As I was being sucked into my "Battlefield 4", this deal was going on without me knowing. Until I took a break and saw Brian McCann's name as the number one trend in New York, on Twitter. When I saw that I got excited and worried; worried, because it would sometimes mean he'd elsewhere. And angry Yankee fans are piss off and ranting about it. BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE!
Like I said, an early signing; we hardly see big name players sign before Thanksgiving in November. It usually takes t'll the Winter Meetings for the first big shoe to drop.
They're reasons why McCann signed this early:
1) To show all the other free agents that the Yankees are willing to spend and win this season.
2) The Yankees want to get McCann in early, so that he can start contacting the other Yankee starting pitchers.
Yankees want McCann to start talking to C.C Sabathia, Ivan Nova, and most importantly, David Robertson, who will be the new closer. You want your new catcher to start gaining quick chemistry with the pitchers. This is not some backup catcher who will learn the starters in March -- this is Brian McCann. The 29-year old, seven-time all-star is part of the new Yankee core.
What Do The Yankees Get Out Of McCann?:
Presence, young veteranship, leadership and POWER. Something the Yankees haven't had since Jorge Posada; Russell Martin brought clubhouse presence, too, but I think McCann will bring it more than Martin.
McCann has a .995 fielding percentage at catcher; very solid.
In his 2013 season, he batted .256, with 20 homeruns and 57 RBIs. He's gonna hit more than 20 homeruns as a Yankee. Not just because the short porch in right, but the heavy hitters that'll surround him. McCann can easily get 30 homers next season.
It's a great signing; a signing the Yankees HAD to do. They needed a power hitting catcher, after failing to acquire Russell Martin last offseason.
It's not just a great signing because of what he can do in the box, it's what he shows on that field, every night. Again -- that leadership was lacking, last season. McCann WILL bring that fire and intensity to the Yankees.
Another reason why Yankee may have signed McCann this early, is because, maybe, there's another big pitcher on the way and they need their catcher ready for that -- overseas -- pitcher...
