There’s a new leader in the clubhouse, and he’s Brian McCann
Brian McCann at work: A homer on Sunday, then another on Monday. (AP photo)
A torch has been passed. It wasn’t supposed to happen quite so soon, but a grab-and-whirl-and-throw one dark night in Houston revved the timetable. We’re seeing the team that for more than a decade has belonged to Larry Wayne Jones Jr. being shouldered by Brian Michael McCann.
On Sunday he hit the walk-off homer against Florida. (OK, actually a stop-at-second-and-wait-a-bit walk-off. Still counted.) On Monday he hoisted another home run, this one a no-doubter, and also dropped an actual bunt single against the Mets. Since the All-Star break, McCann is hitting .311 with 10 homers and 33 RBI’s, as opposed to .267 with 10 and 37 before it. And his team has needed every blessed hit.
The guy who has carried the Braves for more than a decade was lost to a torn knee ligament. The guy who carried them through May and into June, the stopgap Troy Glaus, has been dispatched to Class AAA. Jason Heyward is an undeniable presence — he had four hits and four RBI’s Monday night — but he’s also a rookie. With so much in flux this wild season, the Braves needed someone of both seasoning and gravitas to light the way. On cue, B-Mac has become the beacon.
It just isn’t that he’s the most accomplished Brave still standing; it’s that McCann has grown into his role in a way we weren’t always certain he would. He was considered the lesser of the famous Gwinnett duo when he arrived in 2005, the famous Jeff Francoeur being the shining light and Sports Illustrated star, and the younger McCann seemed disinclined to offer more than boilerplate responses to the media. Put simply, he didn’t act as if he wanted to be The Man.
But now he is, and he’s wearing it well. He’s more forthcoming, more of a spokesperson. Clearly he has learned from being around Chipper, whose locker sits just across the doorway at the far end of the clubhouse, that a player of such portfolio bears certain responsibilities off the field as well. Even before Chipper was lost, McCann had become the junior spokesman, and now he’s the senior man. Indeed, he’s the last healthy everyday Brave (meaning a non-pitcher) of uninterrupted tenure to have played when last this club graced the postseason.
“You’ve got to know your place,” said McCann, speaking after Monday’s walkaway victory. “When I first came up, mine was to show up on the field and keep my mouth shut and play the game … When you’re young, you’re supposed to be seen but keep quiet.”
And now? “As you get older, you feel a little more sure of yourself. And you can be a little more yourself with [the media].”
Evidence to the contrary, McCann isn’t ready to pronounce himself a leader. (He’s still just 26, we must note.) “We’ve got so many great players in here,” he said. “Derrek Lee has won a World Series. Tim Hudson has been a great pitcher. I’m still learning this game from them. I look up to those guys.”
That said, there’s no active Brave who commands more respect among his mates. McCann plays the toughest position, gets some of the biggest hits and stands now as the constant in a lineup that has undergone monthly alterations. Again, he doesn’t see it that way: “We’ve got Martin Prado and Jason Heyward and Omar Infante, who could win a batting title.”
The theme of this happy season has been that the Braves are a team of No Stars. But Brian McCann is a star. If these Braves play their way into the World Series, it’s McCann — whose bases-loaded double made the National League a winner and him the All-Star Game’s MVP — who ensured that it will commence at Turner Field. It’s McCann who stands as the finest catcher in his league, McCann who ranks with Minnesota’s Joe Mauer as the best in the business.
Someday this will be Jason Heyward’s team, perhaps in joint ownership with Freddie Freeman, but for now it belongs to the big man with the blond beard, the man who stepped up when the great Chipper Jones went down. It belongs to Brian McCann.
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297 comments Add your comment
Trey
August 31st, 2010
2:58 pm
Rio, no I admitted the error.
Phillies, Class of the NL
August 31st, 2010
2:58 pm
CBP, that’s Citizen Bank Park, for the remedial Trey, is top 5 in every stadium ranking out there, and #1 or 2 in most.
CLARK CO. PD
August 31st, 2010
2:58 pm
Trey sorry but we have made 100 errors they have only made 69.
