Brian McCann: A great player who’s an even better teammate
Chipper Jones salutes one of his two all-time favorite teammates. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
He carried the team at the end of last season, and he’s carrying it again. He’s at worst — at worst – the second-best player at the sport’s most demanding position, and he’s about to play in his sixth consecutive All-Star Game. And yet somehow Brian McCann remains …
Underrated.
“Around here he’s not,” said pitcher Tommy Hanson, meaning within the Braves’ clubhouse. But outside it?
“I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves,” Hanson said. “And it’s not only his hitting — it’s his catching, too. It’s the way he works with us. He takes a lot of pride in trying to get us through the game.”
Said David Ross, McCann’s understudy: “He gets All-Star votes, but I don’t think he has the reputation [nationally]. He’s kind of seen as a complementary piece.”
He’s more than that. He’s the centerpiece. He’s at worst — at worst — the second-best everyday Brave of the past two decades, and he has become the leader of a team that has the potential to win the World Series.
Said manager Fredi Gonzalez: “If we were in New York or Chicago, he’d be on every billboard. But I think people who are into baseball know how good he is.”
How good is he? McCann leads the Braves in batting (.305), home runs (13) and RBIs (43). His on-base percentage is .380, tops among regulars. He went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer Wednesday as the Braves swept Toronto on their way out of town.
There are great players who aren’t necessarily good teammates. (Barry Bonds comes to mind.) Brian McCann is a great player who’s an even better teammate. Ask Chipper Jones, the finest everyday Brave of the past 20 years, to name the best Brave he has played alongside, and the answer comes without hesitation.
“He’s my favorite,” said Jones, meaning McCann.
But then … a moment’s pause. “He’s either that or second to [former catcher and current bullpen coach] Eddie Perez.”
Then, smiling, Jones said: “Obviously McCann’s a better player than Eddie was.”
A slew of distinguished figures have come through this clubhouse, some of them bound for Cooperstown. Not one has been more respected than the blond catcher from Duluth. McCann didn’t arrive in the big leagues trailing a coattail of hype, but he got here in the summer of 2005 and has made his own quiet noise ever since.
The closer you watch him, the better he gets. He could always hit, but he has gotten more selective over time. He has become a deft handler of pitchers. And where once McCann seemed content to let Chipper handle the big moments, he now seems to revel in them.
Jones: “He’s on the cusp of doing some things offensively that catchers rarely do.”
Ross: “To me, there are two really good catchers in baseball — Joe Mauer [of Minnesota] and Mac. Buster Posey [of San Francisco] has come on the scene and he’s a good player, but he’ll have to have a few more good years to be in that class. Yadier Molina [of St. Louis] is definitely a great catcher, but he can’t hit [like Mauer and McCann].”
Hanson: “He cares about his teammates. He’s fun to be around. He’s got the whole package.”
Jones: “He’s a great person. He’s a cut-up. He plays all-out … If you ask him, I think he’d say the only thing he cares about is being respected by his teammates and the fans.”
There are times, however, when it’s possible to wonder if even we Atlantans know what we’re watching. Sustained excellence can sometimes have a numbing effect. When we consider the Braves, we tend to think of them as the team of pitching and Chipper, but in truth this whole operation has come to hinge on McCann.
“Chipper’s the face of the team because of how long he has been here,” Ross said. “But Mac gives you power and average at a position where either is a bonus. He calls a good game. And he’s a great dude on top of that.”
It has been instructive to watch McCann’s progress from shy and wary rookie to assured and accomplished veteran. There was a time when you wondered if he had within him the drive to become more than just a complementary piece, but there can be no wondering now. He’s there. He’s among the very best handful of players in his sport. Among Braves, he’s The Man.
By Mark Bradley
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104 comments Add your comment
rawdawg
June 22nd, 2011
5:19 pm
first at will
Mark Bradley
June 22nd, 2011
5:19 pm
Kudos on demand for rawdawg.
Jamaaliver
June 22nd, 2011
5:22 pm
McCann has remained the one constant these last few years. And grown into the role of leader and all-star.
He’s one of my top 5 favorite Braves of all time.
Jamaaliver
June 22nd, 2011
5:25 pm
And Mark, I wish you wouldn’t keep encouraging these guys who have absolutely nothing to add to the conversation and probably don’t even read the column.
What else is new?
June 22nd, 2011
5:30 pm
I love McCann, but better than Justice and Andruw in their prime?
