March 22, 2007
McCann in the Can
The Braves just locked up to a six year deal worth just under $5 million per year. Joe Sheehan at Baseball Prospectus calls it a steal (subscription required).
That was my first and only reaction to the announcement that the Braves had signed catcher Brian McCann to a six-year deal worth $26.8 million. The deal keeps the team out of arbitration with McCann and ties him to the Braves through at least his seventh season in the big leagues, while buying out up to two years of free agency.
McCann is already a star, a left-handed-hitting catcher who is the complete package at the plate: average, power and discipline. He's two years ahead of where Mike Piazza--the most recent comparable--was; at 22, Piazza was a year away from a cup of coffee with the Dodgers.
Of course, McCann is a catcher and the chance of him wearing down before he becomes a free agent is pretty good. So the deal makes Brian a rich man now, and the Braves earn some long term cost control. As regular readers know, I love deals like this. If you have a star, sign him young. You'll save money in the long run as salaries rise, and you avoid the cost of arbitration.
i thought the money was a little low also.