BRADENTON, Fla.—Braves catcher John Buck left camp on Thursday after telling the team he is retiring from baseball for personal reasons.
Buck was trying to make the Braves’ roster and play a 12th major-league season. He was behind Christian Bethancourt and A.J. Pierzynski in the pecking order but Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Buck’s family considerations drove his decision to retire.
“It was emotional for him,” Gonzalez said. “I understand completely. I laid out the plan what we wanted him to do and he said it’s not about the money or making the major-league team. It’s time for him to spend some time with his family, which I respect 100 percent.”
Gonzalez declined to comment on the specifics of Buck’s family situation.
Buck, 34, would have earned $1 million this season if he’d made the big-league roster. He was hitting .325 with a home run in 25 at-bats during Grapefruit League play.
Buck has played 1,090 games over 11 big-league seasons for seven teams while hitting .234 with 134 home runs. Buck’s best season was 2010, when he made the All-Star team with Toronto and set career highs with 20 homers, 66 RBI and a .281 average.
Gonzalez said Buck had been a good clubhouse presence for the Braves this spring and had taken on a leadership role in the regular catchers meetings.
“I’m going to miss him and a lot of guys are going to miss him,” Gonzalez said. “He can get back in this game any time he wants as far as a coach, an executive. Anything he wants to do, his pedigree and his reputation will make it easy for him to come back.”
