McCann working to regain consistency

[HMFFL]

Catcher feeling healthy again, in camp with improved strength

ny discussion about Major League Baseball's top young catchers will almost certainly include the names of the Dodgers' Russell Martin and the Twins' Joe Mauer. In Braves manager Bobby Cox's opinion, his own Brian McCann ranks right there with these two young backstops.

"Hitting, catching and throwing, [McCann] is right there with them," Cox said. "The only place they've got him is speed."

McCann's offseason conditioning program wasn't exactly able to erase the fact that he's always going to be considered speed-challenged. But it did provide a number of benefits that he believes will help him regain some of the consistency that was lacking last season.

"This is the best I've ever felt going into the season," McCann said. "I feel confident. I feel ready."

McCann, who will celebrate his 24th birthday on Wednesday, is preparing for his third full Major League season and already has been honored with two straight All-Star selections. Detroit's Ivan Rodriguez is the only other Major League catcher to have been selected to the past two Midsummer Classics.

"The guy always impresses me," Chipper Jones said of McCann. "I think he's an unbelievable talent and that he's going to be good for a long time. He's a good kid and he's got a good head on his shoulder. He wants to continue to learn every day."

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[dms269]

McCann is such a beast. I remember my sophomore year he came up to the field (Duluth High school, where he graduated from) and took some BP. He smashed one over the right field fence that, we think, landed on the roof of the gym. He is also such a nice guy. Very soft spoken, and shy.

[HMFFL]

Perfect exactly of don't judge a book by it's cover.

I bet many people that didn't know who would laugh at someone telling them he's a MLB All-Star.