KANSAS CITY, Mo.*– Kansas City designated hitter Billy Butler has become synonymous with Royals baseball.
The longest-tenured member of the Royals – a man who even has his own brand of barbecue sauce*– lunched at Oklahoma Joe's BBQ in a Kansas City suburb for a second-straight day before Wednesday's Game 7 of the World Series against the San Francisco Giants.
Trust us, there's nothing more Kansas City than eating barbecue before one of the city's biggest moments in the last quarter century.
However, it's hard not to wonder if Butler and the city will be separating after the season. Was his foul pop-up to first baseman Brandon Belt in the ninth inning of the Royals' 3-2 loss to the Giants his last at-bat in a Kansas City uniform?
[Photos: Royals react to World Series Game 7 defeat]
The Royals hold a $12.5 million option on Butler's contract for the 2015 season and it's hard to envision the team picking it up. Butler's OPS has declined each of the last two seasons and he plays first base, a position occupied by Eric Hosmer, a superior defender.
"Even if they decline it, you can still talk and that kind of stuff," Butler said after the World Series loss. "I don't*– there's nothing been said. I've been told nothing, nor should I. We were focused on the World Series. And the only thing I know is I've been a Royal my whole life, well since I was 18 years old, my whole professional career. I bleed Royal blue."
"And I'm a proven major league player and if it's not here it's somewhere else, but I'd rather it just be here. And that's just the way it is. We're a small market, business is business but I feel like it's a little more than that here."
When Butler arrived in Kansas City in 2007 after he was drafted out of high school in 2004, the team was on the way to a 69-93 season. Outfielder Emil Brown was the team leader in RBI with 62. Zack Greinke was pitching out of the bullpen; a Cy Young was but a twinkle in his eye.
But as the Royals' won-loss record has improved over the last three seasons, Butler's statistics have dropped. In 2012, as a 26-year-old, Butler hit 29 home runs and had an OPS of .882. Last year, the home run total dropped to 15 and the OPS fell to .787. This season, Butler hit nine home runs. His OPS was .702, fifth on the team.
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In the playoffs, he knocked in eight runs but his OPS was even lower than the regular season at .675. While his popularity, especially after stealing a base against the Angels in the American League Division Series, may still be at its peak in Kansas City, his production isn't.
Butler understands that the Royals have a business decision to make. However, he may not have much of a market. Unless a National League team takes a chance on him full-time at first baseman, Butler's suitors are all American League teams. The Royals will likely not be re-signing starting pitcher James Shields and right fielder Nori Aoki.
There will be money available to sign Butler if the team so chooses. But those chances, at least publicly, don't seem very high, as the key phrase for the Royals moving forward has been "lineup flexibility."

"My dad's always told me good things come to an end but I hope this isn't one of those times," Butler said. "This isn't one of those things that has to end. But I'd like to see if we can build on this next year with this squad and if I'm in part of those plans. I sure hope I am. if I'm in those plans I'll be here. If I'm not, then there's nothing I can do about it."
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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