Brett Butler, who had a 17-year career in the major leagues with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, is trying to work his way back to the show as a manager.
We take you to an evening early in Butler's latest assignment, shepherding the Class AA Mobile BayBears of the Southern League.
"There was a point he got into an argument with the umpire and he was really going off," begins BayBears team president and part owner Bill Shanahan.
"I called up [to the press box] on the walkie-talkie and told them to turn off the music. Turn off everything. I knew he wasn't going to swear, and I wanted to hear what was going on.
"Another manager in the past, I would have turned the music up."
He had retired as a player in 1997, took some time to help finish raising the kids, did a little speaking, then began looking for someone else's kids to raise. In the meantime, he moved from Atlanta to the Phoenix area.
His wife suggested it might be time to get out of the house. Especially after beating back episodes of throat (1996) and prostate (2004) cancer. His health is sound now, Butler insists, the only lasting effect being an inability to put on weight as a result of the radiation treatments. He's 10 pounds lighter than during his playing days.
"I count it as a blessing," he said with a smile. "Most guys my age are trying to shed pounds. I'm trying to put 10 or 15 back on. I can eat anything I want, anytime."
"There are three things I love: I love the Lord, I love my family and I love baseball."
Butler is a classic example of nice guys finishing first. Don't be surprised if he winds up running a major league team in the near future.
Here's the article "Former Brave Butler shows class" from the Atlanta Journal Constitution via BPSports.net
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