TruthSeeker
June 22nd, 2011
5:33 pm
McCann should be a legitimate MVP candidate. He may not have the numbers of a Prince Fielder or Matt Kemp, but he’s got pretty darn good numbers at the most physically demanding position in the game and he’s gotten countless big hits. If the V in MVP means anything, then I don’t know of anyone that beats Brian.
Wink
June 22nd, 2011
5:35 pm
Just a question, but will ever get to make these same comments & references to Joe Johnson? “It has been instructive to watch McCann’s progress from shy and wary rookie to assured and accomplished veteran. There was a time when you wondered if he had within him the drive to become more than just a complementary piece, but there can be no wondering now. He’s there. He’s among the very best handful of players in his sport. Among Braves, he’s The Man.
A little cross town sport’s paralell personality.
bruce
June 22nd, 2011
5:35 pm
great story about a great player and a very nice man
Herschel Talker
June 22nd, 2011
5:36 pm
MB:
McCann is the man. A true asset. Nice column.
HT
Brent
June 22nd, 2011
5:38 pm
McCann is an obvious reason that we have the best pitching staff in baseball and he doesn’t get enough credit for that. Thanks for the recognizing his extraordinary talents MB.
Darryl Blackberry
June 22nd, 2011
5:39 pm
I know he probably won’t win an MVP while he’s in the same league as the likes of Kemp, Reyes, and Fielder, but as long as he wins the All-Star vote this year, I’ll be happy.
DE Braves Fan
June 22nd, 2011
5:40 pm
Love McCann. Given how good he is at a premier position and if he plays for an extended period of time at his normal level I would not shy away from HoF. He is easily one of the top 2 catchers in the game. His one hitch is his defense and that has improved for the most part to me.
Chief pitchanono
June 22nd, 2011
5:45 pm
Great story on Mcann and he deserves it. He’s been getting the allstar attention, but he came up when the Braves were kinda dropping out of the playoff picture for a while. If we can make it back again and hopefully go a little deeper, everyone in the country will know him. Go Braves!!
Jack McKeon
June 22nd, 2011
5:47 pm
Now I see why the other guy quit and Fredi got himself canned. This place sucks!
ghost_brave
June 22nd, 2011
5:48 pm
Amen.
McCann is THE man. He just keeps getting better and never gives up. That game where he hit the two pinch-hit home runs exemplifies the kind of guy he is (not that I know him).
BlahBlahBlah
June 22nd, 2011
5:54 pm
Nitpicking – I wish his defense would improve. Lots of wild pitches/passed balls and too many dropped balls on plays at the plate.
But the offense, game calling and leadership easily make up for it. He is well on his way to a HOF career.
The Listener
June 22nd, 2011
6:04 pm
Chipper’s the face; McCann’s the heart.
McCann Fan
June 22nd, 2011
6:15 pm
My brother works for Delta and was present when Delta gave a celebration for Bobby Cox last year before the team took off for an away stretch of games. McCann was standing in line next to my brother and talked his ear off about how great a coach Bobby is and how well the team was doing at that point in the season. Brian talked to my brother as if he were a teammate and had a great sense of humor. He acts like a regular guy but he is a superstar in my book. Go Brian!
Remarkable
June 22nd, 2011
6:30 pm
Glad that this is the face of the Braves for the future!
jfreak13713
June 22nd, 2011
6:35 pm
The Braves are in a great position right now to really be a player the in the playoffs and Mac, the pitching staff, and their defense are the reasons why. I know we can’t hit and Uggla looks terrible but in spite of injuries and guys really performing below their averages (Uggla and Heyward) this team still wins. Once and if they start hitting to their averages they will make a run at Philly and I think will be darn ready come October to beat anybody.
Amber
June 22nd, 2011
6:40 pm
Always a great thing to see more B-Mac love!!
Come on Guys
June 22nd, 2011
6:45 pm
What else is new, Justice was an all-star, McCann is a hall of famer.
The Grinch
June 22nd, 2011
6:48 pm
The second best Braves regular of the past 20 years might be a bit hyperbolic, but he’s an excellent player, a superb teammate and a fine human being no doubt.
Business Man
June 22nd, 2011
6:55 pm
Mark: Nice article, but a little pathetic that it took six all-star selections for you to notice that Mac is the man. What sports have you been watching. GO HOOS!!!!!!!!
