Angels pitcher Ty Buttrey says he abruptly left baseball in the middle of a promising career because he played for the wrong reasons: money and proving people wrong.
“I’m sick of pretending and lying to the best fan base in the world,” Buttrey, 28, wrote on social media. “Life is very simple, find your true passion, find people you love and you don’t care what anyone thinks outside these lines. People like to be in control of others. “
Buttrey, a former Red Sox fourth-round draft pick, was handed out to the Angels as part of the 2018 Ian Kinsler trade.
Buttrey appeared in 115 innings over the past three seasons with the Angels and became one of the most reliable options at the Los Angeles Bullring.
But, surprisingly, Buttrey was left out of the Angels roster when he broke spring training and did not show up in the alternate spot for the minor leagues. He is moving away from a $ 600,500 salary in 2021 after earning at least $ 545,000 in the previous three seasons, in addition to the $ 1.3 million bonus after the draft, according to spotrac.com.
Buttrey finished his MLB career 8-11 with a 4.30 ERA in 115 innings.
“All my life I’ve played the game for everyone,” wrote Buttrey, who also thanked the Angles and their fans for their decision. “I just wanted to show that everyone is wrong. When he was not a team, he worked 10 [times] more difficult to avoid being perceived as a failure. Over time, baseball became a business and less so a game. I couldn’t help but notice that my love and passion for this game began to wane. ”
Buttrey pointed to an unidentified professor in his life who told him that his chances of reaching the major leagues were slim and that he should lower his expectations to a more realistic professional goal.
“I always thought baseball was a great job,” he wrote. “I also knew that the same job paid very well. What little kid doesn’t want a great job that pays well?
“I focused on all aspects of this game. I increased my level of commitment to make a lot of money and say I have a great job and to show all the moms who didn’t believe in me and doubted my ability to become an MLB player that I could. ” .
Buttrey continued, “I made the decision to quit baseball,” Buttrey said. “I contacted the English and they asked me to spend some time thinking about it. Part of the process had to be chosen [to the minors], which I accepted. I took the extra time to make sure my thoughts were clear. I contacted the Angels again and told them I would leave the game for personal reasons. “
Buttrey did not specify his next step other than that he and his wife “start living the life we really want” as a “normal, hardworking boy who loves his family and friends.”