A’s Billy Butler sorry for fight with Danny Valencia
Billy Butler spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time since the pregame scuffle with Danny Valencia on Friday in Chicago that landed Butler on the seven-day concussion DL. In expansive comments, Butler said he bears equal blame for the incident, which, as The Chronicle first reported Monday began when Butler told a shoe-company representative that Valencia was wearing spikes he was not supposed to be, contrary to Valencia’s claims. Butler also suggested the company should end Valencia’s endorsement deal, according to several witnesses; Valencia took exception, words were exchanged and Valencia landed a punch to Butler’s temple. Butler emphasized that he has apologized to his teammates individually, as well as to the coaches manager Bob Melvin and the front office. Butler and Valencia also were teammates in Kansas City and they have a notably loud and bantering relationship, needling each other endlessly about things, and many in the organization believe it was just a matter of time before things got out of hand. Butler, who hit in the batting cage on Tuesday and Wednesday, is eligible to come off the DL on Monday and he is likely to take a concussion test in St. Louis over the weekend.