Jesse Stone
August 31st, 2010
2:59 pm
That’s what I thought Phillies troll. You are gutless.
RioBravo
August 31st, 2010
2:59 pm
and yet the Braves are #1 in the NL East – shove it.
RioBravo
August 31st, 2010
2:59 pm
shut up Trey.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:01 pm
RioBravo, immature, much? How old are you? “Shut up”, didn’t your mom teach you any manners?
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:02 pm
Jesse, makes you wonder how many real Braves fans are on here as they are defending the Phils troll on here over defending their own Braves.
raleighbravefan
August 31st, 2010
3:03 pm
Knock, Knock.
Who’s there?
Rear view mirror.
Rear view mirror, Who?
The rear view mirror that Braves fans are using to look at the Phillies. Soon, we won’t b e able to see them at all.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:03 pm
Phillies, as I said I made an error. Are the Phillie cheesesteaks clouding your judgement? Maybe you should lay off.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:04 pm
raleighbravefan, hopefully we can see them getting smaller and smaller in the rear view.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:04 pm
Clark, yeah I know. I never said our defense was great either.
RioBravo
August 31st, 2010
3:04 pm
Trey, I argue facts with the ignorant Phillies fans when I get the time – I don’t need to argue with an ignorant Braves fan at the same time. You were wrong, get over it, shut up. Citizens Bank Park is a beautiful Park, I have been there, you obviously never have. Phillies fans are also boorish goons, but they are lively.
The Braves are in first place, the Phillies are not. In my opinion we are there to stay no matter what the Phillies Phools have to say. Its a fact that we are in first and all we need to do is take care of business to win this thing. GO BRAVES! EPH the Phillies!
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:08 pm
Rio, you obviously do not know me as I am not an ignorant Braves fan. I have been to Citizens Bank Park. It is not that great compared to The Ted. So, grow up and do not tell those that you disagree with to “shut up”.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:08 pm
RioBraves, as I did say I made an error you are proving your ignorance. I had the team names mixed up, but you ignore the facts.
RioBravo
August 31st, 2010
3:12 pm
Trey, I looked back – you referred to CBP as Citi Bank Field, which is wrong. You then said that Citi Field, the right name, but of the Mets stadium, was not in the top 10? Was anyone talking about the Mets stadium? Shut up already about that and get back on topic.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:13 pm
Jesse, won’t it be nice once the Phillies are out then we won’t have to deal with their ignorance?
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:13 pm
RioBrave, “shut up”, obviously your mother did not teach you manners. I said I made an error, but you are clueless to notice.
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
August 31st, 2010
3:14 pm
Summa y’all prolly want Ozzie Virgil back, at 60.
Brian is the finest all-round catcher we’ve ever had.
His throws have improved immensely DURING the season. You can tell he’s working every day to get better. I’ve always thought he called a great game too, even as a rook.
He’s ain’t Johnny Bench YET, but he’s playing like a SonnuvaBench lately.. He and Heyward are like nitro and dynamite. If Mac were not our starting catcher we would not be in first place, and maybe not in second. I love Ross. I think he’s the best backup catcher in all of baseball. However, I do not think we’d be in first place if he were our starter. No way. Without Mac, we’d be doing nothing more than trying to be spoilers for playoff-bound teams.
Phillies, Class of the NL
August 31st, 2010
3:14 pm
trey, you will only have to deal with regret as the Phillies take their rightful 1st place back and win the World Series – you will be watching with envy..
Braves
August 31st, 2010
3:16 pm
(Sung to the tune of “Folsom Prison Blues”)
I hear those Braves a’ comin,
They’re comin’ from down south,
They’re going to squash the Phillies,
So, Troll, just shut your mouth,
Cause you’re stuck in place at second,
And there you’re gonna stay,
And those Braves just keep a winnin’ ,
They’re going all the way!!!.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:16 pm
Phillies, Class of the NL. Again, we are not the Mets, we will not choke up first place like the Mets. I found many other 10 ten things that said the same thing and Citizens Bank Park was not in the top 10.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:18 pm
(Sung to the tune of “Folsom Prison Blues”)
I hear those Braves a’ comin,
They’re comin’ from down south,
They’re going to squash the Phillies,
So, Troll, just shut your mouth,
Cause you’re stuck in place at second,
And there you’re gonna stay,
And those Braves just keep a winnin’ ,
They’re going all the way!!!.
