Kansas City Royals Offseason Outlook: 5 Options for Replacing Billy Butler

The Kansas City Royals are coming off of their most successful season in almost 30 years. Now, with an American League Championship in hand, the team faces a new set of challenges. Possibly the largest challenge of all is sustainability.

They won the American League Championship. They were within 90 feet of potentially tying the deciding World Series game. They have shown the world that they are ready to compete on the big stage. Being there once is impressive, but finding the formula to be there again in the near future is much more so.

The decisions facing the Royals this offseason are numerous. They made the first decision of the offseason when they announced that they had declined the $12.5 million option on designated hitter Billy Butler's contract.

The decision to decline the contract option was anticipated. Now, general manager Dayton Moore has to go to work on replacing Butler in the lineup and the clubhouse. Butler, one of the longest-tenured Royals, had been employed by the team since 2008. His leadership will be missed. His bat can be replaced.

There are five options to replace Butler in Kansas City in 2015. Those options are listed here, ranked from least likely to most likely.

Least Likely: Victor Martinez Brings His Bat to Kansas City

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There are few names on the market that inspire more hope among teams looking for a hitter than Victor Martinez can. The Royals would receive a dramatic increase in production at designated hitter from such a move.

Then why is Martinez ranked as the least likely of these five candidates? Signing a player the caliber of Martinez would be a complete change from the Royals typical operating procedures. That is not to say that the Royals don't sign free agents, they just don't spend big money on free agents. Big money is what it is going to take to bring Martinez into the fold.

Martinez is coming off a career year with the Detroit Tigers. The 35-year-old will turn another year older before he takes the field again, which could keep his price tag in check. However, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Martinez is in search of a four-year contract. That is a substantial commitment for a player of his age.

The length of the contract and the overall value will likely led Martinez to pastures not shaded royal blue. Fans of the Royals will continue to dream that the team would take a chance and bring on of the best hitters in the game to Kansas City.

Chances Are Slim: Nelson Cruz Could Join the Royals

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A discussion about the league's best hitters on the free-agent market would be impossible without the inclusion of Nelson Cruz. A prolific hitter that led baseball in home runs in 2014, Cruz would solidify the middle of almost any lineup.

Cruz is more than a hitter, however. He is capable of patrolling the outfield and will be marketed as an outfielder during free agency. He will be going through the process for a second season in a row. This time, instead of testing free agency on the heels of a PED suspension, he'll be touting his production for a playoff team in Baltimore.

He is 34 years old and will likely be seeking a multi-year contract, though that has yet to be reported. Once again, the length of the contract and potentially high average annual value does not fit a typical Royals signing.

While Cruz would be a force to be reckoned with in the lineup, it may take more than one winning season for Royals owner David Glass to start investing that much money into the team.

Even Odds: Colby Rasmus Provides Intrigue

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The middle of the list brings a name that fits the team well and also provides a different opportunity at the position. Colby Rasmus will hit free agency at a young age and can provide a tremendous amount of flexibility to the team.

Rasmus is an interesting case. He is young, which could make a longer contract worth exploring. He is a plus defensive player in the outfield, which adds some flexibility. He has had good seasons at the plate and poor seasons at the plate, which could make him affordable. He would be a risk but has the potential to be a calculated one, at least.

Rasmus offers an intriguing change of philosophy for the Royals. With a player like Rasmus in the fold, the designated hitter spot becomes a place to rotate players in to. It gives the team a chance to have Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson, Alex Gordon and Colby Rasmus all in the lineup every day. It would also provide a much better defensive outfield than they have enjoyed in recent memory.

The biggest factor in keeping this signing a reality is in Rasmus himself. He has historically been a player who is not willing to make adjustments, and asking him to play a new position, designated hitter or corner outfield, might be a deal-breaker. Other than that, Rasmus seems like a good fit for the vacancy in Kansas City.

All things considered, Rasmus is a good player who could fill the need. Odds are even on whether they could reach a mutually beneficial deal.

Good Chance: Mike Morse Could Be the Perfect Fit

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The Royals got an up close and personal look at a player who would fit well in Kansas City when they played the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. Mike Morse is a professional hitter looking for a team this offseason. The Royals would be an excellent fit for Morse.

Morse has played the outfield and shortstop in his career but has never been known as a defensive prodigy. He seems to hit well, though not patiently. He boasts a career .281 batting average and averages 23 home runs per 162 games played. He strikes out a lot and walks very little. That does make him a very Royals-esque hitter, though.

Morse will not likely come with a high price tag. He will come at a cheaper rate than Victor Martinez or Nelson Cruz. He will likely come cheaper than Colby Rasmus, even though he doesn't offer as much flexibility. He will turn 33 before the start of next season, making a four- or five-year contact reasonable.

Morse is a good fit for the Royals and stands to have an above-average chance of ending up in Kansas City.

Most Likely: Royals Will Bring Billy Butler Back

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

All things considered, Billy Butler is still the most likely person to be penciled in as designated hitter for 2015. It makes the most sense for both the player and the team for him to return to Kansas City.

Butler is a mainstay in Kansas City who garners a ton of fan support. He is active in the community with outreach programs like his Hit-It-A-Ton hunger relief effort. He has become a bit of an ambassador for Royals baseball over the years.

Dick Kaegel of MLB.com reports that both the team and player are interested in him returning. The team obviously would like that to happen at a lower salary. Kaegel goes on to share Butler's desire to have a multiyear contract and remain a Royal.

The money, while always important, doesn't seem to be the main sticking point for Butler. A multiple-year contract with a fair annual value will have him back in Royal blue. The question remains if that is the best option for the team. An upgrade at DH would help the team significantly. 

It is hard to imagine the team not coming to terms with Butler in the long run.