"One of the Best Days of My Life"

So said Brian McCann at his press conference yesterday, wherein he was officially revealed as the newest New York Yankee, donning the number 34. Signing a five-year, $85 million contract with the club, it seems to me like a good deal for a catcher approaching thirty.

One of the biggest weaknesses in the Yankees' lineup throughout the 2013 campaign was the absence of a reliable bat behind the plate. While you don't expect a catcher to be a .300+ hitter (this is what makes the Joe Mauers of the world so exceptional), the combined batting stats of the various Yankee catchers last season, led by Chris Stewart due to the omnipresent injury bug, were dismal. A combined average of .242, a total of 8 home runs, 38 RBIs, and a combined on-base percentage of .312. McCann by himself beats all of those.

I take the fact that he's a seven-time All Star with a grain of salt, because as we know, position players in that game are decided by fan voting. Not the most reliable method. Still, it is a nice accolade to have on any player's resumes.

Not least of his line items, McCann has a reputation of working well with pitchers and improving pitching staffs. His presence tends to decrease a pitcher's ERA. This can only be good news, especially with a team that struggled to score runs last year. In that situation, it is imperative to prevent the opposing team from scoring, and this is a role Brian McCann seems to fit.

Overall, I'm please with this move. The Yankees signed a desirable free agent to fill a much-needed gap in the team's line, all without breaking the bank. But these pats on the back are easy, the real test will come next year. Many free agent deals have fell well short of expectations in the past, and this is something to keep in mind.

But for now, congratulations to the Yankees and Brian McCann. Let's play ball!