 2012 while having 29 HR, he only had 28.8 FB%, with a high 19.9 HR/FB.
his FB% should be higher, 34-35 range more around career numbers. but that HR/FB is too high.
I also have to wonder about playing time. I haven't seen any 2013 schedules yet, but with Houston now in the AL there would have to be more interleague games since both AL and NL have 15 teams? and that could mean more GD games, meaning one of Butler or Hosmer wont be starting as often.
I think he is going to be closer to 20 than 29. I'm thinking 22 or 23 myself. but .300+ AVG still makes him good.

[americanleagueroto]

I have him projected out at 24 homers right now. Still at an age where you factor in upside in terms of power, rather than setting a hard cap with age related regression. But yeah, for auction dollar purposes, 24-25 is a great projection. The .300 BA is also nice.

I just don't see a huge difference between Butler and Agon, Goldy, Freeman, Konerko, Rizzo. He'll rank higher on a rater at the end of the season, but in snake drafts, I'd rather fill in other areas at that point in the draft.

This coming from someone who has owned Butler the last 2 seasons in most leagues.

Dave

[askretzinger]

Billy's career stats are skewed because he was brought up to the majors about 2 years too soon and had a huge hole in his swing. He has progressively gotten better every year and I think you're seeing the peak of who he was supposed to be all along. I would guess you'll see him plateau and produce similar numbers this year as last year. His HR ceiling is 35 but his floor is probably 25 and he has shown consistent BA between .300-.315. I'm not too worried about the interleague play, the Royals have tried Hosmer out in Right Field in spring training the past 2 seasons in order to get his bat and Butler's in the lineup at the same time. However, if Hosmer doesn't start hitting, he'll be sitting and Butler will be at first 2 out of every 3 nights of interleague play.