AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 28
Thursday, September 28, 2006
McCann’s performance should be appreciated
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While it’s a stretch to say he’s been overlooked _ he did make the All-Star team, after all _ it’s fair to say that Brian McCann’s rather remarkable season has gone underappreciated outside of Braves Nation.
The man is putting together a season the likes of which most veteran catchers only dream of having once in a career, and he’s done it in his FIRST FULL SEASON in the majors, at 22 years old.
McCann has been overshadowed nationally by Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, who will finish in the top five in the AL MVP balloting and perhaps as high as second behind Derek Jeter.
But as great as Mauer’s numbers are (.350 average, 35 doubles, 12 homers, 83 RBIs, .433 OBP, .505 slugging), an argument could be made that McCann’s are every bit as good, and McCann probably won’t finish in the top 10 for NL MVP.
If the Braves were going to the playoffs, that might be different. Attention would be paid to his latest surge and to his overall performance. But they’re not, and it’s not.
So here goes: McCann is batting .336 with 34 doubles, 24 homers (twice as many as Mauer), 92 RBIs, a .392 OBP and .583 slugging. He has a higher OPS (.975) than Mauer (.938).
McCann has done it while catching all season and playing half his games in Atlanta, often in high heat and humidity. Mauer plays half his games indoors at the Metrodome and has spent some games at DH to give his body a rest.
When McCann should be fading down the stretch of his first season, he’s instead gotten a second wind and has been raking like never before.
He leads the Braves with 26 RBIs in September and has hit .375 with eight homers and 24 RBIs in his past 18 games. He’s hit .329 with 18 homers and 63 RBIs in his past 62 games, and has a robust 1.033 OPS since the All-Star break.
Much attention is paid to McCann’s housemate, Jeff Francoeur, the ex-football star who has a flair for the dramatic home run and a cannon arm. But the simple fact is, McCann might be one of the top five under-24 position players in the majors, a pure baseball player who plays the game like a 10-year veteran.
Now if I can just get him away from that new country and into some Cash and Hank and Waylon, the kid will have it all together.
