Catch-22: James McCann

[Edgy MD]

NAME: James McCann

AGE: 32

POSITION: Catcher (Is familiar with first base)

NUMBER: 33

NICKNAME: "McCannon"

fWAR IN 2021: 0.5

ZIPS PROJECTION FOR 2022: 1.1

fWAR ALREADY IN 2022: 0.3



"You're giving this guy a three year deal," people said to Sandy Alomar or whoever was running the Mets that week, "based on little more than career year within a partial season within abbreviated season. The sample size just isn't there!"



Those people weren't proven right. But let's just say that the preponderance of evidence coming out of 2021 was on their side.



But that's the thing about long-term (or medium-term) contracts. They go on. If they don't start paying out right away, you've got to find a way to squeeze something from them. So this year, the Mets are dialing my starts back from 75-80% to more like 60%, throwing a generous 40% to Tomás.



I'd like to say it's paying off. It kind of is. I mean, I got off to another stinko start, and so did Nido, but we both seem to have found our strokes on this recent road trip, so we didn't fall into black holes like it we kinda did for long periods in 2021. The divided workload has made our defense more consistent, and kept our skills sharper. At least, that's the way my agent is telling the story.



And yeah, we may just be keeping a seat warm for Francisco Álvarez. But you know what? We're all keeping a seat warm, buddy. Yeah, put that between your cheek and gum and chew it. I'm keeping a big league seat warm. What are you warming?



So yeah, for now, I'm splitting more time, and I'm batting ninth, and if I'm not helping the team much, I'm not hurting them as much as I was a year ago, and if the right balance is found under the right moon, maybe I'll find a little bit more of that career year that got me this contract. Stranger things have happened.



Is that what's gonna happen? You tell me. Use numbers.



[FIMG=320]https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2021/09/23084320/GettyImages-1340395172-1024x683.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=380]https://sportsspectrum.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/JamesMcCannPic2.jpg[/FIMG]

[FIMG=320]https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/08/Nationals-Mets-Baseball-e1630194748453.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024[/FIMG] [FIMG=380]https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Frisingapple-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F16309774-850x560-43e5aae1ecb36d6a330c8f1e61bb8a77.jpg[/FIMG]

[kcmets]

A-hem...

[bLOCKQUOTE]Re: Catch-22:[/bLOCKQUOTE]

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Was a little encouraged with Zeile remarking how his hands looked faster this year the other day.



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