Billy Butler steals second base in ALDS Game 3 — no, really!
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Pitchers frequently don’t pay attention to Kansas City Royals slugger Billy Butler when he makes it to first base because he’s big and lumbering and has five stolen bases in 1,169 career games.
Correction: Make that six stolen bases!
Butler shocked Kauffman Stadium and anyone watching on TV by stealing second base in the third inning of the Game 3 of the American League Division Series, which the Royals won 8-3 against the Los Angeles Angels.
“I mean, it’s only natural not to pay attention to Billy at first base, you know,” manager Ned Yost said. “But it was — it just kind of shows the character of our team a little bit, you know? Everybody gets after it.”
At 240 pounds (give or take), Butler doesn’t have the look or reputation of Royals speedsters such as Jarrod Dyson, Terrance Gore, Lorenzo Cain, Nori Aoki, Alex Gordon and so on. Butler actually has been described as “glacial.” But that doesn’t mean he can’t join in the fun at the right moment. The Royals stole 12 bases over a three-game sweep, compared to just one for the Angels, in advancing to the AL Championship Series.
And Butler got his. Kansas City led 5-1 in the third inning and was looking to add more after left-hander Hector Santiago walked Butler. First baseman Albert Pujols played back — as others usually do — and Butler talked to first-base coach Rusty Kuntz about taking off, maybe.
“He said: ‘Hey, you think you can get him?’ ” Butler said. “And I said: ‘Oh, yeah.’ “
Which is hilarious, because Butler hadn’t even attempted to steal a base since 2012, when he went 2 for 3.
Butler not only beat the bounced throw from catcher Chris Iannetta, but he also did a nifty pop-up slide at second base that must have terrified shortstop Erick Aybar, who fell on his back after being unable to field the throw cleanly. Butler looked the way of the excited Royals dugout and did the “Joc-in” or “Motorcycle Dance,” made famous in many parts by hip-hop star Yung Joc in his video for “It’s Goin’ Down.”
It’s a move the Royals do when they steal a base. The key motions are like revving an invisible motorcycle:
“That’s what we do when we steal a base,” said Butler, who is six for nine stealing bases for his career. “I’m in that category now.”
That’s what the Royals do. That’s what speed “do,” to paraphrase Ron Washington.
The Royals did not bring Butler home that inning, like they did in the first when Alex Gordon hit a three-run double off the fence in left-center. Butler was the last man in, and though he was laboring somewhat by the time he rounded third, he made it home in time and made a nice slide. Lots of cardio for Butler in the clincher.
Butler’s teammates were still enthralled with the stolen base, of course, after the game.
“When Billy Butler steals a base, you know things are going right,” Cain said. “You know it’s your night.”
Royals right-hander James Shields wondered why Butler had been so shy to try.
“You know, I’ve been telling him to steal all season long,” Shields said. “They don’t hold him on. I think [Mike Moustakas] put a bunt down with the shift the other day, and now Billy is stealing bases, and I guess we’ve stolen a lot of bases this postseason, and he wanted to join everybody.
“I’ve seen some weird stuff happen in the postseason, and good for him, man. I’m glad he’s doing it at the right time.”
Doing what he do, like the rest of the Royals speed demons.
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David Brown is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter!
