It’s 4 a.m. and Brian Butterfield is watching TV or monitoring the computer while enjoying a cup of coffee.
“Do you get the MLB Network? You should. It’s great,” said Butterfield, the Orono native and third-base coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. He had been the bench coach the previous two years but will return to the third-base coaching box this coming season.
The rival Boston Red Sox have signed shortstop Marco Scutaro, reached a deal with free-agent pitcher John Lackey and are in the process of signing outfielder Mike Cameron.
Scutaro spent the previous two seasons with the Blue Jays.
“He’s outstanding,” said Butterfield. “He’s a real good athlete. He takes great care of himself and he cares about winning. He’ll draw a walk, he’ll hit-and-run, he’ll move runners along, he’ll bunt, he’ll hit some balls in the seats. He can steal a base. He’s a student of hitting. He’s immersed with the offensive part of the game.”
The former University of Maine second baseman said Scutaro’s on-base percentage (.379) is impressive.
Butterfield considers him a top-notch defensive shortstop. He made 10 errors in 143 games at shortstop last year before plantar fasciitis sidelined him the last two weeks.
“There’s no panic in his hands. He’ll catch the ball, especially in key situations. He always paid attention in our meetings [on how to play certain hitters] so he knows how to position himself on every hitter,” said Butterfield, who pointed out he had only six errors at one point in August and had handled 40 more chances than the next closest shortstop, statistically.
Scutaro recently sent a text message to Butterfield to thank him for his help.
“That doesn’t happen very often,” said Butterfield in praising Scutaro’s character.
Butterfield called Lackey “one of the most competitive pitchers in baseball. Stuff-wise, he doesn’t match up to a [Jon] Lester, [Josh] Beckett or [Roy] Halladay. But he has good stuff. He has good sink on his fastball and he has a great breaking ball. He’s always been very high on my radar.”
Lackey is 42-22 over his last three seasons.
He said Boston’s projected rotation of Beckett, Lester, Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Clay Buchholz or Tim Wakefield can certainly hold its own with the World Champion New York Yankees.
Butterfield said the other positive aspect of the Lackey acquisition is the Red Sox didn’t have to give up any players to obtain him.
Cameron is a career .250 hitter but Butterfield said he is “outstanding defensively.
“He can run, he’s athletic. He gives them a little more flexibility. That gives them two outfielders with great speed,” said Butterfield, referring to center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and Cameron. “And he might be a guy who’s [offensive] numbers improve in Fenway Park.”
The Blue Jays are in a rebuilding mode and Butterfield will be sorry to see Halladay leave to join the Phillies in an apparent three-way trade.
“He’s the greatest player/person I’ve ever been around,” said Butterfield. “I’ve never seen a guy prepare and compete like Roy. He’s the ultimate warrior.”
However, he said they are getting three top prospects including pitcher Kyle Drabek, son of former National League Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek.
For now, Butterfield is keeping close tabs on his beloved New England Patriots.
“I’m still hopeful. They’re well-coached, Tom Brady is still their quarterback and they still have a lot of good football players,” said Butterfield, who is 52.
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