Robinson Cano Booed: Royals Fans Angered Over Home Run Derby Snub Of Billy Butler (VIDEO)

By Chris Yuscavage, Complex Sports

A few weeks ago, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who was slated to serve as the American League captain at the 2012 MLB Home Run Derby in Kansas City, announced that he was thinking about inviting Royals designated hitter Billy Butler to participate in the Derby. But, Butler didn't end up making the cut for Cano's crew.

So, when Cano stepped into the batter's box last night during the first round of the Derby, the KC crowd really let him have it. They started booing him, kept booing him, booed him some more, and then -- after he failed to hit a single home run during his at-bat -- they let out a huge round of applause.

And, while Cano tried to say that all the booing didn't bother him during an interview with ESPN after the first round, it clearly didn't help him. Mission accomplished, KC.

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[via The Big Lead]

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Loading Slideshow

• Prince Fielder, Jaden Fielder, Haven Fielder

  American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, poses with his children Jaden, left, and Haven after receiving the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby trophy, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Prince Fielder

  American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. Fielder won the competition. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Prince Fielder, Haven Fielder, Jaden Fielder

  Photographers gather as American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, poses with his children Haven, left, and Jaden after receiving the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby trophy, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

• Prince Fielder

  American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, far left, watches as American League's Jose Bautista, of the Toronto Blue Jays, competes in the final round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. Fielder won the competition. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Prince Fielder

  American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, celebrates as he becomes the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby champion, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Jose Bautista

  American League's Jose Bautista, of the Toronto Blue Jays, swings during the second round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Prince Fielder

  American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, swings during the second round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Carlos Beltran

  National League's Carlos Beltran, of the St. Louis Cardinals, smiles after competing in the second round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Mark Trumbo

  American League's Mark Trumbo, of the Los Angeles Angels, swings during the second round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Mark Trumbo

  American League's Mark Trumbo, of the Los Angeles Angels, swings during the second round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Matt Kemp

  National League's Matt Kemp, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

• Robinson Cano

  American League's Robinson Cano, of the New York Yankees, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Robinson Cano

  American League's Robinson Cano, of the New York Yankees, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Matt Kemp

  National League's Matt Kemp, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Matt Kemp

  National League's Matt Kemp, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, participates in the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Jose Bautista

  American League's Jose Bautista, of the Toronto Blue Jays, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Andrew McCutchen

  National League's Andrew McCutchen, of the Pittsburgh Pirates, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

• Prince Fielder

  American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, reacts during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Prince Fielder

  American League's Prince Fielder, of the Detroit Tigers, participates in the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Hank Aaron

  Hall of Famer Hank Aaron waves to the crowd during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Andrew McCutchen

  National League's Andrew McCutchen, of the Pittsburgh Pirates, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Andrew McCutchen

  National League's Andrew McCutchen, of the Pittsburgh Pirates, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

• Carlos Gonzalez

  National League's Carlos Gonzalez, of the Colorado Rockies, swings during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Jose Bautista

  American League's Jose Bautista, of the Toronto Blue Jays, reacts during the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Carlos Beltran

  National League's Carlos Beltran, of the St. Louis Cardinals, hits during the first round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

• Carlos Beltran

  National League's Carlos Beltran, of the St. Louis Cardinals, swings in the first round of the MLB All-Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 9, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Comments

[whsartist]

02:21 PM on 07/13/2012

Oh please. Can we get anymore ridiculous?! Cano makes between 17-20 million a season. Let me repeat that- 17 to 20 MILLION to play a game, and he's upset that he got booed? He should thank his lucky stars. leave his family at home, and stop his whining. What a total punk.

[allamericanelaine]

03:27 PM on 07/11/2012

This is not the whole story, on two separate occasions Cano stated that he was going to pick Billy Butler. KC does not take kindly to liars especially Yankee liars so poor little Cano was booed. The chicken was so terrified of additional booing at the parade the next day that he rode in a car with Jeeters. (Shows a bit of a yellow streak.) The thing that made me barf was Fox choosing to run a Smile Ambassador commercial for Cano during the AS game. What a joke poor little boy can't stand up for himself.

[joecan1]

01:07 PM on 07/11/2012

See you in another 45 years Kansas City.

[hrc04]

10:16 PM on 07/10/2012

They haven't cheered in so long, they forgot how.

[Sad But True]

11:02 AM on 07/11/2012

They did? It sure didn't sound like it when Billy Butler was announced or when he got up to bat.

[hrc04]

11:18 AM on 07/11/2012

Then they're just classless.

[rikster]

09:00 PM on 07/10/2012

KC still smarting from 1977....