Charles
June 22nd, 2011
6:56 pm
Most deserved. I am proud to be the second best left handed hitting catcher to come from Duluth HIgh School. Brian is a great young man from a humble family. Howie does not get enough credit for Brian’s success, even from Brian. Glad he is in ATL and hope he stays for his whole career.
indigo
June 22nd, 2011
6:59 pm
And to think I thought he was just brought up to be Jeff Francouer’s roommate.
Dennis Reynolds
June 22nd, 2011
7:00 pm
We know what we have in him. Its a shame Atlanta isn’t like Philly or NY or Boston as far as the enthusiasm from the fans, but there are still plenty of die hard Braves fans around here who appreciate what he does.
"Chef" Tim Dix
June 22nd, 2011
7:12 pm
Chipper is the Face: It’s McCann’s club.
Not bestoed, but earned.
Attempted to bunt twice today? That’s respect!
Najeh Davenpoop
June 22nd, 2011
7:20 pm
“Said manager Fredi Gonzalez: “If we were in New York or Chicago, he’d be on every billboard. But I think people who are into baseball know how good he is.””
Atlanta has plenty of billboards. No reason the Braves can’t spend a couple of bucks extra to market their team better. Same problem the Hawks have.
UGA 93
June 22nd, 2011
7:21 pm
He is agreat player and i am sure a good guy. I just wish he would not yell the F word at the top of his lungs every time he pops up or strikes out. I have to mute the TV so that my young son will not hear this.
dinkdunk
June 22nd, 2011
7:27 pm
Too bad Francouer didn’t pan out-we’d have the nucleus of a great team of homegrowns.
jon
June 22nd, 2011
7:40 pm
How bout he should be the leading vote getter today, for National League MVP! seriously!
mccann fan
June 22nd, 2011
7:43 pm
I realize it is too early to talk seriously about the hall of fame for bmac, but given his current trajectory, very strong chance. Six all star appearances in basicially 6 seasons? I am too lazy to do the research, but any catchers who’ve been that consistently, and perennially an all-star without making, or headed to the HOF?
tmc
June 22nd, 2011
7:48 pm
Love B-Mac!
but all these comments about how good he is defensively?
Sorry, i don’t see that at all.
I’m sure he calls a great game for the pitchers, but technically he is not sound at all. Don’t be mistaken, i love the guy…offensively and his consistency are tops on this team. But i worry about his defense late in games. I don’t when Ross is behind the plate.
jim
June 22nd, 2011
7:48 pm
Was at the game today and loved it. McCann is a very special player. Go braves.
Brave Fan
June 22nd, 2011
7:50 pm
I think McCann is a good hitter, by far the best one the Braves have especially while Prado is out. He is a good receiver behind the plate with an average arm but you can tell the pitchers are really comfortable and confident with him back there. Even though he doesn’t run well, he’s probably the best baserunner we have. The best thing to me though about Mac is that he is the best position player competitor on the team by far!!!
The guy is a joy to watch because he always gives everything he has. I can’t recall ever thinking to myself during a game that McCann loafed..Several of the current Braves need to watch and learn(Not the skill, although that would surely help, but the effort).
Sonny Clusters
June 22nd, 2011
8:09 pm
Brian should have a potato chip commercial and somebody should let him drive a car for free. We don’t understand why Heyward and Uggla got Bobblehead Nights and Brian didn’t. Sometimes life is not fair. If we was Frank Wren we’d make it up to Brian right away.
Sonny Clusters
June 22nd, 2011
8:14 pm
If Chipper is the face of the ball club, who is the adductor? The oblique? We think Brian may be the face of the Braves by now and we think it’s a good thing. Somebody needs to tell Delta to sign Brian up for some commercials like they did with Francoeur awhile back. If Delta is not ready . . . sign him up with Southwest since they are coming to town. They can paint his face on the tail of the plane and he can become famous for that.
country boy
June 22nd, 2011
8:15 pm
Hello Marky boy. You are at worst…at worst …the best writer of the AJC.
1eyedJack
June 22nd, 2011
8:38 pm
Great things can happen when you lay off the cheeseburgers and pizza.
Worm
June 22nd, 2011
9:06 pm
McCann is a good player bordering on being a Very Good player..Great-NOT
sidslid
June 22nd, 2011
9:30 pm
McGriff was second best of last 20 years. Justice’s numbers after 93 were pedestrian. I think Andruw was juiced the year he hit 50. McCann is in that league but we went to 3 WS with McGriff leading and would have gone in 93 if we hadn’t burned out from the pennant race
athdog
June 22nd, 2011
10:04 pm
First, to what else is new…Andruw spent the majority of his career underachieving. Amazing talent/potential and never lived up to it outside of the one year he hit 51 homers.
