The Pirates seem to be going after any hitter with a pulse, Jayson Stark reports, and that includes Kansas City Royals designated hitter Billy Butler.
If there's a hitter who might have even a remote shot of getting traded, the Pirates have asked about him. One surprising name they took a run at: Kansas City's favorite All-Star folk hero, Billy Butler. But the Pirates are still in a buy-low frame of mind. And the Royals have told a few clubs that inquired that they'd have to be blown away to deal their All-Star.
Butler is a good hitter, but he can't play defense at all. The one position, besides DH, at which a team could theoretically play him is first base, but the Pirates don't really need a first baseman so much as they need someone to prevent Casey McGehee from hitting against righties. An outfielder, who could limit utilityman Drew Sutton's playing time in the outfield while also reducing the number of days Garrett Jones and McGehee are both in the lineup at the same time, would make more sense, especially given Sutton's recent defensive woes. I like Butler, but he's not a good fit for the Pirates, and if I were them, I wouldn't offer much for him.
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