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mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,611 ✭✭✭
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Is Brian McCann the best catcher in baseball? Discuss..
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    melvin289melvin289 Posts: 3,019 ✭
    I believe you might be on to something here. I am not looking anything up to verify what I am saying. Is this not the 5th or 6th year straight McCann has going to the All-Star game? He fields his position well, he's a terror at the plate and no stranger to the long ball with 15 homers to date. Can't quote his batting average off the top of my head but I would think he could start on any major league team.

    Forgive my so-so answer but brain dead tonight. One just knows a quality player when they see him.

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    PowderedH2OPowderedH2O Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
    A healthy Mauer is #1. But McCann is certainly the best without a healthy Mauer. But since he is a Brave, I must root against him with all of my heart.
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    mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,611 ✭✭✭


    << <i>A healthy Mauer is #1. But McCann is certainly the best without a healthy Mauer. But since he is a Brave, I must root against him with all of my heart. >>



    In my opinion, the only reason McCann hasn't been considered the best catcher in years past is because of Mauer. Mauer has hit over .320 every year since '07...just a great pure hitter, but with a lack of power. Only twice in Mauer's 7 year career has he hit double digit homers. The '09 campaign with 28 appears to be a total fluke. Mauer's normal HR production is somewhere in the high single digit range.

    Now, lets talk about McCann. He's an average .291 hitter who has finished over .300 in 3 of his 6 seasons. McCann averages slightly over 20 HR per season, until this year. I feel like, even though McCann has been an all-star 6 years in a row, that 2011 is HIS breakout year. He's hitting .312, is on track to finish with over 30HRs, and will likely finish with an OPS exceeding .900.

    Assuming Mauer returns to his normal self next season, we may be close to having a debate of who is the better catcher. IF Mauer hit 30-35 HRs a year, there wouldn't be a debate, but his lack of power throughout his career has opened the door for comparisions. If McCann is a .320ish hitter with monster OPS with 15-20 more HRs per year than Mauer, then I don't know how you say he's not as good, or better.
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    grote15grote15 Posts: 29,535 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Someday he may be half the hitter Piazza was.


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    digicatdigicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭
    McCann's getting tested by base runners a lot this season. 62 steals already (17 caught stealing, for a 22% rate). He leads the NL.
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    HallcoHallco Posts: 3,627 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Not to change the spotlight off of the McCann/Mauer discussion....but David Ross is by FAR the best back-up catcher in the league!! image
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    GarabaldiGarabaldi Posts: 2,004 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Someday he may be half the hitter Piazza was. >>



    Pure hitter
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    digicatdigicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭


    << <i>David Ross is by FAR the best back-up catcher in the league!! >>



    Fun fact: David Ross' first major league HR was hit in 2002 off of... Mark Grace. image
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    mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,611 ✭✭✭
    USA Today Sports section had an article yesterday about the most bloated contracts in MLB and which teams aren't getting returns for the huge contracts for certain players. Vernon Wells and Alfonso Soriano were discussed at length. Near the end of the article, the author suggested that people will soon begin lumping Joe Mauer in with these guys. The author also cited Mauer's .284 batting average and 1 HR this season after 63 games played.

    Is this a good time to rekindle the "who's the best catcher in MLB" debate?
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    digicatdigicat Posts: 8,551 ✭✭


    << <i>Is this a good time to rekindle the "who's the best catcher in MLB" debate? >>



    McCann's got the best bat of any MLB catchers this season, but he's not the best at doing "catcher stuff" behind the plate.
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