I was at the Ted the night he was called up, his parents were sitting in front of us and were so excited they were giddy, as one would expect. Talking with them, it’s easy to see where he gets his demeanor, his character and his pleasant personality. He is, without question, one of the all time great Braves. One of the two greatest? Who knows, the larger point is he is definitely an all time great to wear the uniform of the Braves.
Skip should be in the HOF
June 22nd, 2011
10:06 pm
Mac is as good as they come. Good man, good leader, good player, comes from good stock.
I Love Baseball.
June 22nd, 2011
10:23 pm
The American League’s “Designated Hitter” Rule Should Burn in Hell.
By the way, it makes me smile to see fat people run the bases.
Isn’t McCann leading the team in stolen bases?
McCann's a Throw Back
June 22nd, 2011
10:58 pm
He’s one of my favorites. Plays hard. Loves the Braves. Loves the fans. No steriods. Just a great player to lead your team. Enough said. We need more like Brian!
braves fan forever
June 22nd, 2011
11:30 pm
While McCaan is a great player he needs to improve on defense.He doens’t block pitches that well and drops the ball a lot when there is a throw to the plate and also drops the ball when trying to throw to second,but I think he will get better with time.
PMC
June 22nd, 2011
11:41 pm
He’s won what 5 silver sluggers already, He essentially won an AS game on his own and he’s been to 5 of those too.
Whatever It is, McCann has it in spades.
SSA
June 23rd, 2011
1:38 am
I Love Baseball.:
Schafer leads the team in stolen bases.
Also, its pretty evident that McCann is setting himself up for a decent contract extension.
Joshua
June 23rd, 2011
2:49 am
I love McCann, but better than Justice and Andruw in their prime?
========
Umm…Yes.
Joshua
June 23rd, 2011
2:50 am
McCann is a good player bordering on being a Very Good player..Great-NOT
=======
He’s a perennial all-star. He is a great player. There is absolutely no denying it. If he maintains his current pace, he will be a first ballot hall of famer. It cannot be denied.
Ted M
June 23rd, 2011
3:26 am
McCann had a bad year defensively last year and what did he do… he got in the best shape of his life and rededicated himself to the position.
That’s what I really admire about McCann.
clay
June 23rd, 2011
3:32 am
I do not see why he could not win the MVP for the national league. He is hitting for avg and power and playing the most difficult position in the sport. Oh yeah and we have the best pitching staff in bball. Why not Bmac. If he played for Philly or NY he would be.
Bobby Bobby
June 23rd, 2011
6:46 am
Chipper is not an everyday player. Has not been for years
GT71
June 23rd, 2011
7:17 am
Too bad there’s this youngster name of Posey squatting behind home in SF. Otherwise, Mac would be the best at that position. Buster’s team = world champs. Mac’s team is striving to be a wildcard post-season team.
With another decade of good work, he may get in the Hall.
But annointments of players as young as him are a bit premature.
Right now, for a upper-midlevel team like what now are the Braves, he’s a keeper.
Craig
June 23rd, 2011
7:33 am
What makes McCann the face of the Braves is his dedication to the game and the way he carries himself off the field. Parents are more then happy to have him as a hero for their kid and adults admire the way he works and stays humble about it. I see this man a Brave for the rest of his career because he wants to be. And the Braves better make sure he remains here for the length of his career.
Billyboy
June 23rd, 2011
8:14 am
Mac grew up with the greatest hitting coach with positive motivation . . . Mac deserves the kudos and so does his Dad, Howie.
DetroitBraves
June 23rd, 2011
8:16 am
GT71 – are you saying that Posey is a better player because his team won a championship? By that rationale, Alex Gonzalez is a better shortstop than Troy Tulowitzki because he won with the Marlins in 2003 but Tulo has never been on a winning team. I think the annointment of Posey, who isn’t currently squating anywhere, is more premature than McCann. That said, Posey is in the conversation but at this point I think you have to take Mac’s longer track record. His numbers compare favorably to Hall of Fame catchers over what is now several seasons.
lefty fielder
June 23rd, 2011
8:22 am
I wonder where Troy Glaus is.
I wonder if he’s playing third.
