On Tuesday, KC Royals DH Billy Butler was named the 2012 Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award winner. Not bad for a guy who was reluctant to fill that role and still is not satisfied at that position.

Butler received 80 of the 84 first place votes. Edwin Encarnacion of the Toronto Blue Jays finished a distant second. Boston’s David Ortiz has dominated the award over the years.

He had a career year for the Royals in 2012 in being just the second Royals player to win the award (Hal McRae won the award three times). The award was named after the Seattle Mariners great DH in 2004.

Butler hit .313 with 29 home runs and 107 RBIs.

138 of his 160 games came as the DH. He led all DH’s in almost every major category, including batting average, slugging percentage (.501), doubles (29), and RBIs.

Butler was also an American League All-Star at Kauffman Stadium and an AL Silver Slugger Award winner.