Braves, I like that. We just need to focus on the Division title to shut Phillies trolls, first. From then we can worry about making the NLCS then the World Series.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:21 pm
Phillies, Class of the NL. If the Braves clinch, I want you to come on the blogs admitting you were wrong and to admit the Braves are the better of the two teams. Then I want you to admit, Turner Field is much nicer than Citizens Bank Park.
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:22 pm
Anyway, I have to go. Unlike the Phillies troll, I have a life and it involves more than just sitting on the computer.
Braves Fan Since "80
August 31st, 2010
3:23 pm
I think this team has leadership by committee……. Brian certainly needs to set the tone but he can not provide the physical leadership that heyward can and they can not providee the offensive stability of prado and infante, nor the defensive insticts of Ankiel in CF. Mac is the man and he does not take away from the other guys…….Gonzales (D) Lee and Ankiel offense coming around could prpel this team to the top
Trey
August 31st, 2010
3:25 pm
Bradley, I will be back later and I hope your page will no longer be infested with Phillies trolls. Have a good day.
Mouth of the South Larry Jones
August 31st, 2010
3:36 pm
is the Phillies troll just spouting off nonsense or was there really 18,000 folks in attendance last night?
Mouth of the South Larry Jones
August 31st, 2010
3:37 pm
was there really 18 thousands or no?
Mouth of the South Larry Jones
August 31st, 2010
3:39 pm
or is the philthies troll just spouting nonsense?
Duluth's Finest
August 31st, 2010
3:40 pm
yes 18,000 fans last night Larry, I was there, such a great game too but no fan support
Duluth's Finest
August 31st, 2010
3:42 pm
yes 18,000 last night Larry, I was there, such a great game too but no fan support – and maybe 5k mets fans out of the 18k
Mark Bradley
August 31st, 2010
3:46 pm
I hate to tell you: There really were only 18,000 in the ballpark.
Braves Fan Since "80
August 31st, 2010
3:50 pm
Some people have to work…. wish i could attend every game…..After school starts my friends would rather watch ON TV
McFann ♥ ;Ô; ♥ ;Ô; ♥
August 31st, 2010
4:15 pm
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans–
Amen to that.
Joseph Allen McWhorter
August 31st, 2010
4:33 pm
Couldn’t agree with you more on this one, Mark. Without Brian McCann, the Braves might very well be in fourth place right now. He is that valuable!!
voice of reason
August 31st, 2010
4:34 pm
pendelton was a leader yea walking off the field relly lead by example lol is call him a wate of a uniform couldent play and cant coach dave justice was the leader untel js thought he was getting too much attention and made one of his many gresat trade lolwe have hadf a pressence for years unfortunatrly for this blog hes a older white guy i know that wont fly but just saying lol
Christopher Chance
August 31st, 2010
4:46 pm
McFann…………….what else would you call trying to make a back handed snag..instead of shifting his body over to block a wild pitch? It’s called LACK OF EFFORT.
I’m not saying that McCann is a lazy ball player. I’m saying that for whatever reason, when it comes to wild pitches, McCann tries too often to do the back handed thing………when he needs to block the wild pitch when runners are on base.
Just because his defense is probably average at best……does not mean that I dont love his hitting. I’ve been a McCann supporter from day one. Why? Because he rakes at the plate. I can live with his “average” defense….as long as he continues to rake at the plate.
By the way, wasnt you the one who wanted Bobby Cox to drop McCann to the #8 slot in the batting order last year when he was slumping? You were quick to be all over McCann during that time.
Christopher Chance
August 31st, 2010
4:49 pm
Jesse Stone……..if Francoeur has a good September, he will be tendered. If not, then his chances of being tendered go down.
However, Manuel likes Francoeur and the Mets fans like him. Plus, he has the arm to play right field (especially if Pagan has to play center if Beltran continues to struggle).
