As the weather gets colder outside, MLB trade and free agency rumors have heated up, and the latest talk involves Atlanta Braves free agent Brian McCann, whose agent said that the seven-time All-Star has the New York Yankees on his "radar" and that he's received interested from several other teams. With the Bronx Bombers in need of a reliable catcher, could McCann be headed to Yankee Stadium in 2014?
McCann's agent B.B. Abbott told The New York Daily News that McCann respects the Yankees organization and that New York City would be an attractive landing spot for his client.
"How could it not be?" Abbott responded when asked if New York was on McCann's radar per The Daily News. "You've got an historic franchise and a great park, knowledgeable fans and a chance to win, which is what every guy plays the game for. From Brian's standpoint, it would be an attractive place to listen to."
Abbott told the paper that it's not just the glory of playing for the heralded franchise that makes the Yankees an attractive place for McCann, but also his deep respect of the Yankees organization and the way it handles itself.
"[He has] a lot of respect for Derek Jeter," Abbott told the paper. "He respects the Yankee organization."
While multiple teams are interested in him, McCann could return to the Braves, who extended the 29-year-old a qualifying offer on Monday.
McCann, who was drafted by the Braves in the second round of the 2002 draft, has a career average of .277 with 176 homers and 661 RBIs through 1,105 games with Atlanta over a nine-year career. Last season, McCann went .256 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs through 102 contests.
The Braves finished 96-66 last season and clinched the National League East for the first time since 2005, but lost in the opening round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games. The Yankees, meanwhile, missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
The Yankees struggled at the catcher position in 2013 as Chris Stewart hit just .211 with four homers and 25 RBIs through 109 games this season. The Yankees offered qualifying $14.1 million offers to second baseman Robinson Cano, outfielder Curtis Granderson and starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.
Each player has until Nov. 11 to decide to accept or deny the qualifying offer in order to test free agency with other teams or work for a bigger contract with their current teams. If the player signs elsewhere, the team that extended the qualifying offer will receive a compensatory pick in the MLB draft.
McCann has many options, and it remains to be seen where he will land.
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