Atlanta Braves: Why The Braves Need Brian McCann

 The Atlanta Braves are going into their off-season looking to acquire a catcher to help Tyler Flowers. Brian McCann is the solution to the Braves catching situation and will provide more worth than most fans think.

The Atlanta Braves are headed into the off-season with three priorities signing a manager, catcher, and adding some starting pitching depth. With Tyler Flowers unable to catch every game and A.J. Pierzynski on his way out the Braves are going to need to sign or trade for a quality catcher to platoon with Flowers.

The answer to their catching problem is trading for Yankees’ DH Brian McCann.  He enjoyed his best season in Atlanta with the Braves and could return home to help guide a young pitching staff and a young team that is truly trying to compete for the first time in several seasons.

The first obstacle to any such deal would obviously be the salary that B-mac is owed throughout the next two seasons. His base salary this past season was seventeen million dollars. Add in the fact that the Braves are a low budget team and the Yankees want something of value in return and the deal seems improbable. There is also the fact that McCann would have to approve any potential trades due to his service time and contract.

The first problem is easily solved. The Atlanta Braves are headed into this season in spending mode they have their best players locked up and will be looking to add some talent to help them take the next step. Taking on at least part of what he is owed shouldn’t be a problem for a low budget team that has been paying players like Dan Uggla and Melvin Upton while they were playing elsewhere. Now that they are free of horrible contracts with the exception of Hector Olivera’s they can take on more salary.

Taking on part of McCann’s with the Yankees paying part of it as well and receiving a legitimate prospect or two in return seems like a very plausible and possible deal for the Yankees and Braves. The Brave farm system is loaded spending a couple of decent prospects in exchange for McCann should not be a problem.

The next hurdle will be getting Brian McCann to approve this hypothetical deal that would send him to Atlanta. While it is impossible to predict his decision it seems improbable that he would turn down a deal sending him back to regularly catching games as well as reuniting with his hometown.

The next question that needs to be answered is why the Braves should overpay for a light hitting veteran catcher? The answer is very simple, Brian McCann was a key piece of the Braves teams of the past due to his catching abilities and the leadership he brought to the clubhouse.

Bringing back McCann to this young Braves roster would provide leadership and help make their lineup better. The Braves do not need a catch to hit clean up in the lineup they can slot McCann in the bottom of the lineup and take some of the pressure off of him and letting him focus on what they need him to do.

Next: Braves Off-season Targets

The Braves need Brian McCann to come back to Atlanta to help lead their clubhouse and to solve their catching problems.  The Braves have said that they will revisit a deal with the Yankees this off-season, don’t be surprised if this deal gets done quickly in the off-season unless the Braves make the mistake of pursuing a catcher in the free agent market.