Runnin
June 23rd, 2011
8:23 am
One telling fact that each spring he arrives in better shape and with a better build than the year before. A few more years he’s gonna have Jason’s shape.
Baseball fan since 1960
June 23rd, 2011
8:28 am
Might be my favorite professionall athlete of all time. Keep it up, BMac!
phil
June 23rd, 2011
8:37 am
Trade or release McCann….terribly overrated. Just look at the stats…
All I'm Saying Is....
June 23rd, 2011
8:42 am
McCann is an excellent player and the Braves are fortunate to have him (and David Ross to give him time off without much slippage).
By the way, if memory serves, Bradley, Bonds hasn’t been in any team’s clubhouse or anyone’s teammate since 2007—can’t you come up with someone more recent or are your powers of observation and/or baseball insights that weak? Me thinks the latter.
(Thanks for the joke to start my day, Phil, cuz obviously you’re kidding around)
LET’S GO BRAVES!
Cagey Veteran
June 23rd, 2011
8:45 am
My favorite Brave, great write-up Mark!
Bobby
June 23rd, 2011
8:46 am
This dude isn’t weak in any department. Personality and tools make him my favorite all
time Brave already just surpassing another decent human Dale Murphy. Wish Jeff F could have
somehow followed in his footsteps to a greater degree. Thanks for all the great moments
land looking forward to the next decade of Braves baseball.
richie_rich1986
June 23rd, 2011
8:50 am
BMAC is the man plain and simple. He is the future and face of the Braves. People say Heyward is, I beg to differ! Ever since Bmac has been a Brave he has held his place behind Smoltz and Chipper to name a few players. Ole Frenchy was the big hype coming up from the ranks and Bmac took the back seat and you wouldn’t hear a peep from him except his back hittin homers and into the gaps for doubles! I might add stealing some bases and that amazing triple which him plopping down that he called a head first slide lol. Brian McCann is a ball player and a man to be respected. Great Article! If he doesn’t get the kudos and respect from so called sports channels like ESPN whocares! The True Braves Fans/Country and realy baseball fans around the country know how great Bmac is! I enjoy every game watching him play the game that I love. We are very lucky to have him in the Braves Uni!!!
Dr. Phil
June 23rd, 2011
8:54 am
McCann is everything you say he is, but I wish writers would stop soliciting commentary from Chipper Jones. I do not consider Jones to be the “face of the franchise.” I think of a different part of the anatomy when Chipper opens his mouth.
Puppet Please
June 23rd, 2011
8:58 am
Years ago, when Chipper was 35, I was at the vanguard saying we should trade him while his value was at his highest. He has been good but injury plagued ever since. I doubt I will be saying the same about Brian McCann, I hope to god he retires a Brave and then becomes the manager. I have so much respect for him and unlike Chipper, he keeps his mouth shut and lets his play do the talking. I know that may change but BMac just doesn’t seem to be that type of personality. He remains respected in the clubhouse because he walks the walk way better than the limited talk.
I have always been a fan of the great catchers of the game, Johnny Bench being my favorite. I am so glad my son gets to grow up watching and emulating another probable HOF’er in Brian McCann.
TheAntiMe
June 23rd, 2011
9:06 am
Good column, Mark. By the way, kudos to Mark for taking time out of his busy schedule to acknowledge the first poster (and nothing else). I’m glad that your priorities as a blogmeister are in the proper order.
phil
June 23rd, 2011
9:09 am
From this phil, who loves Chipper, to Dr. Phil, who must not appreciate everything the guy has done for us, may I say…stick it in your ear.
phil
June 23rd, 2011
9:10 am
Fire FW…
Puppet Please
June 23rd, 2011
9:18 am
And for all of the Buster lovers out there. He’s the flavor of the month. Just compare their rookie seasons, BMac tops Buster in every category. And this year, prrior to his injury, Buster was on pace to hit .284 with 12 Hrs and 60 RBI’s……and thats if he played 150+ games, which he wouldn’t. Hardly in BMacs class. He may curry more favor in the liberal media because he is from San Fran but other than that he doesn’t look to have BMac’s staying power. We will see, but with the injury he sustained to his leg, you can pretty much write him off as a catcher. That type of lower leg injury is almost impossible to bear as a catcher. If he continues to catch, the stress he puts on that ankle will have him on the trainers table after every game. It will affect every facet of his game. He may continue to be a very good player but he won’t be the player he was or certainly had the potential to be…..not as a catcher anyway.
