After a speedy courtship, the New York Yankees decided to roll the dice by signing former Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann to a deal worth upwards of $100 million and up to six years. The deal marks one of the biggest moves of the MLB offseason so far.
The signing fulfills Yankees owner Hal Steninbrenner’s desire to add a big bat to the middle of the lineup while also staying below the luxury tax for the 2014 season. Still only 29, the seven-time all-star brings consistency and power to the Yankees batting order while also having the flexibility to transition to first base or DH towards the end of the contract.
However, despite McCann’s consistent power in the batter’s box, this signing does include some risk as McCann has started over 140 games only twice in his MLB career and he hasn’t averaged over .270 at the plate since 2009.
Even with the wear and tear McCann has shown over his nine seasons in ‘The Bigs’, the Yankees clearly felt that McCann’s locker room presence, lively bat, and positional flexibility make his addition the first extra base hit of their 2014 season.
