Nov. 7, 2011
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By Eric DeSalvo
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Although the Major League Baseball season officially ended Oct. 28 with the St. Louis Cardinals topping the Texas Rangers in an ultra-competitive seven-game World Series, many major leaguers continued their season into November as they took part in the 2011 Taiwan All-Star series on Nov. 1-6. Of the 19 big leaguers that made the trek, former Knight Drew Butera was one of two catchers to play overseas.
The Minnesota Twins backstop represented the MLB in five games across three different cities in Taiwan and played with notable sluggers Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees, as well as Detroit's Miguel Cabrera and San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval.
In his second season with the Twins, Butera caught 93 games, including 75 starts, and hit .167 with two home runs and 23 RBI. Known for his stellar defense behind the dish, Butera threw out 22 runners attempting to steal for a 36% caught stealing percentage.
Butera donned the black and gold from 2003-05 and was a semi-finalist for the Johnny Bench Award in 2005, given to the nation's top collegiate catcher after he hit .325 and was drafted in the fifth round by the New York Mets.