KC Royals: John Buck Retires, Alex Rios Injured, Jandel Gustave Claimed

Former KC Royals top-ten all-time catcher John Buck retired from major league baseball on Thursday.

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The 34-year-old John Buck came to the Kansas City Royals in 2004 as part of the a three-way deal that sent Royals All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran to the Houston Astros and closer Octavio Dotel to the Oakland A’s. In return, the Royals acquired Buck, pitcher Mike Wood, and third baseman Mark Teahan.

John Buck moved right into the KC Royals starting lineup at catcher and played in Kansas City for six years until leaving in free agency in 2010.

John Buck hit .235/.298.405 for the Kansas City Royals with 70 home runs for an adjusted on base plus slugging (OPS+) of 84 (16% below a league average hitter). He ranks second in club history in home runs for a catcher.

By 2009, Buck had lost his starting job to Miguel Olivo (who also left as a free agent before the 2010 season).

John Buck played for six other teams: Toronto, Miami, New York Mets, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and the Los Angeles Angels. He enjoyed his best season the year after leaving the Kansas City Royals, hitting .281/.314/.489 for Toronto and making his only All-Star team.

JOHN BUCK CAREER STATS

Year	Age	Tm	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2004	23	KCR	71	258	238	36	56	9	0	12	30	1	15	79	.235	.280	.424	.704	80
2005	24	KCR	118	430	401	40	97	21	1	12	47	2	23	94	.242	.287	.389	.676	79
2006	25	KCR	114	409	371	37	91	21	1	11	50	0	26	84	.245	.306	.396	.702	80
2007	26	KCR	113	399	347	41	77	18	0	18	48	0	36	92	.222	.308	.429	.738	92
2008	27	KCR	109	418	370	48	83	23	1	9	48	0	38	96	.224	.304	.365	.669	79
2009	28	KCR	59	202	186	16	46	12	4	8	36	1	13	55	.247	.299	.484	.782	104
2010 ★	29	TOR	118	437	409	53	115	25	0	20	66	0	16	111	.281	.314	.489	.802	114
2011	30	FLA	140	530	466	41	106	15	1	16	57	0	54	115	.227	.316	.367	.683	87
2012	31	MIA	106	398	343	29	66	15	1	12	41	0	49	103	.192	.297	.347	.644	73
2013	32	TOT	110	431	392	39	87	11	0	15	62	2	29	104	.222	.288	.365	.652	85
2013	32	NYM	101	407	368	38	79	11	0	15	60	2	29	99	.215	.285	.367	.652	85
2013	32	PIT	9	24	24	1	8	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	.333	.333	.333	.667	91
2014	33	TOT	32	97	89	9	20	2	0	1	6	0	8	26	.225	.289	.281	.570	66
2014	33	SEA	27	92	84	9	19	2	0	1	6	0	8	24	.226	.293	.286	.579	69
2014	33	LAA	5	5	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.200	.200	.200	.400	16
11 Yrs	1090	4009	3612	389	844	172	9	134	491	6	307	959	.234	.301	.398	.698	86
162 Game Avg.	162	596	537	58	125	26	1	20	73	1	46	143	.234	.301	.398	.698	86

KCR (6 yrs)	584	2116	1913	218	450	104	7	70	259	4	151	500	.235	.298	.407	.705	84
MIA (2 yrs)	246	928	809	70	172	30	2	28	98	0	103	218	.213	.308	.358	.667	81
NYM (1 yr)	101	407	368	38	79	11	0	15	60	2	29	99	.215	.285	.367	.652	85
LAA (1 yr)	5	5	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.200	.200	.200	.400	16
PIT (1 yr)	9	24	24	1	8	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	.333	.333	.333	.667	91
SEA (1 yr)	27	92	84	9	19	2	0	1	6	0	8	24	.226	.293	.286	.579	69
TOR (1 yr)	118	437	409	53	115	25	0	20	66	0	16	111	.281	.314	.489	.802	114

AL (8 yrs)	734	2650	2411	280	585	131	7	91	331	4	175	637	.243	.300	.416	.716	88
NL (3 yrs)	356	1359	1201	109	259	41	2	43	160	2	132	322	.216	.302	.361	.662	82

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/27/2015.

ALEX RIOS INJURED

Kansas City Royals free-agent acquisition Alex Rios will miss at least two games with a jammed thumb according to MLB.com reporter Jeffrey Flanagan, who tweeted the news Thursday morning:

Alex Rios will sit out for at least 2 games because of jammed thumb, same thumb injury from last year #royals
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) March 26, 2015

While the injury appears minor, Alex Rios hurt the same thumb that sapped him of his power in 2014. Rios hit a career-low 4 home runs last season in Texas. Any way you cut it, it’s worrisome news for the KC Royals.

Alex Rios is expected to hold down the right-field job after Nori Aoki signed with the San Francisco Giants in free-agency this winter. He signed a 1-year deal with $11 million guaranteed with a mutual option for 2016.

Rios has enjoyed a strong spring, slashing .333/.349/.619 along with 3 home runs and 3 doubles.

Let’s hope that the jammed thumb does not put an end to the power that Rios has flashed in Surprise.

PADRES CLAIM JANDEL GUSTAVE

The San Diego Padres claimed former KC Royals reliever Jandel Gustave on Thursday, after the Royals put him on waivers on Tuesday.

The Padres were likely enticed to claim the 22-year-old Gustave by his 100 mph fastball and his decent 3.86 ERA this spring.

Since the Padres claimed Jandel Gustave on waivers from the Royals, they inherit the same conditions that apply to a rule 5 pick: they must keep him on the major league roster for one full season or offer him back to the Houston Astros for $50,000.

Had Jandel Gustave passed through waivers and the Astros refused to pay the $50,000 repurchase fee, the KC Royals would have retained his rights.

Gustave’s fate was likely sealed when the Royals decided to go with four bench players rather than carry an eight-man bullpen to begin the 2015 season.

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