Brian Butterfield
Encyclopedia
Brian James Butterfield (born March 9, 1958 in Bangor, Maine
) is the current third base coach and infield instructor for the Toronto Blue Jays
Major League Baseball
team.
Butterfield is the son of Jack Butterfield, the former vice-president of player development and scouting for the New York Yankees
. The younger Butterfield was a second baseman
in the Yankees minor league system before joining the major league team as a roving infield instructor in .
Butterfield later became a coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks
, spending five years with them. He then became a minor league manager
in the Yankees organization, helming the Bronx Bombers' Florida State League
affiliate as well as the Columbus Clippers
, the team's Triple-A club in the International League
. In , he joined the Blue Jays as their third base coach and infield instructor.
Butterfield has a very good reputation, both within the Blue Jays system and throughout baseball. Orlando Hudson
, widely recognized as one of the best defensive second baseman
in baseball and winner of the Gold Glove Award
in and , has stated that Butterfield deserves immense credit for making him the defensive player he is. Under Butterfield's tutelage Aaron Hill, a shortstop
by trade, has already become an above-average defensive second baseman.
It was announced on September 30, , that Butterfield would be the bench coach for the Blue Jays in , replacing Ernie Whitt
.
On October 30, 2009, it was announced that Butterfield would once again be the Blue Jays' third base coach for the 2010 season.
During the 2010 off-season Butterfield was one of four finalist for the Toronto Blue Jays
managerial job, along with John Farrell, DeMarlo Hale
, and Sandy Alomar Jr..
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
) is the current third base coach and infield instructor for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team.
Butterfield is the son of Jack Butterfield, the former vice-president of player development and scouting for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. The younger Butterfield was a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in the Yankees minor league system before joining the major league team as a roving infield instructor in .
Butterfield later became a coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, spending five years with them. He then became a minor league manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in the Yankees organization, helming the Bronx Bombers' Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
affiliate as well as the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
, the team's Triple-A club in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. In , he joined the Blue Jays as their third base coach and infield instructor.
Butterfield has a very good reputation, both within the Blue Jays system and throughout baseball. Orlando Hudson
Orlando Hudson
Orlando Thill Hudson is an American professional baseball second baseman with the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball.-Early life and high school career:...
, widely recognized as one of the best defensive second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in baseball and winner of the Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
in and , has stated that Butterfield deserves immense credit for making him the defensive player he is. Under Butterfield's tutelage Aaron Hill, a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
by trade, has already become an above-average defensive second baseman.
It was announced on September 30, , that Butterfield would be the bench coach for the Blue Jays in , replacing Ernie Whitt
Ernie Whitt
Leo Ernest "Ernie" Whitt is a former Major League Baseball catcher and coach who is the current manager for the minor league Clearwater Threshers. He is noted for the twelve years he spent as a player with the Toronto Blue Jays...
.
On October 30, 2009, it was announced that Butterfield would once again be the Blue Jays' third base coach for the 2010 season.
During the 2010 off-season Butterfield was one of four finalist for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
managerial job, along with John Farrell, DeMarlo Hale
DeMarlo Hale
DeMarlo Hale is a Major League Baseball coach for the Boston Red Sox.Hale is a former first baseman and outfielder in minor league baseball who played in part of four seasons for the Boston and Oakland organizations between 1984 and 1988.Following his playing career, Hale worked at the Bucky Dent...
, and Sandy Alomar Jr..