"Wynegar began the season as if he was ready to establish himself as one of the best catchers in the league, but his stamina became a big question by the end of 1984. Not much of a difference in his batting average from his 1983 mark, but he suffered a big drop in production. Wynegar hit only two doubles and two home runs and had only 13 RBI in his final 59 games, but he's a good receiver who had no problems adapting to catching the knuckleballs of Phil Niekro.
He was acquired from the Twins with Roger Erickson for Pete Filson, Larry Milborune and John Pacella in May 1982. Wynegar signed with Minnesota as a second round choice in the 1974 draft, made the AL All-Star teams in his first two years with the Twins and was the youngest player to appear in an All-Star Game until the Mets' Dwight Gooden gained that distinction in 1984.
Butch played third base until being converted to catcher during his junior year in high school. Born in York, Pennsylvania, his real name is Harold Delano Wynegar.
He took the Yankee catching job away from Rick Cerone."
-Tracy Ringolsby, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1985 Edition
"With Rick Cerone gone, 29-year-old Butch Wynegar doesn't have to worry about having to share catching duties with anyone. He is THE Yankees catcher and should be for some time to come. After all, this quiet, consistent performer has earned it.
Since coming over from the Twins in mid-1982, the switch-hitting Wynegar has hit .282 and played outstanding defense. He can block a pitch in the dirt as well as any catcher in the game, and would-be base stealers think twice before they try to run on him.
This year he has the task of meshing the Yankees pitching staff and there's no one the Yankees would rather see doing it. Wynegar is a thinking catcher, an encouraging catcher and his input will be well received by his teammates on the mound."
-The New York Yankees Official 1985 Yearbook
"Wynegar was the Yankees regular catcher in 1984 and appeared in his highest number of games since 1980 with Minnesota. Hitting .220 through May, he hit .287 over the last four months. He hit .308 right-handed and .252 left-handed, and hit .405 against Baltimore and .368 against Toronto.
He went 20 games, May 4-27, without striking out and had two doubles on July 7 at Minnesota. Butch had a career high 16-game hitting streak from May 29 to June 18.
Butch nailed 34 of 101 runners attempting to steal and performed well in handling Phil Niekro's knuckleball. He had the third highest fielding percentage for catchers with 100+ games at .993.
Wynegar was the Yankees' regular catcher in 1983 and his batting average never fell below .290 all season. On May 10 he suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his left arm on a tag play at the plate and missed half a month on the disabled list, and was hampered by a sore foot in September. Butch caught Dave Righetti's July 4th no-hitter.
His 1982 trade to the Yankees (May 12) coincided with Rick Cerone's broken thumb (May 11), but the trade had been worked out with Minnesota in advance of Cerone's injury. Wynegar was the Yankees' No. 1 catcher with Cerone on the disabled list and split the catching duties with Cerone upon Rick's return in mid-July; Butch was disabled in late July with a viral infection. Butch had missed the first month and a half of the 1981 season because of a bone chip that was found in his throwing elbow and which required surgery to remove.
Butch was an All-Star selection each of his first four seasons as a professional. In 1976 he became, to that point, the youngest player (20 years, 121 days) to appear in a major league All-Star Game. He hit his first career home run off Catfish Hunter. Coming into 1985, Butch has thrown out 33% of runners trying to steal on him in his career. He also starts '85 with a .262 average batting left-handed and a .257 average batting right-handed.
Wynegar played third base until he was moved to catcher in his junior year at Red Lion High in York, Pennsylvania. He was a four-year letterman in baseball and also lettered in football, basketball and wrestling."
-1985 New York Yankees Information Guide
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