‘I just want another chance to win’
Veteran Lucroy, prospect Vaughn among invitees to camp
Jonathan Lucroy has been on four playoff teams during his 11-year major-league career.
The furthest any of the catcher’s teams advanced was in 2011 with Milwaukee, when the Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series. The Tony La Russa-led Cardinals went on to win the World Series.
“I just want another chance to win and a chance to put a ring on my finger and an opportunity to make a team that has a chance to win,” Lucroy said Thursday during a conference call.
Lucroy, who signed a minorleague deal with the Chicago White Sox on Feb. 4, sees this Sox as “a good opportunity to win.”
Lucroy is one of 21 non-roster invitees to Sox spring training camp, the team announced Thursday. The list features first baseman Andrew Vaughn, the top prospect in the organization, according to Baseball America.
Pitchers and catchers report for spring training Wednesday.
The first
Feb. 22.
Lucroy, 34, is one of 14 free agents the Sox signed to minorleague contracts and invited to spring training. That group includes right-handed pitchers Ryan Burr, Tayron Guerrero, Alex McRae, Felix Paulino, Connor Sadzeck and Mike Wright, lefthander pitchers Jacob Lindgren, Kodi Medeiros and Matt Tomshaw, infielders Tim Beckham, Marco Hernandez and Matt
full-squad
workout
is
Reynolds
Williams.
Leading up to the deal, Lucroy had conversations with new Sox instructor Jerry Narron and La Russa, who’s returning to the dugout for the first time since 2011 to manage the Sox.
“I put a call into Tony La Russa and said, ‘Look, I would love to play for you,’ ” Lucroy said. “‘I hated to play against you whenever you were managing with the Cardinals. They were tough. But I
and
outfielder
Nick
would love to play for you if you see there’s a spot somewhere for me to have an opportunity to try to make the team.’ ”
Lucroy will be competing to back up starter Yasmani Grandal.
“I’m going to go in there and play the best I can, and whatever they see the fit as, that’s not up for me to decide,” Lucroy said. “That’s up to Tony and the people up top, all the front-office guys. They’ll figure all that stuff out.
“I’m not worried about that.
I’m just going to go out and do my best, try to play as good as I can to make the team and help these pitchers get better and perform to the peak of their ability.”
The two-time All-Star (2014, ‘16) has a career .274/.335/.416 slash line with the Brewers (201016), Texas Rangers (2016-17), Colorado Rockies (2017), Oakland Athletics (2018), Los Angeles Angels (2019), Chicago Cubs (2019) and Boston Red Sox (2020). He appeared in one game with the Red Sox, was released Sept. 15 and signed a minor-league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I didn’t get much of an opportunity last year, but that’s OK,” Lucroy said. “It is what it is. I did get a chance to get better as a player. I went to the (alternative site) in Boston for a little while and I had a chance to work on some stuff. I came out of that better than I went in.”
Vaughn, the No. 3 pick in the 2019 draft, is one of seven players from within the organization to receive an invitation. The others are right-handers Danny Dopico, Kade McClure and Emilio Vargas, left-hander Bennett Sousa, catcher Carlos Perez and infielder Zach Remillard.
Vaughn, 22, is expected to compete for the open designatedhitter slot this spring.