MURF4HOF
June 23rd, 2011
9:21 am
nice.. good to see a positive column about a Brave… keep up the good work
Puppet Please
June 23rd, 2011
9:22 am
I hate to say it Richie but Heyward sure does look awfully weak out there. So disappointing. I really like the kid and I sure hope he turns it around but right now he doesn’t look as impressive as Claudell Washington, much less the next Dale Murphy.
TheAntiMe
June 23rd, 2011
9:25 am
And as great as Joe Mauer has been, he’s so injury prone that he is literally fighting to stay at the catcher position. In a couple of years there will likely be no doubt remaining in all the land as to the fact that Brian McCann is the best catcher, bar none.
Cecil34
June 23rd, 2011
9:34 am
You know, 43 years ago the Braves had a hotshot catcher who could hit for power and average – and Paul Richards traded him away because he whipped Hank Aaron’s backside on a charter back to Atlanta.
I sure wish the Braves had never gotten rid of Joe Torre.
Mark, at least you write articles and don’t just slap up “quotes” every night and call it a day.
coloradobulldog
June 23rd, 2011
9:35 am
If you go to baseball-reference.com and see who McCann compares with at this age, the first is Frankie Hayes who I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with. But the 2nd one I am… its Yogi Berra. Followed by Lance Parrish and Bill Dickey.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
9:36 am
Frankie Hayes is a new one on me, coloradobulldog.
joekill
June 23rd, 2011
9:42 am
mccann is the best catcher in baseball fantastic article Mr. Bradley gotta give u props
phil
June 23rd, 2011
9:49 am
McCann is too injury-prone, unlike Chipper, to ever amount to much…
DetroitBraves
June 23rd, 2011
10:13 am
Puppet Please – Chipper was a 10-5 guy at age 35. In fantasy league you might sell high, but in real baseball that probably wasn’t even an option. You can question extending him with his current contract but trading him was very unlikely.
reckingball
June 23rd, 2011
10:20 am
And one of the GM-wannabees on DOB’s blog wanted to trade McCann and a pitcher, for some offensive help at the plate, a couple of days ago. Several of the resident geniuses were in agreement. They wanted a “stud” 3rd basement of LFer, or Jose Reyes.
reckingball
June 23rd, 2011
10:24 am
Kudos phill, you are doing an excellent job of making stupid comments, this morning.
reckingball
June 23rd, 2011
10:30 am
It would be nice, if McCann and some of the other Braves, would stop dropping the shouting F-bomb, when things don’t go their way at the plate.
Fiddlesticks, Fudge, Dangit, Shoot, Crabbypatties, or something in that order, would be more family-friendly.
headley lamar
June 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
For all those giving Chipper a hard time for being injury prone etc consider this.
The guy is playing professional baseball and pushing 40. How is/was your body holding up around 40?
Chipper has played in over 2300 professional baseball games and had 8 straight years of playing 150+ games. Has he played in fewer games as he has gotten older. Sure. Most players do.
Puppet Please
June 23rd, 2011
10:43 am
Detroit — au contraire mon frere. True, Chipper was a 10/5 guy, but in 2007 Chipper was having one of his best seasons — his last 100+ RBI season and was hitting .330+. He would have been traded to a contender looking for that veteran bat for the post season. Trust me, he would have gone to someone willing to give him his new contract. And 35 in 2007, wasn’t what 35 is today (cough!!, steroids, cough!!) and the recession hadn’t hit so big money was still being thrown around.
If you don’t think somebody would have paid very well for a future hall of famer having a great season you just don’t know your baseball. Especially since he didn’t have the albatross contract we have him under now.
We wouldn’t have gotten half a farm system for him like what we gave up for Texeira, that very year, but he would have secured us 2-3 nice prospects and freed us up to build for the future. It would have been the right thing to do and he would have done it. It was not Fantasy Baseball. Once he signed his extension it was a Fantasy to trade him.
DetroitBraves
June 23rd, 2011
10:48 am
Headly lamar – you are 100% right. I’m almost exactly one month older than Chipper and I’m still a runner and lift weights. I like where I am at my age, but I get a lot more inflamation in the joints, more likely to pull things, etc. than even 5 years ago. It’s just a fact of life. And sure, you can play through it if you have a short timeframe – like maybe pushing yourself through the playoffs. But when it’s June and you’re looking at September, hopefully October, no way. It doesn’t get better by playing. And it doesn’t get better after one day off either. I understand the frustration but c’mon. The man’s almost 40.
