McCann to throw first pitch before Game 1 of World Series

Catcher Brian McCann announced his retirement after 15 major league season, 10 of them with his hometown Braves. Here is a look back at his Atlanta career.

There have been 182 catchers in Braves' franchise history, but only a few have played as long and consistently as the Georgia native who wore No. 16 for nine years with Atlanta.

Brian McCann takes part in his first full spring training in 2005 at Cracker Jack Stadium in Orlando.

Atlanta Braves Brian McCann takes part in batting practice on June 8, 2005. McCann would start his first game two days later against the Oakland Athletics at Turner Field. He would go 2-for-3 with an RBI and a intentional walk.

Since making his debut in 2005 Brian McCann has played in 1,046 games as catcher. He ranks fourth among all active players in that position - A.J. Pierzynski (1,678); Ramon Hernandez (1,447); and Yadier Molina (1,195).

Braves and native Georgians (left) Kyle Davies and (right) Brian McCann walk on to Turner Field as starting pitcher and catcher for the first time on June 10, 2005.

Brian McCann emerged in 2005 with a batch of young Braves called the "Baby Braves." The group included Pete Orr (clockwise fom bottom left), Kyle Davies, McCann, Kelly Johnson, Andy Marte, Ryan Langerhans, Wilson Betemit and Blaine Boyer. (Not pictured is Jeff Francoeur.)

Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2002 amateur draft out of Duluth High School, Brian McCann was called up to the majors in 2005. McCann became the Braves' starting catcher in the 2006 season after the team traded away Johnny Estrada to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Brian McCann has had 4,354 at-bats in nine seasons with the Braves. McCann is a career .277 hitter with 1,070 hits and 661 RBIs.

As a Brave, Brian McCann was among the best offensive players at his position, winning the Silver Slugger five times (2006, 2008–2011).

Brian McCann has 176 home runs (91 at Turner Field) for his career ranking him 48th among active players. McCann hit his first home run in just his second regular-season game - off of Oakland pitcher Justin Duchscherer at Turner Field. His last Braves homer came Sept. 13 against the San Diego Padres.

An on-the-field leader for the Braves, Brian McCann won't stand for showboating. In 2013, he policed two incidents in which opposing players gloated after homers. In this instance, homeplate umpire Paul Nauert moves to separate McCann and Brewers batter Carlos Gomez after McCann confronted Gomez at home plate for smacktalking as he rounded the bases in Atlanta. The confrontation resulted in both benches clearing and several players being ejected from the game.

Brian McCann was signed through this season on a 7-year, $41.3 million deal.

In his nine years with Atlanta, Brian McCann has caught a number of young and veteran arms ...

Brian McCann was future Hall of Famer John Smoltz's catcher throughout most of his time in Atlanta. He caught Smoltz's 3,000th career strikeout in 2008.

Brian McCann has caught most Braves aces, including Tim Hudson.

A seven-time All-Star, Brian McCann made a mark in the Midsummer Classic. ...

In 2006, McCann entered the game in the sixth inning to catch the final innings. He went 0-for-1 in a losing effort for the National League.

McCann made his second All-Star appearance in 2007 in San Francisco. Down three runs in the ninth, McCann entered the game amid a National League rally and went 0-for-1 with a pop up to shortstop. The National League lost 5-4.

The 2008 All-Star game at Yankee Stadium was a marathon, lasting 4 hours, 50 minutes. The game was tied 3-3 in the eighth. McCann didn't enter the game until the 15th inning as a defensive replacement when Justin Morneau slid home under McCann's glove, giving the American League a 4-3 victory.

The National League again found itself in a hole in 2009. McCann enter the Midsummer Classic to pinch-hit in the eighth, going 0-for-1. The A.L. won 4-3.

In 2010, Brian McCann ended an N.L. All-Star funk. McCann entered the game to catch in the fifth inning, and in the seventh hit a bases-clearing double that gave the National League its first Midsummer Classic since 1996. McCann won the MVP award, the first Brave to do so since 1994.

McCann started for the first time in his sixth All-Star game in 2011. He went 0-for-2 in four innings. McCann's game highlight was a strong play to block the plate for the third out in the fourth inning.

In his first years in Atlanta, Brian McCann had his regular supporters who dressed as cans and rooted for the catcher under the name McCann's Cans.

Brian McCann leads all major league catchers with 171 home runs and 638 RBIs since the beginning of the 2006 season, his first full season.

Brian McCann appeared in 85 games, hitting .249 with 12 homers and 45 RBI his final season.

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Catcher Brian McCann announced his retirement after 15 major league season, 10 of them with his hometown Braves. Here is a look back at his Atlanta career.

By AJC Sports

Oct 22, 2019

Braves fan favorite Brian McCann, who recently retired from Major League Baseball, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday as Houston faces Washington in Game 1 of the 2019 World Series.

McCann, a former Braves draftee who spent 10 of his 15 major-league seasons in Atlanta, will throw to Evan Gattis, the former Brave now in his fourth season with the Astros. McCann and Gattis were teammates on Houston’s 2017 World Series championship team.

Brian McCann is throwing a ceremonial first pitch to Evan Gattis before Game 1 of the World Series
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 21, 2019

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