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A's clubhouse fight started because of a cleat endorsement deal

mike oz

New details have emerged about the fight between Danny Valencia and Billy Butler in the Oakland Athletics’ clubhouse that caused Butler to miss two games because of injury. He was out of the lineup again Monday as the A’s played the Cleveland Indians.

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According to A’s beat writer Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the clash started when Butler butted into a conversation between Valencia and an equipment rep who was visiting the team. Valencia was being questioned about off-brand cleats in his locker when Butler reportedly ratted him out and said Valencia should be dropped from his endorsement deal.

Slusser’s information comes from two unnamed players who watched it all go down. She writes:

Valencia told the representative that he only uses the non-issue spikes during pregame workouts. According to multiple sources, Butler, who has an equipment endorsement with a different company, jumped in to tell the equipment rep that Valencia was lying and regularly uses the non-standard spikes. Butler allegedly told the representative that the company should drop Valencia’s endorsement deal. Endorsement deals are typically worth between $10,000 and $20,000, sometimes more.

After the rep departed, the players said, Valencia confronted Butler and told him, “Don’t you ever loud talk me in front of a rep. That was wrong,” and walked aggressively toward Butler. Butler turned around, took a couple steps toward Valencia, and according to both witnesses, said, “I can say whatever I want and your b— ass isn’t going to do anything about it.”

One player said that the men leaned in, bumped heads and then started pushing each other, Valencia started swinging and hit Butler in the temple. After the players broke things up, Butler told the players he was OK.

Billy Butler and Danny Valencia in happier times. (AP)
Billy Butler and Danny Valencia in happier times. (AP)

There are some questions still lingering about intent. It’s been widely reported that Butler and Valencia pester each other in the clubhouse. They used to play together with the Royals and have made it a habit of jawing back and forth at each other.

So is there real underlying beef between the two? Or did Butler just take their banter too far and Valencia had to show him that he would, indeed, do something about it.

Whatever the case, it seems that Valencia has a good rep amongst teammates current and past. Coco Crisp and Yonder Alonso, who are both on the A’s now, tweeted their support of Valencia. And Eric Hosmer, who played with both Butler and Valencia on the Royals, also lent his support to Valencia. Though it should be noted, nobody said anything either way about Butler.

It should also be noted that players in MLB clubhouses don’t always get along and have certainly got into fights before. This — like the Bryce Harper-Jonathan Papelbon case last year — just seems to be an extraordinary turn of events because Butler was actually injured and missed time.

A’s skipper Bob Melvin told reporters Saturday that Butler was nauseous and vomiting, but that he didn’t have the flu. As The Chronicle pointed out, both symptoms are consistent with a concussion. On Monday, the A’s put Butler on the seven-day concussion DL.

In the aftermath of the fight, Butler’s locker has been moved to the other end of Oakland’s clubhouse and Valencia told John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group that the two of them haven’t spoke since. Butler declined to speak to reporters Monday, but GM David Forst said both players have been fined and disciplined.

Sounds like this is one instance where — joking or not — Butler would have been wise to mind his own business.

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!