Puppet Please
June 23rd, 2011
10:54 am
Headley – I’m not bashing Chipper, in fact I think he is a great player who has gotten old. I am 43 and amazed he does as well as he does. That is also why, when he was 35, I would have traded him while you could get some quality for him. Prior to the steroid era, players got worse, not better after age 35. That being said,I’m a Chipper fan, just wish he would shut his mouth sometimes.
DetroitBraves
June 23rd, 2011
10:55 am
It was not possible to trade Chipper at age 35 because he was a 10-5 player and by the CBA he had full veto power. Doubtful he would have waived that right. So no Puppet Please, you would not have traded him.
benchwarmer
June 23rd, 2011
11:23 am
Mac gives more than Crime Dog or Andruw,”I’m lazy” Jones. Mac is the Man. More like Johnny Bench. Mac on his way to a potential HOF career.
stevie zero
June 23rd, 2011
11:28 am
great piece, mark. not only has he quietly become the finest catcher in the game, he comes off as an uber likeable guy in an age where many dont. very proud to have him on my beloved braves
Gustopher
June 23rd, 2011
11:49 am
Great Column MB
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
11:54 am
Thanks much, Gustopher.
Thanks much, stevie zero.
reckingball
June 23rd, 2011
12:04 pm
McCann and Chipper put butts in the seats.
Spider29
June 23rd, 2011
12:05 pm
I am a McCann fan. I am also a fan of the great defensive player that Andruw Jones was in his prime with the Braves. It bothers me that so many people forget or dismiss how good he really was in center field. If memory serves, he was called by some (Cox, Aaron, the pitchers he played behind and others) as one of the best they’d ever seen. Offensively, he had some good years and I was disappointed that he wasn’t more consistently good at that part of his game. But don’t forget how good a player he was and bash him to make another player look better. I agree with those whose opinion is that McCann is the best catcher in the game. Maurer has had so many injuries and now Posey is out. Mac keeps rolling along. Go Braves!
elainer7
June 23rd, 2011
12:29 pm
McCann is no doubt a great team leader and a great catcher. However, defensively, he has one of the worst throws to second base that I have ever seen. Still, I hope he can stay with the Braves for many many years!
AGTFan
June 23rd, 2011
12:40 pm
Mark, you showed great baseball insight that I don’t usually attribute to you. I doubt there’s a player in baseball today that I’d take in straight up swap for McCann. And that’s with probably the best backup catcher in baseball.
dean
June 23rd, 2011
12:47 pm
Any player who wears a gaudy-azzed rasslin belt for winning some clubhouse competition is my kind of kid. Anyone remember the picture? I laughed my azs off when I saw it.
vermont 39
June 23rd, 2011
1:21 pm
We have had a run of great catchers…remember Dale Murphy started as a catcher…Joe Torre, Bruce Benedict, and Javy Lopez…McCann should be #1 in all categories by the end of his career…on his way to The Hall!!!
evan
June 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm
McCann is great, and I have no idea why he lost the starting all star catcher job to Yadier Molina in the past. Molina is a solid catcher, better than McCann defensively, but he can’t even come close to McCann’s offensive output.
maddogette
June 23rd, 2011
7:35 pm
there’s plenty Braves fans here in TN who think B-Mac is the present and future of this club…mix him in with our awesome pitching and the skies the limit over the next few years! Brian, you got 75 votes from me for the all-star team.
scottbravesfan
June 24th, 2011
1:12 am
He is clearly the best catcher in the national league and I would take him over Mauer. Mauer is good but the guy can’t stay on the field.
McCann Fan
June 24th, 2011
8:50 am
McCann does indeed deserve for the word “great” to be attached to his name. He is arguably the best player at his position of his generation, and it seems that those guys usually end up in the Hall of Fame. Pudge was the guy in his generation, and Mac, Mauer, and possibly Posey will likely be the guys in theirs.
Aside from the steady presence, the big hits, and the team leadership, he just seems like the kind of guy you would want to hang out and have a few beers with. Almost forgot, look at his production relative to his salary. Talk about a hometown discount…
BravesFan86
June 24th, 2011
9:11 am
Love BMac! Hope to see him get to 30 and 100 this year! and we make playoffs again and more people will start to pay attention! And if he keeps this pace he will hit those marks and maybe, just maybe get some MVP votes! Go Braves!!