Christopher Chance
August 31st, 2010
4:54 pm
Bat Masterson……dude, my analysis of Francoeur being offered arbitration by the Mets doesnt suggest that I feel that Francoeur is worth being potentially paid $7 mil or more in 2011………..it’s more reflective of how sad the Mets roster is.
Omar loves giving big contracts to players he like. Francoeur is a player that the fans in New York do not want to see leave. Look, I’m glad that Francoeur is gone. He has many flaws when it comes to hitting. However, judging by how the Mets have signed players in the past, I dont see that it is unreasonable to say that the Mets tender Francoeur.
Christopher Chance
August 31st, 2010
4:57 pm
Phillies, Class of the NL…………….true, overall from a defensive standpoint, Brian McCann is probably a below average defensive catcher.
However, McCann is a WAY ABOVE AVERAGE offensive catcher. If you compare his stats to other catchers in the game…..only Joe Mauer is in the same league as McCann.
Sure, Ruiz is having a nice year with the bat for the Phillies and plays good defense………I’d rather have McCann. Ruiz cant touch what McCann does at the plate.
Choppinmama
August 31st, 2010
5:00 pm
It’s funny, when Francoeur got called up, was getting all the attention in the bigs, I was feeling a little sorry for BMac. How the tables have turned. AS MVP, leader of the team, and going to be a dad in the new year.
Let’s add another world championship to his record and they’ll be no doubt as to where he ranks among 2010 catchers.
Christopher Chance
August 31st, 2010
5:13 pm
One thing that is overlooked is the impact that a potential upcoming injury by either the Braves or Phillies could have on the race to the finish. These last 31 games will be more magnified.
DEFENSE. The Phillies play MUCH BETTER defense than we do. However, our defense has improved with Ankiel playing center (dude’s arm is going to come into play when it comes to preventing runners from taking an extra base)……..Prado moving to 3rd to replace Chipper (who is way past his prime)…….along with Lee taking over for Glaus (who simply SUCKED playing 1st).
I want to see the Braves win. I feel that this Braves team has the ability to win the division.
However, until this Braves team PROVES that they can deal with the PRESSURE that the Phillies have PROVEN in the past 3 years that they can bring at the end of the season……………the Phillies have to be respected and taken seriously.
The Braves lost 7 games in a row at the end of 2009 (talk about going out with a whimper), despite being in the wild card chase. The Phillies were down 7 with 17 left and ran the Mets down a couple of years ago to win the division.
My point is, this thing is not in the bag. Far from it. Until we PROVE it, the Phillies are the favorite. A 3 game lead with 31 left aint SH1T! There is A LOT of baseball left to be played.
voice of reason
August 31st, 2010
5:47 pm
ha ha mcanns propensity for bad throws is a concern huh meanwhile the only cut off man haystacks hit all season was once he nailed buddy backing up the plate mind you he overtrhrew omar glaus and mccan before it got to huddy but still everyone knows he he has a high defensive matrix lmao
McFann ♥ ;Ô; ♥ ;Ô; ♥
August 31st, 2010
6:17 pm
CC By the way, wasnt you the one who wanted Bobby Cox to drop McCann to the #8 slot in the batting order last year when he was slumping?
It IS you!!! Bat was right!
Too freakishly funny! (And I use the word loosely…)
No. I NEVER SERIOUSLY WANTED McCANN TO BAT EIGHTH!! I was frustrated at the time and wanted something to get him going…if I did indeed say “bat him eighth”, it wasn’t literally where I thought he deserved to bat…I just wanted his bat to get going…I am NOT gonna tell you this again. Please, let it friggin’ go already. Gyah…
And no, I wouldn’t always call backhanding a lack of effort. Not always the best choice, but those pitches do crazy things when they get to moving.
McFann ♥ ;Ô; ♥ ;Ô; ♥
August 31st, 2010
7:02 pm
Excuse me…that was Ease that suspected you…my bad.
bruce
August 31st, 2010
11:26 pm
very nice story Mark… thank you, Brian is truly classy.