Brian McCann
In November 2013, the New York Yankees signed catcher Brian McCann to a five-year deal for $85 million. The Yankees signed McCann for his ability to call games behind the plate, along with the fact that he possessed a quality bat. In nearly three years with the Yankees, McCann is only batting .233, and although that he is owed $34 million over the next two years, he could become expendable.
After rookie catcher Gary Sanchez appeared in two games for the Yankees last year, while appearing for a cup of coffee on May 13, he got called up once again last month. But it didn’t take Sanchez that long to become a household name around the Big Apple as from August 10-27, he became a one-man wrecking crew for the Yanks. Over that stretch Sanchez hit 11 home runs and in the process re-ignited some life into a fan base that was ready to mail it in for 2016. At just 23-years of age, Sanchez has been getting the bulk of the time behind home plate for New York over the last few weeks and you have to wonder if the organization is ready to commit to him as their backstop of the future?
Gary Sanchez
Sanchez’s ability saw the Yankees part with catcher John Ryan Murphy over the winter as he became the organization’s heir apparent behind the plate. Sanchez doesn’t have the experience as of yet, but what he does represent is a much cheaper option for the Yankees who would love to get under the luxury tax threshold of $189 million. As of now the Yankees have $127.7 million committed to player salaries for next season which includes the $17 million that is owed to McCann.
I’m not around McCann, but I am sure that the competitor in him doesn’t want to look over his shoulder as he’ll be fighting for playing time with a young stud such as Sanchez. And for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, he can really come out of this situation smelling like a rose if he plays his card right.
The past six weeks have seen the Yanks do a solid job of re-stocking their minor-league system as they traded relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs, relief pitcher Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians, and outfielder Carlos Beltran to the Texas Rangers. The trades saw the Yankees receive minor league prospects such as pitcher Justus Sheffield and outfielder Clint Frazier, while they’ve recently called up prospects in their own system such as Sanchez and outfielder Aaron Judge. The Yankees front office sees the current direction of Major League Baseball as more than ever there is a youth movement. And New York is seeking to stock pile as many young prospects as possible to either build around, or to use in order to obtain an All-Star caliber player through a trade.
A potential trade of McCann could see the Yankees shed some salary, while also getting some more prospects in return as he is a veteran catcher that knows how to work with a pitching staff, and he also brings intangibles to the table such as being a good “framer” of pitches which is becoming a growing quality for catchers to have. However the Yankees always have the option to keep McCann in the fold in order to groom McCann, but it could cause a media firestorm in New York City.
Brian Cashman
With Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings set to take place this December in Washington D.C., Cashman could be a hot commodity as teams will be in process of re-tooling their rosters and a veteran catcher like McCann could become very enticing.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Leave A Comment