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NY Mets: 1 thing that went right, 2 that went wrong for James McCann

By Tim Boyle |
Jun 25, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pinch hitter James McCann (33) hits the game-tying sacrifice fly in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pinch hitter James McCann (33) hits the game-tying sacrifice fly in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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Apr 13, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets catcher James McCann (33) at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 13, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets catcher James McCann (33) at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

James McCann’s first year with the New York Mets didn’t quite live up to the lofty expectations many had for the veteran catcher. One of the first major additions added to the roster last offseason, he wasn’t nearly the big splash we anticipated he could be.

Typically, you could find McCann low in the Mets lineup. There was even a time when he lost some days to Tomas Nido.

This was only year one of four for him. With a chance to bounce back next year, let’s take a look at one thing that went right for him and a pair of things that went wrong.

What went right: James McCann was the defender the Mets thought he was

Defensive statistics aren’t always the easiest to comprehend. Personally, I find a lot of them misleading.

What’s not misleading is how well McCann played behind the plate this year. He didn’t get any complaints either which goes to show something that never shows up on the stat sheet. He is capable of having good chemistry with the pitchers.

McCann had a caught stealing percentage of 27% which was right above the 25% league-wide. He had a defensive WAR of just 0.2 which is actually tied for the lowest of his career in any full season. Nevertheless, I found him reliable and dependable. Maybe this was in part because he was replacing two years of Wilson Ramos.

While McCann wasn’t a Gold Glove-caliber backstop for the Mets, I think he held up his end of the bargain when there was a glove on his left hand.

Jul 29, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets catcher James McCann (33) singles against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 29, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets catcher James McCann (33) singles against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports /

What went wrong: James McCann wasn’t a very good hitter

The other part of McCann’s game wasn’t nearly as good. He slashed .232/.294/.349 this year with only 10 home runs and 46 RBI. His slash line numbers were awful enough that they are below where his career totals now stand: .246/.299/.387.

There were plenty of moments where McCann came up short for the Mets. He was a double play machine at times but did finish the season with only a dozen of them. This isn’t outrageously high. I suppose the moments he ended up with them were such major rally killers.

Just about any number you want to look at was a bad one from an offensive perspective. His 131 total bases showcase a lack of power both in the form of home runs and doubles. The .643 OPS is ugly. The Mets will have to hope his days with the Chicago White Sox weren’t some fluke—a worry of mine from the start.

McCann wasn’t even just a light-hitting catcher. He struck out 115 times for a 27.9% per plate appearance. Among all of his batted balls, 51.7% were groundballs. When you have a catcher’s speed and aren’t hitting the ball very hard, these usually end up as easy outs.

And that was exactly what McCann’s problem became in 2021. He didn’t drive the ball. Teams had an easy time putting a dent in his batting average.

Sep 30, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Eddy Alvarez (65) scores a run against New York Mets catcher James McCann (33) during the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Eddy Alvarez (65) scores a run against New York Mets catcher James McCann (33) during the fourth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

What went wrong: James McCann got worse as the season went on

What was worse than McCann’s year at the plate? Related to it is how poorly he played in the second half.

It’s a bit surprising considering how awful his April and May were. McCann batted .214/.290/.268 with a single home run and 4 RBI in 62 April plate appearances. Not much better in May in 77 trips to the plate, the Mets catcher hit .211/.273/.338 with a pair of home runs and 8 RBI.

June and July were much kinder go McCann with slash numbers of .288/.341/.500 and .286/.366/.333 respectively. However, it call came to a halt in August where he hit just .158/.179/.263 in 39 plate appearances.

During the final month plus October, McCann slashed .194/.253/.313 he did manage to drive in 11 runs which were second to only the 16 he had back in June.

The much simpler version of everything from above can be traced back to his first and second-half numbers on the season. McCann was a .249/.318/.373 hitter with 7 home runs and 29 RBI in the first half. Double this up and I think we would accept this from the team’s number eight hitter.

Unfortunately, McCann hit only .204/.253/.310 after the All-Star Break with 3 home runs and 17 RBI. Those final weeks were brutal for him. Following such a positive turnaround mid-year, it’s a shame how far he slid before the end.

Next. 3 ways the Mets failed, 3 ways they succeeded

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What else did you think went right or wrong for McCann this year?

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