Average not enough for Braves catcher
BBN-MCCANN-0321-COX Average not enough for Braves catcher By David O’brien Cox News Service LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The first time Brian McCann caught John Smoltz, the pitcher came away with a complete-game win and knew the Braves had something special behind the plate.
But Smoltz didn’t realize how special the catcher would be, or how soon.
At 23, barely 1 1/2 seasons into his major league career, McCann already has earned All-Star recognition, a Silver Slugger award and respect from veteran pitchers.
“He’s got a good feel for the game,” Smoltz said. “It’s a natural thing for him. Not like he’s just a good-hitting catcher who plops down behind the plate. He knows what he’s doing back there.” If he hits like last season – .333, 24 homers, 93 RBIs – McCann could have a long, successful career even he were merely an adequate catcher. But he’s already more than that, and vows to keep improving.
He may be mild-mannered and exceedingly polite, but the affable McCann is as motivated and determined as his teammate and best friend, Jeff Francoeur.
“I want to be good,” McCann said calmly. Then he paused. “I want to be great. Everybody who plays this game wants to be the best they can be. That’s definitely what I’m driven to be, to do that. I’m not satisfied just being an average major league baseball player. I want to excel.” He already has, even if he was largely overshadowed in 2006 by another young catcher, Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, the American League batting champion.
“We had really high regard for Brian,” Braves general manager John Schuerholz said, “but it would be unfair not to say he’s been remarkable, what he’s done. For a young guy, he’s been remarkable.
He’s handled the pitching staff. He’s proven in a short period of time that he’s a high-caliber player at a very young age, on both sides of the ball.” Pitcher Tim Hudson said, “I was impressed – really impressed – with him right away. He gets better every time you throw to him, which is pretty uncommon for a young, offensive catcher. He was well-rounded right away, but for a young guy he learns from every start, from every mistake. He concentrates on every pitcher and the different styles. Whoever the pitcher is, he’s able to really incorporate that pitcher’s strength into a game plan.” Braves pitchers call their own games and are free to “shake off” the finger signals McCann puts down for a pitch. But they do it infrequently.
“We have a game plan before we go in, and we try to execute it,” Smoltz said. “If we have to change on the fly, we change.
I’ve called him out several times and said, ‘What do you think here?’ “I need the catcher to be my eyes for what I can’t see.
Sometimes a pitcher will think a pitch was pretty good and he’ll go, ‘No,’ because we don’t follow it from the same perspective he has. I’ll rely on him to see how the hitter reacts.” McCann was called up from the minors in June 2005 when Johnny Estrada was hurt. In his second game, he caught a Smoltz five-hitter. Smoltz was 7-0 with a 2.03 ERA and three complete games in his first nine starts with McCann.
“Smoltz loved him from Day 1,” manager Bobby Cox said.
Over two seasons, Smoltz had a 3.03 ERA with McCann catching, and a 3.91 ERA with Todd Pratt or Estrada catching.
It’s been a long time since baseball had two catchers as promising as McCann and Mauer, but only one made the cover of Sports Illustrated last summer with the caption, “Joe Mauer, American Idol.” “He deserved it – what he did last year was amazing,” McCann said of Mauer, who hit .347 with 13 homers and 84 RBIs. “I’ve seen him on film and 1/8in person 3/8 a couple of times. He’s got one of the prettiest swings I’ve seen.” Mauer was the first catcher to win a batting title in either league since the Boston Braves’ Ernie Lombardi hit .330 in 1942.
But it could be argued that McCann, who also has a sweet, simple swing, had a season every bit as impressive.
He had five more extra-base hits in 79 fewer at-bats than Mauer, who had 60 at-bats as a designated hitter and played home games in the air-conditioned Metrodome. McCann led all catchers with a .967 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS), while Mauer led AL catchers at .901.
Both were difficult on right-handers, Mauer leading the majors at .356 and McCann second at .351. Again, that’s all hitters they bested, not just catchers.
McCann also led the majors with a .471 average with runners in scoring position and two outs.
“My goal is to make sure last year was not a one-year wonder,” McCann said. “This year I’ve got to prove I can do it again.” David O’Brien writes for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
E-mail: dobrien (AT) ajc.com ENDIT Story Filed By Cox Newspapers For Use By Clients of the New York Times News Service
