Sal Butera
Encyclopedia
Salvatore Philip Butera (born September 25, 1952) was a Major League Baseball
catcher
and is currently a Special Assistant to Toronto Blue Jays
General Manager
Alex Anthopoulos
.
Signed by the Minnesota Twins
as an amateur free agent in , Butera would make his major league debut in an extra innings game against the Oakland Athletics
on April 10, . He struck out in his only at bat.
Butera remained with the Twins as Butch Wynegar
's back-up until Spring training
when he was dealt to the Detroit Tigers
. Injuries limited Butera to only four games with the Tigers, and he was released at the end of the season.
Butera spent the season with the Montreal Expos
' triple A American Association
affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians
, and appeared in three games for the Expos following a September call-up. After the season, he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds
with Bill Gullickson
for Dann Bilardello
, Andy McGaffigan
, John Stuper
and Jay Tibbs
. He was released by Cincinnati during the season, and was immediately resigned by his original franchise, the Minnesota Twins
. Butera was a member of the Twins team that defeated the St. Louis Cardinals
in the 1987 World Series
. He was released, resigned, and released again by the Twins during the 1987-1988 offseason, then was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays
, where he played in 23 more games.
Sal and his wife have a son; Drew
, born August 9, 1983, who is the Minnesota Twins
back-up catcher to Joe Mauer
. Sal & Drew are the first father-son combo in Twins history.
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...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and is currently a Special Assistant to 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 ....
General Manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
Alex Anthopoulos
Alex Anthopoulos
Alex Anthopoulos is currently the Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager for the Toronto Blue Jays. He was appointed to this position from his former position of Assistant General Manager, on October 3, after previous G.M. J. P. Ricciardi was fired...
.
Signed by the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
as an amateur free agent in , Butera would make his major league debut in an extra innings game against the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
on April 10, . He struck out in his only at bat.
Butera remained with the Twins as Butch Wynegar
Butch Wynegar
Harold Delano "Butch" Wynegar, Jr. is a former professional baseball player and is the current hitting coach for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees Triple A affiliate of the New York Yankees...
's back-up until Spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
when he was dealt to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Injuries limited Butera to only four games with the Tigers, and he was released at the end of the season.
Butera spent the season with the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
' triple A American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
, and appeared in three games for the Expos following a September call-up. After the season, he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
with Bill Gullickson
Bill Gullickson
William Lee Gullickson is a former major league baseball pitcher who played for six different major-league teams, in Canada, the U.S...
for Dann Bilardello
Dann Bilardello
Dann James Bilardello was a Major League Baseball catcher.Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round of the 1978 MLB amateur draft, Bilardello would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Cincinnati Reds on April 11, 1983, and appear in his final game on October 4, 1992. After...
, Andy McGaffigan
Andy McGaffigan
Andrew Joseph McGaffigan , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1981-1991.-Teams:* New York Yankees 1981* San Francisco Giants 1982-1983, 1990...
, John Stuper
John Stuper
John Anton Stuper is a baseball coach and former pitcher. He attended Point Park University. He was 25 years old when he broke into Major League Baseball on June 1, 1982 for the St. Louis Cardinals...
and Jay Tibbs
Jay Tibbs
Jay Lindsey Tibbs was a Major League Baseball pitcher with a seven-year career from 1984 to 1990. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He had two winning seasons and a career ERA of 4.20. He currently lives in Oneonta, Alabama.-External...
. He was released by Cincinnati during the season, and was immediately resigned by his original franchise, the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Butera was a member of the Twins team that defeated the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in the 1987 World Series
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...
. He was released, resigned, and released again by the Twins during the 1987-1988 offseason, then was signed by 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 ....
, where he played in 23 more games.
Sal and his wife have a son; Drew
Drew Butera
Andrew Edward Butera is a major league baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. The 6'1", 210 lbs. right-hander is the son of former Major league catcher Sal Butera, who played for the Twins from to and again in...
, born August 9, 1983, who is the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
back-up catcher to Joe Mauer
Joe Mauer
Joseph Patrick Mauer is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles...
. Sal & Drew are the first father-son combo in Twins history.