Whether McCann?

Yankees rookie catcher Gary Sanchez was called up in early August, and proceeded to hit a record 11 home runs in his first 23 games. In the remaining 30 games he hit nine more, not too bad of a drop-off. Poor old Brian McCann needed 77 more games to equal Sanchez’ total of 20 home runs. But McCann is not at all poor.

With the Braves in need of a starting catcher, fans will cry for the return of McCann – but that’s exactly who they don’t need: an aging, expensive, fading former All-Star. Both Braves catchers out-hit McCann this year. Surely Coppy will find a front line catcher somewhere else. McCann even has his Gwinnett County mansion up for sale.   

 

..G...AB...R....H..2B.HR.RBI.BB..K...avg.OB.SLG..OPS

053 201  34  060 12 20 042 24 057 299 376 657 1.032 G Sanchez

062 165  17  040 11 04 026 07 031 242 269 382 0.650 A Romine

130 429  56  104 13 20 058 54 099 242 335 413 0.748 B McCann

245 795 107 204 36 44 126 85 187

 

..G...AB..R…H..2B.HR.BI..BB..K…avg.OB.SLG..OPS

033 090 06 025 08 02 015 16 022 278 394 433 0.828 Anthony Recker

082 281 27 076 18 08 041 29 091 270 357 428 0.777 Tyler Flowers

081 247 15 054 15 02 023 06 029 219 243 304 0.547 AJ Pierzynski

196 618 48 155 41 12 079 51 142  

Both McCann and his Jeff Francoeur have seen a little of the country. McCann has played in every NL and AL ballpark. Frenchy has spent time with the Braves, Mets, Rangers, Royals, Albuquerque Isotopes, Phillies, and Marlins.

 

Warren Spahn finished his career with 363 wins as a pitcher and 363 hits as a batter.

 

In 1982 Joel Youngblood collected a hit in a day game for the Mets, then left the game when he was traded to the Expos. He traveled to Philadelphia and joined the Expos in the middle of their game, and collected a hit – two hits for two different teams in two different cities in one day.

 

Cal Ripken’s iron man streak of 2632 consecutive games played is the equivalent of more than 16 full seasons without missing a game.