Over his big league career, Brett Butler played for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets. For a large portion of that time Butler used dip. He eventually quit but it would prove to be too late as Butler was diagnosed with throat cancer which sidelined him during the 1996 season with the Dodgers. Since then he’s been outspoken against the use of smokeless tobacco. Butler is currently the manager of the Triple-A Reno Aces of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. In the story Butler talks about Triple-A players dipping despite a ban in minor league baseball, players on his teams who have dipped despite knowing about his battle with cancer, the 10 year old boy who caused him to quit dipping cold turkey, and his desire to make it back to the big leagues as a coach. Solid read.
The Oakland Athletics have traded Brad Ziegler to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Brandon Allen and Jordan Norberto. The 25 year old Allen has seen limited time in the major leagues in each of the last three seasons. His best cup of coffee with Arizona came in 2010 when he hit .267 in 22 games. This season for the Diamondbacks Allen has hit .172 over 29 at-bats with three of his hits being Home Runs. He has seen time for the Triple-A Reno Aces in each of his three seasons in the Diamondbacks organization after coming over from the White Sox midway through the 2009 season. Allen hit .306 with 21 Doubles, 4 Triples, 18 Home Runs, and 66 RBI’s in 83 games for Reno this season prior to being called up. He was fifth round pick of the Chicago White Sox in the 2004 draft. Norberto is a 24 year old left handed reliever who has posted a 6-2 record with a 4.25ERA in 41 appearances for Reno, his second season in Triple-A. Norberto made his major league debut in 2010 going 0-2 with a 5.85ERA in 20 innings with the Diamondbacks in 2010. The 6’0″ lefty was signed by Arizona as a non drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic back in 2004.
This is about as random as it gets, but too funny not too post. Looks like former big leaguer and current Arizona Diamondbacks Triple-A manager Brett Butler had one of his old home movies hit YouTube last night. In it his son cranks a line drive that hits Butler in the groin. Any father can relate.