Rich Butler
Rich Butler | |
---|---|
Outfielder | |
Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada | May 7, 1973|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 6, 1997, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 4, 1999, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .223 |
Home runs | 7 |
Runs batted in | 22 |
Teams | |
Richard Dwight Butler (born May 1, 1973) is a former outfielder for the Major League Baseball Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.[1] He is the brother of another former Blue Jay, Rob Butler.
Career
Butler was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays on September 24, 1990. After seven years in Minor League Baseball, he was called up to play for the major league club on September 6, 1997. He played seven games that season with the Blue Jays.[2][3]
In the Major League Baseball expansion draft of 1997, Butler was selected 10th overall by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, now the Tampa Bay Rays.[2] In 1998, the inaugural season for the Rays, Butler played in 72 games at the major league level and 38 games with AAA Durham..[4]
Butler remained at AAA Durham in 1999, where he played 90 games. He was called up to the Devil Rays again, but this time only for seven games.[4]
On October 15, 1999, Butler was granted free agency. A month later, he was signed by the Seattle Mariners, although he never made it back to the big leagues.[2]
After his MLB career Butler played for the minor league Toronto Maple Leafs from 2001 to 2002.[5]
Highlights
1992 - A Ball Myrtle Beach Hurricanes, South Atlantic League Champions
1993 - Florida State League All Star, voted most exciting player of the year by Baseball America
1996 - Australian League MVP, Sydney Blues
1997 - First MLB hit, September 9
1998 - First MLB home run, April 1
Statistics
Batting
G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minors | 924 | 3345 | 459 | 874 | 145 | 41 | 76 | 439 | 329 | 653 | 95 | 68 | .261 | .330 | .397 | .728 |
Majors | 86 | 251 | 30 | 56 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 19 | 44 | 4 | 3 | .223 | .280 | .351 | .631 |
Fielding
G | GS | TC | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Majors | 70 | 64 | 131 | 126 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 |
[2] minor league fielding statistics not available
Butler Baseball Academy
As of 2016, Rich Butler and his brother Rob Butler are instructors at the Butler Baseball Academy based in Ajax, Ontario, Canada.
The academy offers:
- professional baseball and softball instruction
- seasonal clinics and camps
- baseball and softball batting cages
- elite baseball programs for 12U, 13U, 14U, 16U
References
- ^ "Butler did it" The Telegram. Retrieved 2016-07-03.
- ^ a b c d e "Rich Butler Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ "Richard Dwight Butler". www.purapelota.com. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ a b "Rich Butler Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ "ALUMNI | Intercounty Baseball League". www.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved 2016-04-25.
- ^ a b "Rich Butler | Butler Baseball Academy". butlerbaseballacademy.com. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Pelota Binaria (Venezuelan Winter League)
- Butler Baseball Academy
- 1973 births
- Living people
- Baseball outfielders
- Baseball people from Ontario
- Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Cardenales de Lara players
- Dunedin Blue Jays players
- Durham Bulls players
- Gulf Coast Blue Jays players
- Knoxville Smokies players
- Major League Baseball left fielders
- Major League Baseball players from Canada
- Myrtle Beach Hurricanes players
- New Haven Ravens players
- Niagara Stars players
- Oklahoma RedHawks players
- Sportspeople from Toronto
- Syracuse Chiefs players
- Syracuse SkyChiefs players
- Tacoma Rainiers players
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays players
- Toronto Blue Jays players
- Canadian baseball biography stubs
- Baseball outfielder stubs