SAN DIEGO – Before he caught Tim Hudson's start Sunday, Braves backup catcher David Ross fielded questions about the idea of All-Star catcher Brian McCann switching positions for career longevity.
It’s not something the Braves say they’ve even discussed, and McCann has said repeatedly that he has no desire to change positions.
But some fans and media members have suggested the Braves should consider it, and more have jumped on the bandwagon since San Francisco catcher Buster Posey's season-ending leg injury in a home-plate collision.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez reiterated Sunday what other team officials have said: There are no plans to move McCann, 27.
"He doesn't want to move and he shouldn't move," said Gonzalez, a former minor league catcher. "Maybe the only [other] position I can see him playing is first, but then you've got [rookie first baseman Freddie] Freeman, who's 21 years old. You cut off your nose to spite your face, with Freeman there. And where else can [McCann] play, left field?"
McCann, who has hit .342 with nine homers and 18 RBIs in his past 22 games, led major league catchers with 13 homers and 75 hits before Sunday, and was second with a .300 average and .379 on-base percentage.
Ross was asked about McCann’s defensive prowess and whether he might get short-changed by some who compare him to Ross, a superb defender.
“I think Mac is an All-Star not just because of his bat,” Ross said. “He calls a great game. We have one of the best pitching staffs in the game, and catching is a huge part of that.
"[Pitcher] Javy Vazquez had a subpar year before he came over here and had one of the best years of his career [in 2009]. And then left, and was just kind of average. Just logically, that could have something to do with Mac and the way he calls a game.
What about the notion that McCann should be moved to preserve his health, or to get both McCann and Ross in the lineup?
"I think, you don't ever want to start moving guys around, because you don't know what you're going to get," Ross said. "Moving Martin Prado from second base to left, I think it took him a while to adjust to not being part of the action. When you're catching, you can forget about hitting because you're so focused on getting their hitters out."
“If you’re playing first or playing the outfield, you might be swimming in your own dome [mind] out there a little bit, thinking about stuff…
“He’s a good catcher; let him be a good catcher. The guy [McCann] is going to be a six-time All-Star."
As for getting Ross in the lineup more, he smiled and said, “Fans saying, ‘Oh, David should play every day and move Mac to first, then we’ll have a better bat in the lineup.’ Well, David hit .203 for a season [in 2007 with Cincinnati]. There were some home runs in there, but David hit .203 for a season. So let’s not just jump to conclusions."
Jurrjens’ 10th win
Jair Jurrjens wiggled out of trouble three times in six innings late Saturday on the way to becoming the National League's first 10-game winner of 2010.
Jurrjens allowed three hits and one run in six innings of a 10-1 win not safe until the Braves scored seven runs in the last two innings. Dan Uggla's first four-RBI game for the Braves included a three-run homer in the ninth.
While trimming his league-leading ERA to 2.07, Jurrjens became the first Braves pitcher to win 10 games in 14 or fewer starts since Tom Glavine in 2002. In the second, fifth and sixth innings, the Padres had two runners on with none out against Jurrjens and failed to score every time.
“You need to have some luck, too," Jurrjens said. “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.... The guys have been giving me a lot of run support, and I’ve been able to maintain [leads] until we get to the bullpen.”
Jurrjens, who began the season on the disabled list with a strained groin, is the first Braves pitcher to be the NL's first 10-game winner in any season since Greg Maddux in 1998.
