Butler: ‘We had equal faults in this’

OAKLAND — A contrite Billy Butler addressed the media on Wednesday for the first time since a clubhouse fight with Danny Valencia last Friday left him with a concussion, expressing remorse for his role in the altercation while also saying he believes he can co-exist with Valencia moving forward.

Butler was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list on Monday, the same day Valencia briefly addressed the incident. Butler said he has spent the last several days individually apologizing to teammates, as well as manager Bob Melvin, executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane and general manager David Forst.

Butler and Valencia have not spoken as of Wednesday morning, but Butler said they plan to. Both players were disciplined and fined but not suspended.

“This was something that could’ve been prevented on both sides,” Butler said. “We had equal faults in this. I definitely said some things that you shouldn’t have. I definitely stepped in an area where it wasn’t my business.”

Friday’s altercation resulted from a comment Butler made to an equipment representative about Valencia, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Butler called the incident a “reaction,” saying both players …

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