Brian McCann (baseball)

Brian McCann

McCann at Disney's Hollywood Studios
in February 2010 All
New York Yankees – No. 34
Catcher / First Baseman
Born: (1984-02-20) February 20, 1984
Athens, Georgia
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 10, 2005, for the Atlanta Braves
MLB statistics
(through 2015 season)
Batting average .268
Hits 1,293
Home runs 225
Runs batted in 830
Teams
Career highlights and awards
2010 All-Star Game MVP

Brian Michael McCann (born February 20, 1984) is an American professional baseball catcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Atlanta Braves from 2005 through 2013. McCann is a seven-time All-Star and a six-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

Professional career

McCann was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft.[1]

Atlanta Braves

McCann made his Major League Baseball debut with the Braves on June 10, 2005 after playing in the minor leagues for the Rome Braves. A personal catcher for John Smoltz for most of the 2005 season, McCann hit his first home run in just his second regular-season game and became the first Braves player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first playoff at-bat on October 6, 2005. He accomplished the feat in the second inning of a 7–1 victory over Roger Clemens and the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the 2005 National League Division Series. McCann was named the everyday starter when the Braves traded Johnny Estrada to the Diamondbacks.

During the 2006 season, McCann hit .333 with 24 homers and 94 RBI. He led all Major League catchers in homers, and his RBI total was matched only by Jorge Posada and Victor Martinez.[2] The Braves rewarded McCann by buying out his arbitration years with a 6-year, $27.8 million contract during spring training in 2007.[2]

McCann was selected to play in the 2006 MLB All-Star Game, in his first full major league season, and then again in both 2007 and 2008, making him the first Braves player ever to be selected to the National League All-Star team in each of his first three seasons. In 2008, he allowed more stolen bases than any other NL catcher, with 93.[1]

McCann batting for the Atlanta Braves in 2009

Beginning in April 2009, McCann was bothered by blurry vision in his left eye, due to a slight vision change following 2007 LASIK surgery. He decided to opt for glasses when contact lenses proved uncomfortable.[3] In May 2009, Oakley, Inc. made special glasses for McCann to correct the vision problem and allow for comfort under the catcher's mask. McCann remarked, "I need my Oakleys. I have to have the wraparounds for my peripheral vision."[4] In 2009, he had more errors at catcher than any other major leaguer, with 12, and had the lowest fielding percentage among them (.988).[5]

McCann was again selected for the All-Star Game in 2009 and 2010. In the latter, he was named the MVP after driving in all three of the National League's runs with a bases-clearing double in the seventh inning (driving in Scott Rolen, Matt Holliday, and Marlon Byrd), off of Chicago White Sox reliever Matt Thornton, giving the NL a 3–1 victory, its first in the midsummer classic since 1996. On August 23, McCann hit the first walk-off home run reviewed by instant replay. McCann hit a line drive to right field. The ball struck the top of the right field wall. The umpires called it a double, but McCann and Braves bench coach Chino Cadahia argued the call. The umpires went to go review instant replay. Replays showed that the ball struck the top of the right field wall, bounced into the stands, and then got onto the field. Thus, the umpires overturned the call and called it a walk-off home run.[6][7] In 2010, he allowed more stolen bases than any other NL catcher, with 84.[1]

During spring training, on March 9, 2011, McCann hit a line drive foul ball which struck minor league manager Luis Salazar, blinding him in the left eye.[8] On May 17, 2011, McCann hit a ninth-inning, game-tying, pinch-hit home run and an 11th-inning game-winning two-run home run to defeat the Houston Astros 3–1.[9] Also in 2011, he allowed 104 stolen bases, more than any other major league catcher.[10]

On July 27, 2012, he became the first player since Jim Thome in 2007 to homer in six straight games versus an opponent. He did this on the same day Chipper Jones tied Pete Rose's record for extra base hits by a switch hitter.[11]

On July 14, 2013, McCann was chosen by National League manager Bruce Bochy to replace injured Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman in the 2013 All-Star Game.

New York Yankees

McCann batting for the New York Yankees in 2015

On November 23, 2013, McCann agreed to a five-year, $85 million contract with the New York Yankees, with a vesting option for a sixth year.[12] The Yankees officially announced the deal on December 3.[13] McCann wears the number 34 as number 16 is retired in honor of Whitey Ford.

On May 28, 2014, with limited options at first base, manager Joe Girardi slotted McCann into his first career start at first against the St. Louis Cardinals going 2-4 with one RBI, a run scored, and a walk in a 7-4 Yankee win.

On September 28, 2014, McCann entered the game against the Boston Red Sox as a pinch runner for Derek Jeter, after Jeter's final career hit.

On September 6, 2015, McCann hit his career high 25th home run of the season, a game-tying 3-run shot off of Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays.

On November 12, 2015, McCann earned his sixth Silver Slugger Award at Catcher, first in the American League.

World Baseball Classic

McCann was selected by Team USA in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Personal life

Brian McCann's father Howie coached at Marshall University and currently runs Windward Baseball Academy.[14] His older brother, Brad, played in the minor league systems of the Florida Marlins and Kansas City Royals before retiring after the 2007 season.

McCann married Ashley Jarusinski in December 2007. Former teen-idol and favorite of the McCanns, Donny Osmond, performed at the wedding. Their first child, Colt Michael, was born in July 2012.[15] Their second child, a daughter who was named Colbie, was born in September 2013.[16] He resides in Suwanee, Georgia.

Philanthropy

In 2008, McCann released a charity wine (The McCann Merlot) with 100% of his proceeds supporting the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research, an organization dedicated to raising funds to support pediatric cancer research and treatments. McCann also has baseball clinics for kids aged 5–18.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Brian McCann Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Bowman, Mark (March 22, 2007). "McCann's the man for Braves". MLB.com. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
  3. ↑ Mark Bowman / MLB.com (January 1, 2011). "McCann to play at Triple-A on Thursday | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  4. ↑ http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=7&ArticleID=59332&TM=91.437[]
  5. ↑ ""MLB Player Fielding Stats – As c – 2009," ''ESPN'', accessed October 6, 2009". Espn.go.com. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  6. ↑ "McCann's three-run double gives NL first All-Star win since 1996". ESPN. July 13, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  7. ↑ Kepner, Tyler (July 13, 2010). "National League Ends All-Star Loss Streak". New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  8. ↑ "https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ati6hVykFUqQHuwJTdg71iARvLYF?slug=ap-braves-salazarhit". External link in |title= (help)
  9. ↑ David O'Brien (May 18, 2011). "McCann credits older brother’s hitting tip | Atlanta Braves". Blogs.ajc.com. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  10. ↑ "2011 Major League Baseball Fielding Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Should Braves buyout Brian McCann?". http://throughthefencebaseball.com. External link in |publisher= (help)
  12. ↑ Simon, Andrew (November 23, 2013). "McCann, Yanks reportedly agree to five-year deal". MLB.com. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  13. ↑ http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2013/12/03/yankees-announce-brian-mccann-signing/
  14. ↑ For Braves Catcher, Quiet Excellence in the Family Business http://windwardbaseball.com/
  15. ↑ "On paternity leave, McCann a first-time father". Atlanta.braves.mlb.com. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Braves resting some regulars". www.ajc.com. September 22, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2013.

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