MCCANN MOVE WILL PROVE BRILLIANT BY THE YANKEES

I guess we can rank on Yankee brass all we want.  That's until they do something big and sneak in and sign Brian McCann to a 5 year $80+ million dollar deal.  Now the world is wonderful.

The Yankees haven't had a top, long term catcher since Jorge Posada and that seems like forever. Sure, we had Russell Martin and he left and even the Yankees could probably admit that they blew that one waiting way too long to re-sign him.  Don't forget, Martin was "Munson-like."  Those are Cashman's words, not mine.  I liked Martin's style, his grit and heart, much like Jorge and I knew if the Yankees didn't hurry, the guy would make a mad dash.  He did and Yankeeland was pissed.

We tried to piece it together in 2013.  Francisco Cervelli was even given his "big shot", and would you believe it? He screwed it up when he showed up on that Biogenesis list.  You can't make that crap up.  I mean, all the guy wanted was a shot at being the starting catcher for the New York Yankees, he got it, he was running with it and then injury and PEDs happened... and he wilted like a flower with no sun.

Brian McCann is our new Munson.  Sure, I'm taking a leap, but I'm basing that assessment on a ton of things.  First off the buzz is positive.  Read the headlines, read the pieces, the writers actually like what the Yankees did... even ESPN.

MLB Trade Rumors headline: Yankees Make Best Possible Catcher Upgrade In McCann
ESPN: McCann's value rises with Yankees
Denver Post:  Rockes offer Brian McCann big bucks, but he signs with Yankees

Even this ESPN piece, Brian McCann a perfect fit for Yankees, by David Schoenfield breaks it down with many good points and a hit chart that will make you drool:

"McCann's deal could be worth as much as $100 million, which may seem prohibitive for a catcher who will be 30 years old on Opening Day, but consider the positives he brings:

1. He's a catcher. The Yankees need one.
 
2. He brings left-handed power, having hit 20-plus home runs each of the past six seasons. His power stroke is also tailor-made for the short porch at Yankee Stadium -- see the graphic to the right.
 
3. He can DH when he's not catching and could eventually replace Mark Teixeira at first base when his contract expires after 2016. McCann's bat is good enough -- an above-average hitter every year of his career except 2012, when he played through a bad shoulder -- that he wouldn't be a liability at first base or DH. 

4. He brings a quiet, fiery leadership that the Yankees could use right now. With Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte retired and Derek Jeter soon to join them, it's time for a new generation of players to take over the top step of the dugout. The Rivera-Pettitte-Jeter way of doing things -- sort of a bland style of professionalism -- worked for many years, but McCann's in-your-face, play-the-game-the-right-way attitude brings a new type of energy to the club."

He also mentions there are risks, suggesting that McCann's caught alot of games.  Sure, he's a catcher and a good one, that's what he does.  Jorge Posada did it before him and there have been been plenty of catchers that did it their entire careers... Johnny Bench, Joe Torre, Carlton Fisk.  It doesn't mean they can't continue to be great. It means they're good, they work well with the pitching and they're trusted. Sounds fine to me.  Trust me, Girardi isn't a fool when it comes to catchers.  He was one himself.  If he feels the need to DH McCann, he can and that's the joy of it.

Another negative, by Matthew Pouliot of Hardball Talk writing in Brian McCann joins Yankees with best days likely behind him, "McCann isn’t on a very good trajectory as he hits age 30. Here are his OPS+s by year:

143, 99, 135, 119, 124, 122, 87, 115

The 87 from 2012 can be discounted, given that he was battling a shoulder injury that required surgery. But even so, that still looks like a downward slope. His career OPS has tumbled five straight years, from .859 after 2008 to .823 now. Last season, he finished at .796."

I'm not a Debbie Downer kind of guy, but I get what he's saying. Of course, there is some dice rolling, but you can't go in half-cocked if you're the Yankees. After a 3rd place finish in 2013, the Yankees knew their fan base was aggravated. So they did what they had to do, they went in big and got a big fish. Hey, if they can get a big fish or 2, that will shut us up.  McCann was one of the bigger free agents this off-season and if the Yankees waited, and didn't get him, there would be hell to pay.  Sure, they took a chance. They and other teams take chances all the time with players, but you hope it all works out. All signs point to good things for McCann.
 

For me personally, I could not be happier the Yankees signed McCann.  I was at work last night when I heard about it. We got the story up for you because I have the best writers in the world with an eye on the news and the want and need to give our readers the info when it happens, but I wanted to sleep on it to give you a few thoughts as well. That's what you're reading right now. Hope it passing the smell test.

This is a good move by the New York Yankees.  I simply write "Who's happy about Brian McCann" on Facebook last night.

42 "likes" and a ton of comments, all positive... and still climbing. I'm glad I didn't get poked... I don't even know what that means. Anyway, the point is, you can't make that up, Yankeeland is rejoicing.  It's a good weekend in New York, it really is.  I have stated here that I would prefer to push hard to get the catching and pitching that we need first.  Then we figure out if we truly need Carlos Beltran or a third baseman.  The Yankees listened and hopefully we're not done yet and we get some reliable, talented pitching.  The time is now, strike while the irons hot and all of that.  We need to keep going.

Welcome to the Bronx Brian... I can hear John Sterling's home run call right now...

"It is high, it is far, it is GONE! Oh Brian... YES WE MCCANN!"

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