Move McCann from catcher? Ross says no

SAN DIEGO – So David Ross is in the lineup today, catching Tim Hudson’s start while Brian McCann gets a day off for this series finale against the Padres. This duo worked out well five days ago, you might recall.

So I got to thinking, today would be a good day to ask Ross about what is, to me, a misguided notion among some observers – not just fans but also some in the media – about playing Ross more and moving McCann to another position in order to try to keep him healthy and fresh.

A five-time All-Star -- soon to be six-time -- and the best-hitting catcher in the National League and arguably the majors, McCann has worked to improve his defense and game-calling skills.

Because if Ross has a big game, especially if he has one like the two-homer game he had the last time he started a game here in San Diego back in April, there will invariably be plenty of blogs and Twitter comments about how the Braves need to play one of them at another position – any position – in order to get both bats in the lineup.

And again, posts about how McCann, 27, should be moved to first base – or wherever, since some don’t seem to think it much matters – in order to make sure he doesn’t get Posey’d in a home-plate collision.

Even though I disagree with the logic and the entire theory behind moving a guy who’s probably the best-hitting catcher in the National League since Mike Piazza to another position, a position where he might just be a good hitter but not a great one, I thought I’d go to a couple of others more informed that myself:  Ross and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who also happens to be former minor league catcher.

I ended up spending more time than planned with Ross, because he was as informative and candid and entertaining as always. So because I don’t want to deprive you of any of his wisdom, and also because I’m running out of time quickly before the first pitch, I’ll just run my conversation with him as a Q&A and see what you think about this subject after you read it, if he says anything at all that either reinforces your current opinion or makes you change your mind a bit.

I’ll share Fredi’s thoughts about it later, but suffice to say, he believes McCann is a solid defensive catcher who has worked hard on that part of his game and on calling a game, and he doesn’t see any reason why you’d move McCann to a different position, particularly since it’d almost have to be first base and the Braves have a strong 21-year-old rookie first baseman. “That’d be cutting off your nose to spite your face,” he said.

But anyway, here’s Ross.

Oh, and I should make it clear: I’ve never, not once, heard a Braves official or another player suggest that McCann should or would be moved to another position in the foreseeable future. And McCann has said repeatedly that he wants to play no other position, that he’s a catcher and loves to catch, doesn’t want to move.

Reason I asked was, I’m just reacting to the many emails, Twitter comments and blog posts that I’ve seen, particularly after the Buster Posey injury, that suggest McCann should be moved to first base or another position.

During McCann's time with Braves, some in the organization say the "his team" torch has been figuratively passed from Chipper to B-Mac (right).

And let me just say again that damn, David Ross is a great quote. Wait’ll you see his third-person quote about himself and his .203 season (with 17 homers) when he played a career-high 112 games for Cincinnati in 2007. Funny dude.

DOB: I think that some observers might short-change McCann on the defensive side of the game, because they get to compare him to such a strong defensive catcher and game-caller – you.

Ross: “I think Mac is an All-Star not just because of his bat. He calls a great game. We have one of the best pitching staffs in the game, and catching is a huge part of that.

“Year to year, every player is different. But [for example], Javy Vazquez had a subpar year before he came over here and had one of the best years of his careers. And then left, and was just kind of average. Just logically, that could have something to do with Mac and the way he calls a game. I don’t know that, but….

“His mind, as such a great hitter, helps him call a game, too. I watch the way he calls a game and it helps my game-calling, just watching him on the days that I have off. He does have a hitter’s mindset, whereas sometimes I have more of a pitcher and defensive mindset, he knows more what the hitter’s looking for sometimes, because he’s such a good hitter.”

What about this whole idea, from outside the organization, fans and some in the media suggesting that McCann should be moved so preserve his health and/or to get both of you in the lineup?

“I think, 1.you don’t ever want to start moving guys around, because you don’t know what you’re going to get. Moving Martin Prado from second base to left, I think it took him a while to adjust to not being part of the action. When you’re catching, you can forget about hitting because you’re so focused on getting their hitters out. If you’re playing first or playing the outfield, you might be swimming in your own dome [mind] out there a little bit, thinking about stuff.”

Ross says there are good reasons that McCann has his role, and Ross his.

And moving a catcher can be a bit unique, right, since guys who’ve caught so long have a different mentality?

“Yeah. I would be a first base calling a game; I sit on the bench calling a game. I’m thinking, how much more does this pitcher have? And then the stress of learning a new position would take its toll on you, I think. It’s not like, oh, I’m going to move to first, and all of a sudden I’m a great first baseman. You have to take ground balls, you have to learn situations, you have to learn where to go on bunt plays, cut-off plays. Also the gaps. That’s a lot of added stress.

“He’s a good catcher; let him be a good catcher. They tried to move Mike Piazza – if somebody’s an All-Star, let them be an All-Star. The guy [McCann] is going to be a six-time All-Star. They’re not talking about moving Roy Halladay to the bullpen.  ‘He’s great, let’s move him to closer. Our closer sucks, so let’s make Roy Halladay our closer so we can nail down the win.’ I mean, that makes no sense at all.”

