World Series 2014: Billy Butler Will Be Key If Royals Are to Win Game 2

The Kansas City Royals entered the World Series unblemished with a perfect 8-0 record in the postseason. Now if they hope to avoid falling into a 2-0 series hole, designated hitter Billy Butler will have to step up.

For Butler, there’s much at stake. Remember, Butler and Alex Gordon are the two longest-tenured players on the Kansas City roster, both arriving on the scene in 2007. But more significantly, according to Baseball Reference, the Royals have the option to buy out the rest of Butler’s four-year, $30 million contract after the season.

It’s already been a rough year for Butler, who hit just .271 during the regular season. That’s well below his career mark of .295. If Butler fails to impress in the World Series, this could be his last shot with Kansas City.

Thankfully for the man Kansas City fans affectionately call “Country Breakfast,” Butler has a dream matchup waiting for him in Game 2. Butler is a .424 lifetime hitter against Wednesday’s starting pitcher, San Francisco Giants right-hander Jake Peavy.

AB	AVG.	HR	RBI	OBP	SLUG	OPS
33	.424	3	8	.486	.727	1.214

The last time Peavy came to Kauffman Stadium was on August 9, 2013. That was his worst game of the season, as the former Cy Young winner allowed a season-high 10 hits in only five innings of work.

GS	IP	W-L	ERA	BAA
14	83.1	5-7	4.97	.285

Butler was a big part of the Royals’ offense that night, logging three hits, including a double and two singles. Butler has had 33 at-bats against Peavy, the most of any Kansas City hitter.

Batting in the No. 5 hole, Butler also serves as the bridge to Alex Gordon, the team’s go-to hitter with runners on base.

During the regular season, Gordon collected a .308 average with runners on base. With the bases empty, he hit only .237. Certainly, the Royals’ odds of winning improve significantly when Butler gets on ahead of Gordon.

The equation is simple. When Butler is at his best, so are the Royals. Including the postseason, the Royals are now 27-14 this season when Butler has two or more hits. When Butler goes hitless, the Royals are only 25-29.

The Giants may have better starting pitching and hitting, but when it comes to stealing bases, the Royals have a clear advantage.

The 240-pound Butler, however, does not fit this mold. Sports Illustrated’s Twitter account poked fun at Butler’s baserunning during Tuesday night’s game.

Given Butler’s lack of speed, it’s almost a guarantee the Royals will use Terrance Gore as a pinch runner if Butler gets on base late in the game. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, the Royals are 7-1 when Gore steals a base this season.

Another reason Butler should be feeling a sense of urgency is because Game 2 could be his last action of the series. Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi pointed out that Butler may be limited to pinch hitting when the series shifts to the National League for Games 3-5. Keep in mind, designated hitters are not permitted in NL parks.

The Giants haven’t lost a playoff series in over a decade. If the Royals hope to buck that trend, they’re going to need a mammoth performance from Butler in Game 2. We’ll see if he’s up to the task.