Lawrence Butler's Two Homer Day Latest Example of Bright Future

After sweeping the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend, the A's were riding a season-high three-game win streak at home this season as they welcomed the Toronto Blue Jays, who are fighting to make the postseason. Before the game, Jays' manager John Schneider said that he wasn't overlooking the A's, "It's Major League Baseball and anything can happen." 

If Toronto had taken their foot off the gas, they likely would have dropped Monday's series opener in Oakland. They still needed ten innings to come away with a 6-5 win, partially due to the A's rookies belting long balls all afternoon. 

Lawrence Butler got Oakland on the board with a solo shot to center in the fifth, his third of the season. In the sixth, it was Ryan Noda that went yard to right field, his 14th on the year. In the seventh Jordan Díaz tied the game at three runs apiece with a solo shot to center. 

In extras it was lefty Francisco Pérez on the mound, and on the first pitch he threw to Santiago Espinal, the game was un-tied as Espinal doubled to left, scoring the inherited runner. Toronto added two more runs in the frame, giving them a 6-3 lead. 

Butler led off the bottom half of the tenth with another laser shot, this time to right field, making it a 6-5 ballgame, but the A's couldn't rally all the way back in this one. This was Butler's fourth homer of the year and the first multi-homer game of his career (23 games).

At the beginning of the home stand, manager Mark Kotsay said what he wants to see the rest of this season is for the team to continue playing competitive baseball. Even with the loss, the A's were in this one until the end, and a large reason for that is the performances of their rookies. 

Kotsay doesn't think we've even seen Butler show off his full skill set just yet. "I think he's only going to get better. He has the tools to play at a really high level. Being an every day guy, being an impact player. I don't think we've seen the best of him defensively. I don't think we've seen him run and steal bases like he can. This kid is really young, and it should be exciting."

Just about a year ago at this time, the rookie outfielder was in High-A Lansing, returning from a dislocated elbow he'd sustained on July 4. A little over a year later he is in the big leagues and really starting to stand out. 

Butler said after the game, "The A's have a really bright future. People might think of us as the laughingstock of the league this year, but next year is going to be a whole different story."

When asked before the game which players on the A's roster have stood out to the coaching staff during their prep for this series, Schneider rattled off a bunch of young guys like Gelof, Ruiz, and Noda. Butler was not among them. If asked the same question tomorrow, it's safe to say he would be near the top of the list.