A lot of people seem to assume moving him to first would keep McCann healthier, even though they just saw Pujols break his arm making a fairly routine tag play at first base…

“There’s no guarantees in this game. There’s a lot of [illogical ideas people have]. Like even when we come into the American League games, or we go into Houston and you have a chance to play him in left or me in left [because of the small left field] – there’s no reason for that. This is the major leagues. People don’t understand how hard this game is. Everybody is really good at their position. They’re the best. They’re not just like, ‘hey, let’s just move this guy.’ They have their skill set and worked their way through the minor leagues, made major league careers at that position because they’re good. Really, really good. You can’t just move a guy. There’s a reason why there are a bunch of players in Triple-A that don’t get called up. Because they’re not ready. This is a very tough game.”

The great Johnny Bench moved eventually to third base, first base, the outfield on a part-time, but not much until he was 30. I just looked it up and he never played fewer than 121 games at catcher until he was 30. And he was an incredible athlete

“Incredible [athlete; referring to Bench]. Probably Mac’s one weakness is speed. But he’s such a good baseball player that he’s stolen more bases … I don’t have any career stolen bases, and he’s probably got 30. Because his instncts are really good, and he’s a great baseball player who grew up around the game.

“There may be a time to move a player to another position, if there’s some kind of injury down the road where he can’t maybe block as well, a knee injury or something. Then yeah, you keep his bat in the lineup any way you can. Or maybe down the road he moves to the American League, where he’s a DH. But you’re talking about when you get to D-Lowe, Chipper and Huddy’s age. You’re talking after 35. And he recognizes that, which is why he’s lost all the weight and trained harder and kept the weight off, because he recognizes how long he wants his career to go as a catcher.”

I think McCann might get slighted as a defensive catcher by some, because they compare him as a defensive catcher to you. And then you have a two-homer game….

“He’s a great catcher. I think he’s a great catcher.

“People always … it’s the whole thing where if the backup’s doing good… But there’s a reason why I’m a backup. I’ve had a chance to succeed, I’ve had a chance to start. I’m hit-or-miss over the longevity of a long season. I got exposed [as a starter] maybe, or however you want to look at it. I’m a better player now than I was then, but [backup] is also a good role for me to be in. Play as hard as I can for a couple of days, then get out for a couple of days, then get back in. It’s a role that I’m comfortable in.

“Fans saying, ‘Oh, David should play every day and move Mac to first, then we’ll have a better bat in the lineup.’ Well, David hit .203 for a season. [laughs] There were some home runs in there, but David hit .203 for a season. So let’s not just jump to conclusions.

“A guy who’s a career .290 or .300 hitter, whatever he is, let him do his thing. Let David do what he’s good at. Let Mac do what he’s good at. Let Eric Hinske do what he’s good at. Know what I’m saying? Good backups and role players are good because they’ve learned how to do it. It’s a certain skill set.

“You don’t see many young guys come up from the minor leagues and be good backups, because it’s a different mindset, it’s a different way to prepare. And me, Hinske, some other guys, we’ve had a chance to play every day and things didn’t work out. Now we’ve found our niche. Just speaking for me, I’m good in spurts, I’m good in small doses. But the longevity, I don’t know anymore. Because it’s been awhile.

“It’s easy to say that. But there’s a reason [the manager] put me in the role I’m in. And that’s the sign of bad managing, in my opinion, when you play the hot hand. That puts no confidence in your starters. Bobby [Cox] did a great job with that, and Fredi [Gonzalez] has. It doesn’t matter who’s hot; I’m playing my starters, and this guy is a big key on the bench that I need to use during the game.”

BRAVES LINEUP

1. Schafer CF
2. Heyward RF
3. Chipper 3B
4. Freeman 1B
5. Uggla 2B
6. Ross C
7. Gonzalez SS
8. McLouth LF
9. Hudson RHP

♣ OK, let’s post this so you can read it before first pitch. We’ll close by saying happy 55th birthday to Mick Jones, who sang lead on a bunch of tunes by the mighty, mighty Clash, including this one, which you can hear by clicking here.

“I’M NOT DOWN” by The Clash

If it’s true that a rich man leads a sad life
N’ that’s what they from day to day
Then what do all the poor do with their lives?
On judgment day with nothing to say?

I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown
Out but I’m not down, I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, I’m not down

On my own I faced a gang of jeering in strange streets
When my nerves were pumping and I
Fought my fear in, I did not run
I was not done

I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown
Out but I’m not down, I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, I’m not down

And I have lived that kind of day
When one of your sorrows will go away
It goes down and down and hit the floor
Down and down and down some more
Depression
But I know there’ll be some way
When I can swing everything back my way
Like skyscrapers rising up
Floor by floor, I’m not giving up

So you rock around and think that
You’re the toughest
In the world, the whole wide world
But you’re streets away from where
It gets the roughest
You ain’t been there

I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown
Out but I’m not down, I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, I’m not down….

– By David O’Bries, Braves/MIB blog