[luckyrays vintage]

08:18 PM on 07/10/2012

Cano showed respect to Butler by publically announcing he's a consideration for the derby squad.If Cano had said nothing there'd be no controversy - and no respect shown either.

Folks in KC must be experiencing a special kind of moral retardation if they actually turn that into an excuse for such vicious booing of a player even when he's taking pitches his own dad.So much for midwestern "family values".

[irishyank]

01:24 AM on 07/12/2012

When you state that you will include a player from the hometown, then don't deliver on that recorded statement, how exactly do you expect the hometown fans to react? Cano deserved what he got and the same would have happened anywhere else, particularly in NY. And it wasn't a statement of consideration, it was a statement of inclusion. I think they had every right.

[sdave]

07:23 PM on 07/10/2012

Drunk fans are the worst......

[the pariah]

06:16 PM on 07/10/2012

Stephen Hawking just predicted the Royals would make the playoffs again in 2145.

[Tony McDay]

04:38 PM on 07/10/2012

stay classy Kansas City fans...

[irishyank]

01:31 AM on 07/12/2012

Because nothing screams class more than a Yankees fan.

[GEORGE W TUSH]

04:35 PM on 07/10/2012

The irrational booing of Robinson Cano is simply a reminder of how badly Royals fans long for legitimacy."

[allamericanelaine]

03:28 PM on 07/11/2012

No we just expect some honor from supposed baseball heroes and Cano is a liar.

[liberalking37]

04:18 PM on 07/10/2012

They boo because he's a Yankee,and we all hate the Yankees.

[Tony McDay]

04:38 PM on 07/10/2012

Speak for yourself...

[Jamhawk4]

04:07 PM on 07/11/2012

He speaks for me too! Honestly, I didn't know about the snub to Butler so when they all started booing him, I just figured it was because he was a Yankee.

[haileyschwebbs]

03:44 PM on 07/10/2012

pathetic inbred kc-ers... dont worry cano will put last years derby trophy next to this years mvp trophy and world series ring...

[irishyank]

01:30 AM on 07/12/2012

Inbred? Ever been there? I've been there several times and it's actually a really nice city. Their fan base is pretty hardcore (Chiefs and Royals alike) and are extremely pissed with Cano for going back on his word. If you don't believe me about that fan passion, try going to any MU or KU game. As for lack of class, I think that leans more toward the University of Missouri crowd.

[Charlie Soeken]

02:26 PM on 07/10/2012

turn it around.. if this was at Yankee Stadium and Billy Butler said Robbi Cano should be part of the HR Derby and then changed his mind.. How do you think Butlers reception would have been from the New York fans? I was there.. I paid a LOT of money to go.. I wanted to see my guy.. I BOO'd til my voice gave out..

[Tony McDay]

04:49 PM on 07/10/2012

HR Derby team is the best of the best, not a local popularity contest , and Billy Butler is simply not as good as the others Robinson selected.

Royals Fans simply embarrassed themselves in full view of the baseball world...

[Charlie Soeken]

05:22 PM on 07/10/2012

Not saying that Butler should have been there over Trumbo, Bautista, or Fielder. And Cano deserved to be there based on winning it last year. However, dont tease the local fans into thinking they are going to get to see thier guy and then reneg on the deal. Thats what got him boo'd. If its supposed to be an event for the fans, maybe MLB ought to cater to the fans a bit more. Bud Selig could have stepped in, added a 5th member to each team, limited the outs from 10 to 7 or 8 from each player and things would have been just fine. I dont think Royals emabarrased themselves at all. We stuck up for our guy, simple as that. Just like Yankee fans are attempting to stick up for thier guy by calling for an outrage of the action of Royals fans.. And as far as best of the best - if that were the case, the fans wouldnt get to vote the starters in, and every team wouldnt be represented. Keep David Wright out of next years contest and lets see how New Yorkers " act with class"

[Sad But True]

11:01 AM on 07/11/2012

It's a freakin' GAME. The home run derby is MEANINGLESS. It is supposed to be fun. I'm sure Butler could have hit more than Cano is his first at bat.

[Sad But True]

02:19 PM on 07/10/2012

Kudos, KC! It was a classless move on Cano's part not to pick a player from the host city.

[joey o]

01:00 PM on 07/10/2012

The behavior was horrible......the Romans vs. the Christians at the Collosium. What have we come to?

[Sad But True]

02:24 PM on 07/10/2012

Wow, how dramatic. Silly and hyperbolic, but dramatic.

[LikeaRollingStone]

04:30 PM on 07/10/2012

Wait, the Romans vs. Christians was on?

Oh, man. I just watched the Home Run Derby. Dang. Was that Romans thing on Spike?

[joey o]

12:16 PM on 07/11/2012

yeah dude, you missed it. Slurp.....